Salisbury Watchman:  Our community mourns the death of another of her old citizens.  James E. KERR departed this life Monday morning at 9 o’clock in the 72d year of his life, after a slow decline of some weeks’ duration.  He was extensively known as one of the resident lawyers of this place, which profession he continued to practice to the end of his life.

Source: Raleigh News and Observer, 19 September 1880, page 2.