KEMP, Jacob
Jacob KEMP. Marshall county has many well-to-do and
successful farmers, men who have accumulated what they have of
this world’s goods through individual effort. Among this class
the name of the subject of this notice is entitled to a place.
On beginning life for himself his only property consisted of a
rather worn-out team and one dollar and a half in money. The
latter he paid out for one hundred pounds of flour, which he
then thought would last him a life time, and arrived in this
state with only a pair of willing hands and a determination to
succeed. He is now residing on section 15, Evans township, where
he is industriously engaged in the prosecution of his noble
calling, and is meeting with more than ordinary success.
His paternal grandfather, John KEMP, who
was a native of Germany,
married a lady of Welsh birth, and settled in New Jersey, where Charles KEMP, the father of
our subject, was born in 1791. At an early day the latter
removed with his family to Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where
he was reared upon a farm, and on reaching his majority he
engaged as a stage driver on the old National road, then called
the Braddock road. He was united in marriage with Sarah SMITH,
daughter of Jacob SMITH, who kept a tavern along that highway,
and for whom Mr. KEMP worked for a time. She died in 1818,
leaving one son, Julius, now living in
Somerset county, Pennsylvania, at the age of eighty-two years.
Charles KEMP was engaged in teaming while
the National road was being built, and drove the first stage
from Chambersburgh to Uniontown across the
Allegheny mountains, which occupation he followed
until his second marriage. He wedded Sarah CLEMENTS, who was
born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1798, and was the daughter
of Jacob CLEMENTS. In 1824 the father gave up stage driving and
purchased a farm in Fayette county, on which he lived until his
death. His wife died in 1867, a faithful member of the Methodist
church. In their family were ten children – Jacob, of this
review; Lucinda, Katie Ann and John, all deceased; Thomas, of Wenona, Illinois;
Elizabeth Ann, deceased; William, of Wenona; and Anna Belle,
Charles and an infant daughter, all deceased.
Jacob KEMP was born in Somerset county,
Pennsylvania, November 25, 1821, but was reared upon a farm in
Fayette county, and there secured his education in the common
schools. He was married March 2, 1843, to Sarah PARNELL, who was
born in that county, April 25, 1822, and died June 6, 1854. Five
children graced their union, three still living – Nicholas M.,
of Ford county,
Illinois, who married Catherine AXLINE,
and has eight children: Jasper N. and Thomas M., deceased; Sarah
M., wife of William H. GRIFFIN, of Livingston county, Illinois,
by whom she has three children and Mariam E. On the 15th of
February, 1855, Mr. KEMP as again married, his second union
being with Catherine BROWN, who was born in Fayette county,
Pennsylvania, June 28, 1818, and died in
August, 1868. To them were born three children – Laura Belle and
Jervis B., deceased; and Jennette B.
On the 31st of March, 1870, was celebrated
the marriage of Mr. KEMP and Sarah DILLINER, who was born on the
old home farm in Greene county, Pennsylvania, May 31, 1838, and
is the daughter of Ambrose and Elizabeth (GRIFFIN) DILLINER,
also natives of Greene county, the former born in 1815, and the
latter in 1813. Her parents have lived upon their present home
since 1825. In their family were seven children – Mrs. KEMP;
Mrs. Caroline EVERLY, deceased; Mrs. Lydia F. STURGIS, who has
three children; Lizzie, deceased; William L., of Greene county,
Pennsylvania, who is married and has three children; and George
S. and Walter, both deceased. By this union six children were
born to our subject – Ambrose G., of Belle Plain township,
Marshall county, who married Carrie CARRITHERS, by whom he has
one child: Anna Belle, who has taught for three years in Ford
county, Illinois; Emeline, deceased; Jacob Ezra; Lucy May and
Franklin Rogers.
After his first marriage, Mr. KEMP located
upon his father’s farm in Fayette county, where he made his home
until 1856, and then removed to Illinois,
at first settling in Hope township, La
Salle county, where he continued to reside until
1864, when he removed to his present farm – a valuable tract of
eighty acres, highly cultivated and improved. Besides general
farming he has also operated a thresher and corn sheller for
eighteen years.
For forty years, Mr. KEMP has been one of
the most active and influential members of the Methodist church
at Cherry Pint, during which time he has served as steward and
class leader, and has also been superintendent of the Sunday
school; while socially, for forty-five years he has held
membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Although
reared a democrat, he became a republican after Fort Sumter
was fired upon, and his son, Nicholas M., valiantly served in
the Union army. He has been road overseer, collector and
assessor, and for fifteen years school director, in which
offices he gave general satisfaction.
Extracted April 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois,
1896.
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