The Fighting Kempers
Many books contain the deeds of various members of the family. When the colonies were struggling against British oppression, the fighting Kemper's were sharing in the glory of it. In the Mexican war, Reuben Kemper greatly distinguished himself and brought still more credit to his name. When the call came from Lincoln for volunteers to defend the flag many Kemper's responded and many Kemper's fought against them for the other cause, in which they believed. In the Spanish war we again find them, and even in the fighting department of the nation today are officers bearing the name. The following is a condensed record of some of the most notable of these fighting men.
- COLONEL DANIEL KEMPER -
Born in new Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1749. At the breaking out of the revolution he began to lavish his means in the support of Washington's half starved troops. He was commissioned Colonel and served as Clothier General of the army for some time. After the war, through the influence of his friend general Washington, he held office in the Custom House in New York, he was one of the original members of the Order of the Cincinnati, and the father of Bishop Jackson Kemper, he died in 1847.
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- COLONEL REUBEN KEMPER -
Born in Fauquier county, Virginia. He was brother of "Smiling Johnny" Kemper. He settled in Mississippi and soon became one of the most noted characters in the southwest, his name being a household word during the first twenty-five years of the nineteenth century. He commanded the American's who helped Mexico throw off the Spanish yolk, and was General Jackson's trusted assistant in important duties connected with the defense of New Orleans. Kemper county, Mississippi his named after him.
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- GENERAL JAMES LAWSON KEMPER -
Born in Mountain Prospect, Virginia, June 11, 1823. He studied law and graduated from Washington College, Lexington, Virginia. President Polk in 1847 appointed him Captain of Volunteers under general Zachary Taylor to serve in the Mexican war. After his return he represented his county [ Madison ] in the legislature for ten years. In 1861 he was appointed Colonel of the 7th Virginia Regiment: commissioned Brigadier General after the battle of Williamsburgh, May 5 1862, and commanded his own Brigade in Pickett's division at the battle of Gettysburg, being severely wounded in that terrible affray. On May 1, 1864, he was appointed Major General, and had command of Confederate forces for the defense of Richmond, being on General Lee's staff. he was Governor of Virginia for five years, 1873 to 1878, and after his term expired he retired with his family to Orange Court House. He died on April 7, 1895.
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- JUDGE JOHN KEMPER -
Son of Elizabeth O'Bannon and Henry Kemper: Born at Mount Carmel, Kentucky. He moved to Missouri with his parents in 1835, and settled near Frederickstown. He organized Company 1, 3rd Regiment, Missouri State Guards, in which he served six months, when it was disbanded. He had charge of quartermaster's books in Jefferson Thompson's brigade for one year, and was afterwards with Lee's army until the surrender to the federal forces.
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- HONORABLE HENRY C. KEMPER -
Born in Rush County, Indiana, on December 6, 1839. He began the study of medicine when he was 21. He was a private in Company B, 7th Indiana Regiment, in April 1861, and was later appointed hospital steward of the 17th Indiana Volunteers. In February 1863, he was appointed assistant surgeon of the same regiment. he had a noted career as a man of medicine, holding many positions of honor in his profession.
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- CAPT. ANDREW CARR KEMPER -
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 11, 1832. He was a practicing physician and surgeon, entering the Federal forces upon the outbreak of the war. He was Assistant Adjutant General on G Halleck's staff with the rank of captain, and a member of the Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion, and a man of note in his profession.
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- CAPT. PHILIP A. KEMPER -
Born in Amissville, Virginia, August 31, 1832, He went to Illinois when sixteen years old, and later graduated from ' Rush Medical College". In1861 he raised a company for the 5th Illinois Regiment and was chosen Captain. He was captured in Arkansas, and held a prisoner for three months, then being paroled to St. Louis and exchanged. He was commissioned surgeon of the 3rd Regiment in October 1863.
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- BISHOP JACKSON KEMPER -
A soldier of the cross. Born in Pleasant Valley, New York on Christmas eve [Dec. 24 ]. 1789. In 1809 he graduated from Columbia University, studied theology, and was ordered deacon in the Episcopal church in 1811, and a priest the next year. He received the degree of S.t. D.in 1829 from Columbia. He was assistant to bishop White at St. Peter's church, Philadelphia, until 1831, when he became rector of St. Paul's church, Norwalk, Connecticut. In 1835 he was elected missionary bishop of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. He was elected Bishop of Maryland in 1839, but declined this honor, preferring to remain in his present office. He resigned the latter in 1859, however, and until his death confined his labor's entirely to Wisconsin. Although fourscore years of age he attended the council of bishops in London in 1868, and received the degree from the University of Cambridge. Bishop Kemper was disappointed in love at an early date, surrendering the woman of his choice to another man [1] In 1816, however, he was married to Miss Jerusha Lyman of Philadelphia, who lived but two years. his second wife was Miss Ann Relf of the same city, whom he married in October 1821. On may 24, 1870, he died a blessed death after having lived a faithful sanctified life. He died as all would wish to die, at the end of a complete and well spent life, one author, in writing of his death thus speaks of him: "And so the great central luminary, having thrown off successive rings of planetary dioceses, has sunk to rest, without a cloud to dim his disk. the Christian Odyssey of the great West was over, and its lakes and streams and plains knew him no more. the Napoleon of a spiritual empire had passed away, and who would not prefer Kemper's crown to Bonaparte's? The missionary bishop of a jurisdiction greater than any since the day's of the apostles, and St Paul himself had not traveled as widely and as long for Kemper had gone 300,00 miles upon his masters service, was gone to his reward, well had his life borne out the meaning of his name: Kemper, a champion. with great apostle to the gentiles he could say:
I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith."
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Born in new Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1749. At the breaking out of the revolution he began to lavish his means in the support of Washington's half starved troops. He was commissioned Colonel and served as Clothier General of the army for some time. After the war, through the influence of his friend general Washington, he held office in the Custom House in New York, he was one of the original members of the Order of the Cincinnati, and the father of Bishop Jackson Kemper, he died in 1847.
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- COLONEL REUBEN KEMPER -
Born in Fauquier county, Virginia. He was brother of "Smiling Johnny" Kemper. He settled in Mississippi and soon became one of the most noted characters in the southwest, his name being a household word during the first twenty-five years of the nineteenth century. He commanded the American's who helped Mexico throw off the Spanish yolk, and was General Jackson's trusted assistant in important duties connected with the defense of New Orleans. Kemper county, Mississippi his named after him.
--------------------
- GENERAL JAMES LAWSON KEMPER -
Born in Mountain Prospect, Virginia, June 11, 1823. He studied law and graduated from Washington College, Lexington, Virginia. President Polk in 1847 appointed him Captain of Volunteers under general Zachary Taylor to serve in the Mexican war. After his return he represented his county [ Madison ] in the legislature for ten years. In 1861 he was appointed Colonel of the 7th Virginia Regiment: commissioned Brigadier General after the battle of Williamsburgh, May 5 1862, and commanded his own Brigade in Pickett's division at the battle of Gettysburg, being severely wounded in that terrible affray. On May 1, 1864, he was appointed Major General, and had command of Confederate forces for the defense of Richmond, being on General Lee's staff. he was Governor of Virginia for five years, 1873 to 1878, and after his term expired he retired with his family to Orange Court House. He died on April 7, 1895.
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- JUDGE JOHN KEMPER -
Son of Elizabeth O'Bannon and Henry Kemper: Born at Mount Carmel, Kentucky. He moved to Missouri with his parents in 1835, and settled near Frederickstown. He organized Company 1, 3rd Regiment, Missouri State Guards, in which he served six months, when it was disbanded. He had charge of quartermaster's books in Jefferson Thompson's brigade for one year, and was afterwards with Lee's army until the surrender to the federal forces.
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- HONORABLE HENRY C. KEMPER -
Born in Rush County, Indiana, on December 6, 1839. He began the study of medicine when he was 21. He was a private in Company B, 7th Indiana Regiment, in April 1861, and was later appointed hospital steward of the 17th Indiana Volunteers. In February 1863, he was appointed assistant surgeon of the same regiment. he had a noted career as a man of medicine, holding many positions of honor in his profession.
--------------------
- CAPT. ANDREW CARR KEMPER -
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 11, 1832. He was a practicing physician and surgeon, entering the Federal forces upon the outbreak of the war. He was Assistant Adjutant General on G Halleck's staff with the rank of captain, and a member of the Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion, and a man of note in his profession.
--------------------
- CAPT. PHILIP A. KEMPER -
Born in Amissville, Virginia, August 31, 1832, He went to Illinois when sixteen years old, and later graduated from ' Rush Medical College". In1861 he raised a company for the 5th Illinois Regiment and was chosen Captain. He was captured in Arkansas, and held a prisoner for three months, then being paroled to St. Louis and exchanged. He was commissioned surgeon of the 3rd Regiment in October 1863.
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- BISHOP JACKSON KEMPER -
A soldier of the cross. Born in Pleasant Valley, New York on Christmas eve [Dec. 24 ]. 1789. In 1809 he graduated from Columbia University, studied theology, and was ordered deacon in the Episcopal church in 1811, and a priest the next year. He received the degree of S.t. D.in 1829 from Columbia. He was assistant to bishop White at St. Peter's church, Philadelphia, until 1831, when he became rector of St. Paul's church, Norwalk, Connecticut. In 1835 he was elected missionary bishop of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. He was elected Bishop of Maryland in 1839, but declined this honor, preferring to remain in his present office. He resigned the latter in 1859, however, and until his death confined his labor's entirely to Wisconsin. Although fourscore years of age he attended the council of bishops in London in 1868, and received the degree from the University of Cambridge. Bishop Kemper was disappointed in love at an early date, surrendering the woman of his choice to another man [1] In 1816, however, he was married to Miss Jerusha Lyman of Philadelphia, who lived but two years. his second wife was Miss Ann Relf of the same city, whom he married in October 1821. On may 24, 1870, he died a blessed death after having lived a faithful sanctified life. He died as all would wish to die, at the end of a complete and well spent life, one author, in writing of his death thus speaks of him: "And so the great central luminary, having thrown off successive rings of planetary dioceses, has sunk to rest, without a cloud to dim his disk. the Christian Odyssey of the great West was over, and its lakes and streams and plains knew him no more. the Napoleon of a spiritual empire had passed away, and who would not prefer Kemper's crown to Bonaparte's? The missionary bishop of a jurisdiction greater than any since the day's of the apostles, and St Paul himself had not traveled as widely and as long for Kemper had gone 300,00 miles upon his masters service, was gone to his reward, well had his life borne out the meaning of his name: Kemper, a champion. with great apostle to the gentiles he could say:
I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith."
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[1] See " an apostle of the Western Church," for details of Dr. Kemper's life.