Background
Kirker was born in County Tyrone, Ireland.
Kirker was born in County Tyrone, Ireland.
He served as the second Governor of Ohio. He moved with his family to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1779. Three years later, they moved to Liberty Township, Adams County, Ohio.
He was a delegate to the Ohio Constitutional Convention in 1802.
He served in the first Ohio House of Representatives in 1803 and then in the Ohio State Senate from 1803 to 1815. While serving as Speaker of the Senate, Kirker became Governor upon the resignation of Edward Tiffin to take a seat in the United States. Senate.
Kirker ran for re-election in 1808, but lost badly to Samuel H. Huntington. Kirker later returned to the Assembly, serving in the House of Representatives from 1816 to 1817 and in the State Senate from 1821 to 1825.
He was the Ohio Presidential elector in 1824 for Henry Clay.
Kirker retired from politics, and returned to his home at his Liberty Township farm. Upon his death he was buried in a family burial plot on the farm.
