Bill, Betty, and Spotty
Photo by Annick Shen
William and Betty Kerr and their dog Spotty have been long-time residents in Knox County. William, who is better know as "Billy" amongst his friends, has been shearing sheep since he was sixteen years old. For the past fifty-five years, Bill has been traveling from sheep farm to sheep farm throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virgina, and parts of the Midwest. He has not missed a day. His passion for sheep consume his life. In 1956, 1960, and 1961 Billy was Ohio's state shearer champion.
Around Knox County every sheep farmer knows or knows of Billy because he is renown for his gentleness with sheep. One farmer said, "He can talk any sheep tothe shearing mat. It's like magic." There is a mystical tie between Billy and his sheep. Many a times, farmers will observe Billy at work and they just smile because they know their livestock is in good hands. Another famer once told me, "He gives them a good haircut. Everyone wants a good haircut."
