The Kemper's
Kemper is an old German name, and can be traced back to the very early dialects of that people. Among the Saxons of England it was in use down to the middle ages and the lowland Scotch still use it . It means a soldier, a champion, a fighter or warrier, a striver for.[1] Hence, " Die Kemper " The soldier.
It has a veriety of spellings - Kaampfer, Kempfer, Kempher, Kemper or Camper. The latter is the modern German form, and if the name had originated in modern times it would Camper, as hard C is generally used as K in modern German. However Kemper is the accepted spelling today and the proper one.
Nearly every Kemper in the United States, so far as can be learned, came himself or is descended from one who came from the Rhine country.
The Kempers have been champions in more than name. In a memoir of Bishop Jackson Kemper, one author says: " He came of stalwart race, of high - principalled, strong - hearted, strong - bodied and strong - brained men "
Rev. J A. Quaries says of them " It is a great thing to belong to a good family. It is a blessing to come of a healthy stock: so that the soul has a good house in which to live, and good tools with which to work. It is a greater blessing to come of an intelligent stock, to inherit a mind capable of conceiving and of executing great and noble plans in life. It is perhaps a greater blessing to come of a gentle, cultured stock. It is the greatest blessing of all to come of a pious stock, "
The History of Caldwell County, Missouri, says: " Wherever a family of Kempers have resided, they have been recognised as prominent and influential citizens. "
And the lives of the great majority of them have borne out these statements, and warrant these testimonials, the name being written on the pages of history in more than one state of the Union, and others whose lives have filled pages of unwritten history.
The Kemper likness is very remarkable - the brown eye, commonly known as the " Kemper eye, " and the brown hair, cannot be mistaken. A great many of this name are and live to ripe ages. Daniel Kemper, father of the good bishop, was ninety - eight at his death. Three of his daughters by his first wife lived to be ninety, ninety - six and one hundred and two respectivealy. Thornton B Kemper was in his ninety - ninth year when he died. And a rare case it is indeed when one of this stock fails to live out men's allotted threescore years and ten.
[1] See Century and Webster Dictionaries for more complete explanation.
It has a veriety of spellings - Kaampfer, Kempfer, Kempher, Kemper or Camper. The latter is the modern German form, and if the name had originated in modern times it would Camper, as hard C is generally used as K in modern German. However Kemper is the accepted spelling today and the proper one.
Nearly every Kemper in the United States, so far as can be learned, came himself or is descended from one who came from the Rhine country.
The Kempers have been champions in more than name. In a memoir of Bishop Jackson Kemper, one author says: " He came of stalwart race, of high - principalled, strong - hearted, strong - bodied and strong - brained men "
Rev. J A. Quaries says of them " It is a great thing to belong to a good family. It is a blessing to come of a healthy stock: so that the soul has a good house in which to live, and good tools with which to work. It is a greater blessing to come of an intelligent stock, to inherit a mind capable of conceiving and of executing great and noble plans in life. It is perhaps a greater blessing to come of a gentle, cultured stock. It is the greatest blessing of all to come of a pious stock, "
The History of Caldwell County, Missouri, says: " Wherever a family of Kempers have resided, they have been recognised as prominent and influential citizens. "
And the lives of the great majority of them have borne out these statements, and warrant these testimonials, the name being written on the pages of history in more than one state of the Union, and others whose lives have filled pages of unwritten history.
The Kemper likness is very remarkable - the brown eye, commonly known as the " Kemper eye, " and the brown hair, cannot be mistaken. A great many of this name are and live to ripe ages. Daniel Kemper, father of the good bishop, was ninety - eight at his death. Three of his daughters by his first wife lived to be ninety, ninety - six and one hundred and two respectivealy. Thornton B Kemper was in his ninety - ninth year when he died. And a rare case it is indeed when one of this stock fails to live out men's allotted threescore years and ten.
[1] See Century and Webster Dictionaries for more complete explanation.