Charles William Kerr was born in Pennsylvania, where he attended Western Theological Seminary in 1895. He transferred to McCormick Seminary in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated in 1898 before moving to Edmond, Oklahoma, to serve as pastor of the local Presbyterian Church. In 1900, he became the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa. By 1904 the church was quickly becoming one of the largest in the denomination and Dr. Kerr served there until April, 1941, when he became chaplain of Hillcrest Memorial Hospital. He played a major role in bringing Kendall College, later named the University of Tulsa, in 1907 and was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. in 1923.