Mumblings: The Kemp Family

Now that I have completed posts tracing the surnames of my grandparents, I will write about some of my other relatives.  I will start with Robert "Father" Kemp who was quite a colorful character.  This first post on Robert Kemp will contain genealogical data about Robert, his ancestry, and his relation to the Dewey family.  I will follow up with a post(s) containing information on his life as entertainer and business man "Father" Kemp taking excerpts from his autobiography "Father Kemp and his Old Folks" (published by Rockwell & Rollins Printers, 122 Washington Street, Boston, 1868).  His picture as Robert Kemp (below) makes him look like a stern man.  However, when he was costumed and became Father Kemp, he became animated.  He figuratively and literally was quite a character.

Robert Henry and Elizabeth Jane (Alden) Kemp (2nd great grandparents)

Robert Henry Kemp

Robert Henry Kemp was born on June 6, 1821 in Wellfleet, MA.  He died on May 15, 1897 in Scituate, MA at his son's home.  At the time of his death, Robert was living at 40 Chestnut Street, Boston, MA.  He married Elizabeth Jane Alden, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Fernald) Alden.  The date of their marriage is unknown, but it was in the early 1840s.  Elizabeth Jane Alden was born on April 6, 1824 in Cambridge, MA and she died on October 27, 1882 in Boston, MA.  She was living at 90 Blue Hill Avenue, Boston, MA at the time of her death.  More will be written about Elizabeth's ancestry in a later post.  Robert and Elizabeth had four children:

     Elizabeth "Lizzie" Davis Kemp: b. Feb. 14, 1844, d. Oct. 23, 1926.  Elizabeth married the
          boy who lived next door, Edgar Osman Dewey.
     Robert H. Kemp: b. abt 1846, married Catherine "Kittie" Carle
     Marinda Ann Kemp: b. Jul. 4, 1848, d. Nov. 16, 1848
     Minnie Evelyn Kemp: b. May 1, 1860

Robert's father died two years after his birth and his mother remarried.  Both his mother and his stepfather were store keepers (see more about his mother Hannah and stepfather Nathaniel below).  This background paved the way for Robert to become a shoe merchant, operating the Mammoth Boot and Shoe Store at 1090/1092 Washington Street, Boston, MA. 

Robert, Elizabeth, and family moved to Reading, MA in 1853 building a house with 12 acres of land at 186 Summer Avenue in Reading, MA.  He unsuccessfully tried his hand at gentleman farming on his acreage.  A family member told me that the Parker Middle School in Reading, MA is built on land formerly owned by Kemp.  He later sold this house and had another built on 199 Summer Avenue in 1878 before ultimately moving to Boston.

Kemp House 186 Summer Ave., Reading

Kemp House (designed by architect was Horace Wadlin) 199 Summer Ave., Reading

Robert Kemp became well known in his day as the founder of a troupe of singers and musicians called "Father Kemp and his Old Folks."  His wife Elizabeth and about 50 residents of Reading and surrounding towns made up the troupe.  More will be written on the troupe in a later post(s).

Nathan and Hannah Doan (Wharff) Kemp (3rd great grandparents)

Nathan Kemp was born on August 21, 1783 in Wellfleet, MA.  He died, possibly by drowning, on September 5, 1823 in Boston.  He is buried in Wellfleet.  Nathan married Hannah Doan Wharff, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Paine) Wharff, on October 28, 1813 in Truro, MA.  Hannah was born on March 18, 1793 in Truro, MA.  She died in August 1849 in Boston, MA.  Nathan and Hannah had four children:


     Sally Kemp: b. Jul. 30, 1814, d. Jan. 25, 1816
     Hannah Doane Kemp: b. Jul. 1, 1819
     Robert Henry Kemp: b. Jun. 6, 1821, d. May 15, 1897
     Nathan Kemp: b. May 5, 1823

Hannah (Doan Wharff Kemp) Davis
Hannah remarried Nathaniel Tileston Davis on April 22, 1830 in Boston, MA. 
[from: History of Reading, Windsor County, Vermont, George F. Davis, page 154].
[Nathaneil Davis] "there married Mrs. Hannah Kemp, widow of Capt. Nathan Kemp, a sea captain. She had three children, Hannah, aged about six, Robert, a small boy, now doing business at No. Tremont St., retail dealer in boots and shoes, and organizer of the "Father Kemp Old Folks'  Concen.". Another son, Henry, died. The widow Kemp was keeping a retail store at Wellfleet and Mr. Davis stepped in and took the business and went along with it, adding to it, the manufacture of paints and sale of oil, and manufactured salt. He stayed there four to six years and then removed to Malden, Mass., and bought the Capt. John Oakes farm of 75 acres. Lived here seven or eight years. Built a  large two-story house. He sold this farm and went to Boston, and had a retail dry goods store on Hanover street, for about ten years. Here his wife [Hannah] died and he was married to Sophronia Lane, widow of Dr. Alfred Lane, who had resided the next door to Mr. Davis' store." 

Robert and Anna (Paine) Kemp (4th great grandparents)
Robert Kemp was born about 1747 probably in Maryland.  He came to Wellfleet from Maryland at age 12 and was under the guardianship of Captain Paine.  He died on June 2, 1816 in Truro, MA.  Robert married Anna Paine, daughter of Thomas Paine, on December 19, 1775 in Wellfleet, MA.  Anna was born in 1760 in Wellfleet and died on December 1, 1843 in Wellfleet.  Robert and Anna had eleven children born in Wellfleet:

     Thomas: b. Apr. 24, 1778
     Letilla: b: Feb. 13, 1781
     Nathan: b. Aug. 21, 1783
     Robert: b. Sep. 30, 1789
     John Emory: b. Oct. 8, 1789
     Barzillai: b. Jan. 8, 1792
     William: b. Dec. 1794
     Samuel: b. 1796
     Wells Emory: b. May 10, 1798
     Ruth: b. 1800
     Anna: b. Jul. 15, 1802, d. Nov. 11, 1802