KEMP'S IN PA.,OHIO,WISCONSIN,& NEBRASKA
Following from Becky Kemp Austin:
My mother ,Marjorie Freda Miller Kemp died9/30/2006. After the funeral I helped go through
various important papers in my parents home in Ottawa County,Ohio where I found an old letter from my Grandfather,Marion Glen Kemp,
Son of Francis Marion Kemp & Nancy Margaret Gaumer,
Grandson ofEdward P. Kemp & Mariah Hoy,
Great Grandson of Edward Kemp & Eve Penrod.
When we were home in Aug. of 2004 my mother gave ustwo old pictures from the Nebraska Homestead where Francis Marion Kemp lived.This particular letter I found after Mom died explained the picturesshe had passed on to me. I think Grandpa had some info a little turned around as you'll see but I believe it's proof that my EDWARD P. KEMP was the eldest son of EDWARD KEMP & EVE PENROD.
Things added in []is extra information added by Becky Kemp Austin.
"Valley Falls,Kansas 10/19/1963
Dear Marjie & Pen:
This is a word of explanation about those very old oil paintings Hubert sent to you from our old home.[ Hubert was youngest son of Francis Marion Kemp on the Nebraska Homestead]
Marge Freer already had tried to wheedle them away,but hadn't got them yet. I hope Hubert sent the letter along with them but I'm afraid he didn't,so I will tell you briefly why you should have them.
My Pa Kemp's father was named Edward Pennington at birth,but when he got big enough to go to school,the other boys made fun of his name,so his father gave him permission to use Penrod in place of it temporarily.Pa Kemp's maternal grandmother was born Elizabeth Pennington [ I wonder if it was Great Great Grandmother, Eve Penrod was Elizabeth Eve Penrod?]. She was a descendant of Lord Tarlton in England-c,1400 or [sp. in question?]-So the Pennington's were a branch of the family since that time.
Those little pictures were painted over 100yrs. agoby one of Pa Kemp's older cousins,Ben Lobb [ in 1850 Ohio Census there was an elder man,Benjamin Lobb living in Edward P. Kemp's home in Ohio. Also Maria Hoy Kemp is buried in Lobb's Run Cemetery in W.Elizabeth,PA. alongside
of a Ben & Jesse Lobb]. Just natural talent.So please hang on to them.The Freer's will be there to see you sometime & she will do most anything to get what she wants if it doesn't cost her anything. [ I 'd like to add that Aunt Margie Freer,one of my father's older sister's was not like what Grandpa makes her out to be. She was a sweet Christian lady that cared about her roots,as I do.If it were not for her passing on to memuch ofthe genealogicalinformation she had,I would know nothing of my ancestry because my father,nor any of his other siblings cared anything about the past. So Aunt Margie simply didn't want the pictures destroyed & I'm sure Grandpa misreadher motives. It was sheer luck I was home last year when Mom found them in a pile of dusty old newpapers in an old brown paper sack.We looked at them & she said I might like them as they came from the old Nebraska homestead & she knew I was tracing the lineage. I told my husband,Bill the pictures looked old.Mom had someone restore them, wish I could've seen the back of them before new paper was added to the back to see what they said or looked like.It took Mom's death to put the pictures together with this letter.She was a VERY disorganized person. It's very fortunate this old letter survived.]
I must stop & get back to bed. It is 4AM Mon. & I'll suffer for this tomorrow.
Love to all of you,Dad"
I really think that our Great Great Grandfather,Edward P. Kemp did not like his middle name & it is why in all of the old documents we find it just has the middle initial P. However I believe it was EDWARD PENROD KEMP after his mother's maiden name,Penrod. I think because his father's name was Edward, to cut down on confusion he was called by his middle name PENROD & when he was a little older & aroundother children they made fun of his name & he got permission to be called PENNINGTON temporarily. Since that wasn't his legal name all documents were written up EDWARD P. KEMP,but the PENNINGTON nickname stuck & was passed down to my father. Anyway, as of yetI have been unable to find any PENNINGTON'Sin our lineage.
Becky Kemp Austin
Parents: Pennington David Kemp & Marjorie Freda Miller
Grandparents: Marion Glen Kemp & Frances Pearl Savage
Great Grandparents: Francis Marion Kemp & Nancy Margaret Gaumer
2nd Great Grandparents:Edward P. Kemp & Maria Hoy [Maria(h)'s mother was Alice Tarlton.Her line runs through Lord Tarlton,but I still haven't found any Pennington's in that line either]
3rd Great Grandparents: Edward Kemp & Eve Penrod
4th Great Grandparents: John S. Kemp & Unknown McCollough
5th Great Grandfather: Charles Kemp [not proven]
1850 Census Sandusky Twp.,Crawford Co.,Ohio 27th day Aug 1850 -783 Pg 392
Edward P. Kemp 46 M Farmer, PA [ b.10/29/1803 d. 6/15/1869 Sauk Co.,Wisc.]
Maria42 FMD [b. 8/08/1808 d. 2/19/1862 buried Lobbs Run Cemetery,Jefferson Twp.,Allegheny Co.,West Elizabeth,PA.]
Alice16 FOhio [ b.abt.1834-named after AliceTarlton, maternal Grandmother]
Harriet12 FOhio[ b.abt.1838]
Maria10 FOhio[ b.abt.1840 named after her mother]
Catharine6 FOhio[ b.1845 d.3/7/1860,15yrs.buried Lobbs Run]
Francis M.3 MOhio[ b.9/18/1847]
Benjamin Lobb78 MNonePA. [ b.4/27/1772]
[Lobbs Run dates Source " Western PA. Genealogy Society Quarterly,Vol.21,#1,Summer 1994"]
I still can't figure out how BEN LOBB was related to Edward P. Kemp??
2nd Great Grandparents:
Edward P. Kempb. Oct.29,1803 in Fayette Co.,Pennsylvania. He died June 15,1869 in Sauk Co.,Wisconsin near his eldest daughter, Leah Jane Kemp Staples. Edward P. Kemp married Mariah Hoy ,daughter of Alice Tarlton & Robert Hoy,Sr.[b.1/26/1783 Hagerstown,MD. d. 2/4/1836 Plymouth,Ohio]July 16,1829 in Plymouth Twp., Richland Co.,Ohio She was born Aug. 8,1808 in Maryland & died Feb. 19,1862 in Allegheny Co.,East Elizabeth,Pennsylvania. She's buried at Lobbs Run Cemetery in West Elizabeth, PA.Her name is spelled Mariah in old HOY Bible records, but spelled Maria in the Census's & on her Tombstone.
Marriage information found on old newspaper microfilm:
Mansfield Gazette,Mansfield,Ohio 22 July 1829
"HYMENEAL. Married--on the 16th inst. in Plymouth Twp. by the Rev. James Rowland, Mr. Edward Kemp, to Miss Maria Hoy."
1830 Census
Vernon Twp., Richland Co., OH (page 85)
"Edward Kemp"
1840 Census
Sandusky Twp., Crawford Co., OH (page 20)
"E.W.P. Kemp"
1850 Census-Sandusky Twp., Crawford Co., OH (page 392)
Edward P. Kemp 46yrs. Farmer Born in PA.
Maria Kemp 42yrs. Born MD.
Alice 16yrs. Born Ohio
Harriet 12yrs. Born Ohio
Maria 10yrs. Born Ohio
Catharine 6yrs. Born Ohio
Francis Marion 3yrs. Born Ohio
Benjamin Lobb78yrs. Born PA.
Apparently they moved to East Elizabeth, Allegheny Co, PA. near Pittsburg after 1850 Census & before Maria Hoy Kemp died there in 1862. She is buried at Lobbs-Run Cemetery in West Elizabeth, PA. Someone transcribing the old Tombstone says it "looks like wife of Edward E. Kemp", but we know it is Edward P. Kemp. There is a Catharine L. Kemp buried alongside of Maria Kemp. I assume this was their daughter,Catherine. Says death March 7th, but year is unreadable.
My 2nd cousin,Richard Kemp of Colorado,who shares the same Great Grandfather, Francis Marion Kemp, as I,his line through Edward Ogden Kemp & mine through younger brother,Marion Glenn Kemp scanned me a hand written paper with the "FAMILY OF EDWARD KEMP".It said he was born somewhere around 1804. It names eldest daughter, as JANE who married ZEB STAPLES of Wisconsin. It said she lived past 80 & was survived by sons, Ed & Henry. So I did an Internet search & found this family buried in Sauk Co.,Wisconsin in SANDUSKY VILLAGE CEMETERY (UNITED BRETHREN CEMETERY) & I got to thinking that perhaps after GGGrandma Maria Hoy Kemp died & Francis Marion was 15yrs. old that GGGrandpa Edward P. Kemp may have moved nearer his eldest daughter & son-in-law. Sure enoughI found his burial place at OLER CEMETERY,SAUK CO.,WISCONSIN. He died June 15,1869. Tombstone states he was 65yrs.7months,17days old which puts him being born Oct.29,1803 in Fayette Co.,Pennsylvania.
The following is from the Internet where I found the information:
Sandusky Village Cemetery (United Brethren Cemetery)
Washington Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin
Lat: 43°23'40"N, Lon: 90°09'01"W
Washington Twp, Sec 33
Contributed by Kathy Waddell, Aug 17, 2002 [[email protected]].
Total records = 290.
Location: Highway 154 west out of Loganville to Hwy 130. Left on 130 to Sandusky Road. Left on Sandusky. South side of road just east of the United Brethren Church.
Reference used to verify markers not there or unreadable was taken from information obtained by Dorris Berning when she copied the cemetery in 1967 and by Gladys Prouty Powell when the cemetery was updated in 1978. Mrs Powell provided more information about a few of the people in this cemetery.
* more information available, please contact me at the address above.
I walked and transcribed this cemetery on Jul 07, 2002.
Kathy Waddell
Staples, Albert, d. Feb 27, 1864, 7y, s/w Zebulon Staples, Row 8
Staples, Amanda, d. Apr 29, 1864, 11y, s/w Zebulon Staples, Row 8
Staples, Edward, b. 1849, d. Jul 20, 1927, s/o Zebulon & Leah, Row 16
Staples, Hannah, no dates, d/o Solomon & Elisabeth, s/w Elisabeth Stombaugh, Row 9
Staples, Helen Lucinda (Fry), b. 1853, d. Feb 24, 1935, w/o Edward, s/w Edward Staples, Row 16
Staples, Henry, b. 1851, d. Dec 16, 1921, s/o Zebulon & Leah, s/w Edward Staples, Row 16
Staples, Leah Jane (Kemp), d. Jul 30, 1911, 80y 11m, s/w Zebulon Staples, Row 8
Staples, Newton, d. Nov 18, 1860, 1y, s/w Zebulon Staples, Row 8
Staples, Zebulon, d. Oct 26, 1896, 68y 7m 5d, s/w Mary J. Todd, Row 8
Stombaugh, Clyde, b. 1888, d. Nov 10, 1956, s/w Daniel Stombaugh, Row 9
Stombaugh, Daniel, b. 1849, d. Dec 1, 1920, father, Row 9
Stombaugh, Elisabeth (Clark) Staples, b. Feb 12, 1824, d. Oct 1, 1908, m. 1st Solomon Staples, m. 2nd John Stombaugh, s/w Hannah Staples, Row 9*
Oler Cemetery (Blakeslee Cemetery) (Washington Cemetery)
Washington Township, Sauk County, Wisconsin
Lat: 43°23'14"N, Lon: 90°07'51"W
Contributed by Kathy Waddell, Aug 16, 2002 [[email protected]].
Total records = 35.
Located: Hwy G to Fern Road. Fern Road goes to the east and to the west there is a dirt driveway. Take the driveway .15 mile and the cemetery is on the left through an opening too small for a car. The entrance is across from a "no trespassing" sign.
The cemetery was deeded May 14, 1867. It is believed that there were burials before this date. Today the cemetery is well kept but very old. Most of the stones are broken or unreadable.
The cemetery was originally copied by Dorris Berning and John Riggert in August, 1964. I am using their information as reference for the stones that are gone or completely unreadable nearly 40 years later those are marked as "no stone".
There is more information on some of the people buried in this cemetery that was provided by members of the Wisconsin State Old Cemetery Society when they recopied the cemetery June 9, 1976. Those that have further information are marked with an asterisk (*).
I surveyed and copied this cemetery on Jul 8, 2002.
Kathy Waddell
Kemp, Edward P., d. Jun 15, 1869, 65y 7m 17d
Children of Edward P. Kemp & Maria Hoy:
Back to handwritten paper on "FAMILY OF EDWARD KEMP"
sent to me by 2nd cousin Richard Kemp in Colorado:
They had 6 daughters & 2 sons:
1) JANE [ LEAH JANE] married ZEB STAPLES. She married before 1850 Census.
2) ROBERT died when about 18yrs. He must have died before 1850 Census.
3) ALICE married BEN LEOB & lived in Pennsylvania. [There was a Benjamin Lobb living with them in 1850 Census,but he was78yrs. old. He could've been a Grandfather of Alice's husband. Also Alice's mother, Maria is buried at LOBB'S RUN CEMETERY in PA alongside of a Ben& Jesse Lobb. I 'm still trying to figure out how BEN LOBB who painted the pictures I have is related to us KEMP'S for sure?]
4) HARRIET married a PA. Dr. named HENRY LEWIS
5) MARIA married a fellow named STROUD.
6) CATHERINE died at the age of 12.[If Catherinewas 6yrs old in the 1850 Census she was born about 1844. Which would make her death date March 7,1856. So they were back in PA. by 1856 in order for her to be buried in Lobbs Run Cemetery. ]
7) FRANCIS MARION ,was born Sept. 18,1847 in Ohio & died 6/2/1925in Nebraska
8) ELIZABETH married PHILIP WOLFORD & had sons & daughters.
In the pastmy father told me that many years ago his father, Marion Glenn Kemp, son of Francis Marion Kemp, sent him a picture of his Grandparents (my GGGrandparents) that he had written on the back, saying " this is who you're named after, E. Pennington Kemp, & my Grandma, a HOYT. I found this 5X7 picture when Mom died. Since my father's name is PENNINGTON DAVID KEMP, our family always thought my GGGrandfather's middle intial P. stood for PENNINGTON, making his full name, EDWARD PENNINGTON KEMP. However,reading the letter I found from Grandpa Marion Glen Kemp I believe over the years he confused the info as I stated above & Edward P. Kempwas the eldest son of Edward Kemp & Eve Penrod & that the P. stood for Penrod not Pennington.
Father: Edward Kemp b: 28 APR 1772 in of Fayette Co., PA
Mother: Eve Penrod b: 30 JUL 1773 in of Fayette Co., PA
Marriage 1 Maria Hoy b: 8 AUG 1808 in MD
Married: 16 JUL 1829 in Plymouth Twp., Richland Co., OH
Children:
Alice Kemp b: ABT. 1834
Harriet Kemp b: ABT. 1838
Maria Kemp b: ABT. 1840
Catherine Kemp b: ABT. 1844
Francis Marion Kemp b: 18 SEP 1847 in Sandusky Twp., Crawford Co., OH
Elizabeth Kemp b. 5/21/1850 Crawford Co.,Ohiomarried Phillip Wolford recorded in marriage book4 pg.15 as daughter of E.P. Kemp
Also per HOY Family Bible records sent to me by Bonnie Hoy of Michigan: One of Mariah Hoy Kemp's younger sister's, Harriet Hoy b. 1810 married JACOB KEMP 4/29/1830.
In the 1850 Crawford Co. ,Sandusky Twp.,Ohio Census that I find my GGGrandparents, Edward P. Kemp & Maria Hoy Kemp, I find Harriet & Jacob.
Jacob M. Kemp-39yrs. Farmer Born Ohio [Abt. 1811]
Harriet Kemp-40yrs. Born MD. [1810]
Hulda-19yrs. Born Ohio [1831]
Joseph-16yrs Born Ohio [1834]
Narcissa-14yrs. Born Ohio [1836]
George W.-4yrs. Born Ohio [1846]
Adaline1yr. Born Ohio [1849]
Great Grandparents:
Francis Marion Kemp born Crawford Co.,Sandusky Twp.,Ohio 9/18/1847.His parents moved to Pennsylvania when he was young & he went to German singing school there & learned how to play the violin. He married 3/17/1882 in Leadville, Colorado, Margaret Nancy Gaumer. She was a nurse working for a wealthy family there. She was the daughter of German Catholic Family,Daniel Gaumer [ b. 10/27/1812 in PA.] & Sarah Ann Park. An old family letter from my Aunt Marjorie KEMP Freer states that they were Pennsylvania Dutch.Margaret was born 3/5/1855 in Iowa. They Homesteaded in Redington,Nebraska & raised Cattle.
The following was sent to me by 2nd Cousin,Richard Allen Kemp of Coloradofrom a book called," PIONEERING IN THE SHADOW OF CHIMNEY ROCK":
"Francis Kemp was born in Ohio,lived for a time in Iowa & Kansas,then went to Colorado to work as a cowboy for the Green Cattle Company. At about the same time Margaret Gaumer worked for the same company.[ She must have been a nurse for the wealthy Green family.]
After their marriage they fought drought & grasshoppers in Kansas,then started south in a covered wagon. While in Indian Territory,now Oklahoma, they pitched their tent & waited for the birth of their fourth child,David Julian. An Indian woman who helped them,begged to keep the "blue eyed baby boy".They finally arrived in 1890,homesteading in the Lawrence Fork Valley near Redington. This land is still owned by three members of the Kemp family." [at the time this was written, it is no longer owned by the Kemp family]
Also from 2nd Cousin,Richard Allen Kemp of Colorado who sent me copies from THE BRIDGEPORT,NEBRASKA NEWS-BLADE:
"THE PASSING OF ANOTHER PIONEER" 35YRS. ON WESTERN NEBRASKA HOME WAS MAN OF HIGH IDEALS FOR EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT"
" The News-Blade is called upon to record the passing of another of western Nebraska's true pioneers who while a talented & educated man labored for 35yrs. at what is known as homesteading,raised & educated a family of children that have become a credit to their ancestry. F.M. Kemp, a quiet rather seclusive man is the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Kemp was born at West Liberty,Ohio on 9/18/1847 & passed away at his home8 miles southwest of Redington on 6/2/1925. He came west in 1870 going to the mining town ofLeadville,Colorado where he was married to Margaret Gaumer. In 1890 he moved his family to the place where he resided until his death,homesteading the tract.
Mr. Kemp was a refined & thoughtful man.He was a lover of good music. He taught vocal music in his earlier years & worked as an office man until he took up farming on his homestead. He was inexperienced as a farmer & always found the work burdensome, but was persistant in refusing to leave the home he had selected as a permanent one.He was known for his high ideals& his efforts to educate his children to meet practical problems. His unselfish & patient disposition made for him many friends.
He leaves to mourn his loss his wife,4 sons & 4 daughters. The children of that esteemable man are Mrs. Harriet K. Emery [Harriet Edna Kemp] of Casper,Wyoming, Mrs. M. R. Shaffer [Viola Chantal Ada Kemp] of Los Angles,California, Mrs. E. M. Quinn { Hazel Mae Kemp] of Bridgeport,Nebraska, Miss Jessie Kemp of Redington,Nebraska, Edward & David Kemp of McGrew,Nebraska, Hubert Challen Kemp of Redington,Nebraska, & Marion Glenn Kemp of
Marblehead,Ohio. All his children were with him at the end except the son in Ohio.He is also survived by 16 Grandchildren.
A large gathering of old friends & neighbors attended the funeral services that were held at the home, conducted by Rev. S. H. King of this city. His sons & sons-in-law acted as pall bearers & interment was made in Redington Cemetery."
"Mr. Kemp an old time resident of this community passed away at his home Tuesday morning. Mr. Kemp had been ill several months. Funeral Services were held at the home Thursday afternoon. Friends in this community extend their sincere sympathy to the family."
" MORRILL COUNTY PIONEER PASSES" MRS.F.M. KEMP HAD LIVED HERE FOR 37YRS.
" Mrs. Francis M. Kemp passed away last Thursday, Aug. 18 at her home near Redington,Nebraska at the age of 72yrs. Mrs. Kemp had been in failing healthfor the last year,her trouble being aggravated by her heart. Funeral services were held Fri. afternoon from the church in Redington, conducted by the F.M.Sturdevant,pastor of The Bridgeport Baptist Church. Burial was made in Redington Cemetery.
Margaret Nancy Gaumer was bornMarch 5,1855 at Fairfield,Iowa where she grew to womanhood, moving to Coloradoearly in the year of 1882. She was married to Francis Marion Kemp on March 17,1882 at Leadville,Colorado. In 1890 the family moved to the present home 7 miles south of Redington where Mr. Kemp died 2yrs. ago. Mr. & Mrs. Kemp were the parents of 8 children,all of whom survive.They are Harriet K. Emery of Lewiston,Idaho, Edward Ogden Kemp of McGrew,Nebraska,David Julian Kemp of Polson,Montana,Mrs. M.R. Shaffer of Los Angeles,California,Marion Glenn Kemp of Marblehead,Ohio, Mrs. E. M. Quinn of Bridgeport,Nebraska, Hubert & Jessie Kemp of Redington,Nebraska.
Mrs. Kemp was of a cheerful disposition & had the happy faculty of seeing the good traits of everyone. Her every thought was for the welfare of her family & insisted that each childhave a good education. She was a wonderful mother & neighbor,loved by everyone who knew her & will be greatly missed by those who were dear to her in life."
" The many friends of Mrs. F. M. Kemp were grieved to learn of her death last Thursday morning at the family home south of Redington. Mr. Kemp has been ill for the past year & has spent part of her time in Bridgeport. Her many acts of kindness & hospitality has endeared her to all of her neighbors. Funeral services were held at Redington church.
The many floral tributes told of the high esteem in which she was held by everyone."
Children of Francis Marion Kemp & Margaret Nancy Gaumer were:
1) Harriet Edna Kemp b.1/8/1883 married Gilbert W. Emery 3/25/1904. She was a School Teacher & died 1954 in Oregon, but is buried on the Nebraska Homestead.
2) Edward Ogden Kemp b. 4/12/1884 & died 1949.Married Mattie Belle Willson 1/19/1913. She was born 6/12/1895 & died 1893. They were Ranchers in Montana.
3) Chantal Ada Kemp b.9/30/1886. Married Roy Shafter 1919. She was a War Nurse. She died 1965 in California.
4) David Julian Kemp b. 10/4/1888. Married Annie Edna Willson 6/4/1914. Died June 1959. She was born 9/6/1892 in Pine Bluff,Nebraska. David was also a Rancher. #2 Brother,Edward & he,bothmarried Willson sisters.
5) MARION GLENN KEMP ( MY LINE) b. 1/13/1891 was the 1st child to be born on the Nebraska Homestead. He married FRANCES PEARL SAVAGE in AUSTIN,MO. 7/26/1911.He was a RR man. She was the a school marmthat roomed with Marion's parents & taught in a sod school house there until she married. She was also a wonderful artist. My family & half of the village of Marblehead,Ohio on Lake Erie has many of her oil paintings of the Marblehead Lighthouse & Lake scenes. 2nd cousin Rick Kemp's family has oil paintingsof the Nebraska landscape that Pearl painted while living there too.
Marion Glen Kemp was called "JACK" & was a Carpenter in Ohio. He died 1/15/1964 in Oskie,Kansas near his daughter Marjorie Kemp Freer who helped me on my journey to discover my ancestry.
6) Jessie Esther Kemp b. 7/10/1893. Died after Dec. 25,1976. Never married. She took care of her parents on the Homestead until they died.
7) Hazel Mae Kemp b. 11/13/1895 Married a Widower, Edward Quinn in 1920 & raised his daughter as her own. They had a store in Council Bluffs,Nebraska.
8) Hubert Challen Kemp b.5/14/1900. Never married. He & sister Jessie raised cattle on the Homestead in Redington,Nebraska & took care of their parents until they died. He sold the Homestead about 1978 & went into a Veterans home where he died April of 1979 in Grand Island,Nebraska.
==============
The following paragraphs are from a letter my deceased Aunt Marjorie Kemp Freer sent me in 1979 talking about my Great Grandparents Francis Marion Kemp born 1847 in Ohio & wife Margaret Nancy Gaumer born 1855 in Iowa, & the homestead they carved out for themselves in Redington, Nebraska.
" The Homestead was in Redington, Nebraska, up in the NW corner between North & South Platte Rivers, clear out on the prairie with bluffs of virgin soil & lots of wild oats. Good pasture for the cows to grow fat on.Your Great Grandpa took a claim o n 40 acres & 3 of his sons [Edward Ogden Kemp, David Julian Kemp & my Grandfather, Marion Glenn Kemp] took themselves 40 acres apiece around him to homestead. So the Kemp Clan had a full section. It came down to Hubert the baby of the family & he & sister, Jessie both single, stayed on & took care of their old parents.When Hazel's husband died, she sold the grocery store & came back home too. She built a living room, bedroom & bath onto the original large kitchen & one bedroom made of sod.They finished the upstairs off for Hube. Jessie kept the old sod bedroom where the School Marm[ my Grandmother, Frances Pearl Savage, wife of Marion Glenn Kemp] stayed the year she taught in a sod school out there. At age 2 yrs when my folks were moving to Ohio we stayed all night at that old place. They had no stairs yet to the loft where the aunts slept on pallets, one side of a brown canvas curtain, the men folk slept on the other side. I remember kissing Grammaw goodnight & they handed Leigh & me up through a hole in the ceiling to the aunts who snugged us down with them. There was a ladder but our little legs were too short. How' s that for a Memory! Dad [ Marion Glenn Kemp] built us a house on his 40 acres where we lived just down over a slope from the old folks. It's still there & lived in, so is the old folks homestead." [ It was still lived in in 1979 when Aunt Marjie wrote me the letter.]
More from the letter:
" Dear sweet Jessie died soon after Christmas in 1976. Hazel & Hube stayed on for another year. Hube had to sell his cattle because it was too hard on him. He said," I'd rather sell my Grandmother."He felt so bad looking out at the long, worn cattle paths on the prairie bluffs, empty now.The summer of 1978 Hubert realized he'd better get things settled for Hazel & get into a Veterans Home in Council Bluffs himself. So they sold all the household goods, then the house & acreage. He put Hazel in a mobile home in Bridgeport where she had close friends.The Holmes would run in several times a week as Hazel was going blind. Then he got settled in the Vet Home & Drs. discovered he had advanced diabetes on top of bad emphysema. Hube deteriorated rapidly & died in April of 1979 in Grand Island, Nebraska Vets Hospital.
"Your Great Great Grandfather Gaumer was a fine shoemaker & also mended shoes. Your Great Grandmother, Margaret Nancy Gaumer Kemp also had this skill which was passed on to her children, Hazel & your Grandfather Marion Glenn Kemp.Great Great Grandfather Daniel Gaumer's parents were good Catholics. GGrandmotherMargaret Nancy Gaumer Kemp had a family Catholic Bible on their Nebraska Homestead. Great Great Grandfather Daniel Gaumer was one of 4 brothers. One of them raised race Horses. An Aunt of the Gaumer brothers was working out in the fields in Germany. She had a pair of twins there & carried them into the house & the same afternoon was out working in the fields again. Aunt Marjorie copied the info down out of their family Bible that was on their homestead.
I have an old picture of Francis Marion Kemp & wife, Margaret Nancy Gaumer Kemp taken in 1925 right before he died. Great Grandpa Francis Marion Kemp had a long flowing white beard. My Uncle Matthew Kemp looked just like him before he died & my brother, Joseph Kemp is looking more like him the older he gets.
Grandparents:
Marion Glenn Kemp was born on the Nebraska Homestead land 1/13/1891. My Great Grandparents arrived on their Nebraska Homestead Claim in 1890. It was a difficult time for Great Grandma Margaret working right alongside of Great Grandpa Francishelping build the sod house & work the homestead with 4 little ones under tow .She was emotionally & physically worn down by the time her 5th child,Grandpa Marion was born & she was unable to care for him properly. As a baby he was sent to her brother,George Washington Gaumer & wife in Glennville,Nebraska to help raise until she was strong enough to take care of him.After the homestead was built up Marion again was home with his family but somehow always felt rejected which caused him many emotional problems throughout his life.[According to Aunt Carol Kemp Coppersmith,Marion's youngest daughter he would have benefited from anti-depressants.She did say he did instill in his family a love of music. They all gathered round in the evenings & sang.He & Pearl played Guitars. Aunt Marjie played the pump organ,my father,Penn played the Harmonica.At 85 Dad still has a beautiful voice & sings in parades, at church, & at theNursing Homes.] Grandpa Marion Glenn Kemp died 1/15/1964 in Oskie,Kansas.
Marionmarried Frances Pearl Savage, a school marm he met while he was home from working on the Railroad. Grandma Pearl boarded at his parents house while she taught in the sod school there in Nebraska.They both played the Guitar & sang, & painted.They married 7/26/1911 in Austin,Mo. She was the daughter of Ed. Savage & Lanuma Bingham born 1/16/1886 in Missouri & died 1976 in Kansas.
Their Children were:
1) Ora Leigh Kemp b. 6/11/1912 in Redington,Nebraska on the Grandparents homestead. Died 3/6/1996 in Siskiyou Co.,Mt. Shasta,California. She married Guy Kerr,Santa Fe,NM. He was born 9/20/1908 in Oklahoma. Uncle Guy was murdered 4/10/1980 in Mt. Shasta by a drug-crazed man whom Aunt Leigh was fortunate enough to escape from. They were married when they were older school teachers & had no children together.
2) Marjorie Louise Kemp b. 1/14/1914 in Redington,Nebraska on parents homestead. She married James Freer in Topeka,Kansas.She had crippling arthritis. She died 9/9/1999 in Topeka,Kansas.James Freer had one daughter from a previous marriage, & they had 2 children together, David & Barbara Freer.
3) George Kemp b. 1915 Redington,Nebraska. He died in Marblehead,Ohio in 1923 of Scarlet Fever. Buried in Sackett Cemetery,Danbury Twp.,Ottawa Co.,Ohio.
4) Matthew Arnold Kemp b. 5/12/1917 in Brokow,Oklahoma. Grandpa Marion Glenndelivered him because the Drs. horse ran away & he couldn't get to them in time.He died in Lucas Co.,Toledo ,Ohio.He married Irene Walczykowski,daughter of Walter Walczykowski & Josephine Eckert. They had 2 children, Jan & Janet Kemp .
5) AudreyKemp b. 10/14/1919 in Malta,Ohio.Died of cancer 1/19/1960 in San Francisco,California. Married Mike Williams & had 2 children, Bonnie & Jesse Williams.
6) Pennington " Penn" David Kemp[ My Line] [LIVING]b. 2/7/1923 in Ottawa Co.,Marblehead,Ohio. Married Marjorie Freda Miller 3/27/1947 . She was b. 11/10/1924 and died 9/30/2006. She was the daughter of William Miller & Emma Pussehl. They had 6 children: Nancy Lee, Joseph Terry,Becky Lynn,Kerry David,Jane Elaine,& Kal William Kemp.
7) Carol Shirley Kemp [LIVING] b.3/30/1925 in Ottawa Co.,Marblehead,Ohio.
She married 1) James Ward Kemp who died of cancer by whom she had 1 child, Alys.
2nd husband, Allen Judson,
3rd husband, John McClintock
4th husband was Jack Coppersmith who is now deceased.
If anyone has any further information on this line of KEMP'S I'd appreciate any help they can give me.
Becky Kemp Austin
[email protected]