Dempsey KEMP

March 19, 1845, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana - June 26, 1927, Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi

*Obituary

PIONEER MILAM CITIZEN IS BURIED AT CAMERON
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D. Kemp, Age 82 Years, Dies at Home of Daughter in Jackson, Mississippi, June 26
(By Delphya Scott)
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The remains of Mr. D. Kemp, of Houston, were brought to Cameron Tuesday afternoon on the Santa Fe Railroad and taken to the home of his son, Judge Jeff T. Kemp, and were afterward removed to the First Methodist church where the funeral was held at four-thirty o'clock, Rev. L. J. Power, pastor, conducting the funeral, assisted by Rev. John E. Green, of Houston, a former pastor at Cameron, and much loved by the family.
Mr. Kemp had attended the old Confederate Reunion at Miama, Fla., and returning home had stopped for a visit with his daughter, Mrs. F. L. Adams at Jackson, Miss., where he was taken ill. He died at her home Sunday, June 26, 1927.
Mr. Kemp was born in St. Helena Parish, La., March 19, 1845. His parents were P. H. Kemp and Permalia (Womack) Kemp. He received his early education at the local schools, and at the outbreak of the was was attending Spencer's school for boys. Capt. Spencer organized out of his school what was known as Company H. of The 27th Louisiana Infantry. They saw service in Louisiana and Mississippi and were in the seige of Vicksburg when Capt. Spencer was killed. Mr. Kemp was among the soldiers surrendered by Gen. Pemberton.
After the close of the war he was married to Miss Mattie Taylor of Greenbury in 1866, and came to Texas in 1881. He was a successful merchant in Cameron for a number of years. In 1910 his wife passed away and he afterward moved to Houston where he had been identified with the Texas Company and had been actively engaged until his health failed a short time back.
Mr. Kemp was a lover of the South and its traditions, and had been a regular attendant upon the Confederate Reunions. He had been a member of the Methodist church more than sixty years. At the time of his death he was a member of St. Paul's Methodist church, Houston. While a member in Cameron he was president of the Board of Stewards, and attended upon all the services of the church. He was a loyal meber of the Masonic Order, being one of the oldest members of San Andres Lodge, Cameron; had been a member of the order over sixty-one years, and a member of the Cameron Lodge for forty-six years.
When Cameron was incorporated Mr. Kemp was a member of the first Aldermanic Board and rendered valuable service to the city. He was a brother of the late T. B. Kemp of Rockdale. Will Kemp, of Okla., son of the late T. B. Kemp, was present at the funeral.
In 1878 Mr. Kemp was elected a delegate to the Louisiana Constitutional Convention from St. Helena Parish.
He was laid to rest in Oak Hill cemetery Tuesday afternoon where a large concourse of friends gathered from near and far, to pay their last respects to a man loved in life and mourned in death. Handsome floral offerings completely covered the newly made grave and overflowed on the lot.
Active pallbearers selected by the Masonic Lodge were: T. F. Hardy, Judge John Watson, Judge Graham Gillis, S. P. Cross, J. C. Joseph, Robt. McLane, Wm. Henderson and Max Collins.
Honorary pallbearers were: T. S. Henderson, W. H. Triggs, John B. McLane, Lee Batte, Penn Wolfe, Arthur Baskin, Judge Ed. F. English, G. W. Lawrence, A. M. Lankford, Giles Avriett, Fred Thompson and W. W. Chambers.

The Rockdale Reporter(Rockdale, Texas), 30 Jun 1927, Thu, Pages 1 & 9

*Obituary

D. KEMP, 82, PIONEER CONFEDERATE IS DEAD
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PIONEER AND CONFEDERATE VETERAN BURIED TUESDAY IN OAK HILL
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D. Kemp, 82, pioneer and Confederate veteran, resident and business man of Cameron for many years, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. F. L. Adams in Jackson, Mississippi, Sunday, June 26, 1927 at 10:30 p. m. following a period of declining health and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Cameron Tuesday afternoon June 28, 1927 following services in the First Methodist church beginning at 4:30 in the afternoon.
Mr. Kemp was on his way back to his home in Houston from the reunion of Confederate Veterans in Miami, Florida, when stricken and although every attention of medical science was given and the care of his daughter's home to comfort him, the stout heart of the veteran was giving away before the toll of years and he fell asleep in the heart of his beloved Southland, loyal to the last carrying with him treasured ideals of life and patriotism as he fused them in his time, loving always the immortal glory of Southern civilization.
The body of the pioneer was brought to Cameron from Jackson by rail and arriving here Tuesday afternoon was taken to the home of his son, Judge Jeff T. Kemp where it rested for a brief time pending the hour for services at the First Methodist church.
The body lay in a massive casket, wearing a confederate uniform and all about the home flowers were banked, coming from hundreds who knew him and loved him for the ideals he maintained and the life he lived among them. Conspicuous among those who came to attend the funeral were the Confederate veterans of Cameron and other older citizens who knew the pioneer when he gave many years of his life to the building of Cameron.
Funeral services were conducted at the Methodist church by L. J. Power assisted by Rev. John E. Green of Houston, chaplain General Confederate Veterans Association. Rev. Green was a pioneer pastor of Cameron, Having been the first station pastor of the Methodist church here in 1885 at which time Mr. Kemp was one of his stewards. In 1885 he conducted the funeral of the late Major J. C. Rogers, father of Mrs. Jeff T. Kemp and of George Green, a San Jacinto veteran, father of Mrs. M. M. Kemp of Waco and Mrs. S. M. Burns and Mrs. Geo. McGehee of Cameron.
T. S. Henderson paid the deceased a fitting tribute, he having served with Mr. Kemp on the first alderman board and praised him as a citizen. He recalled that on one occasion the city tax collector's report showed only one delinquent and that a widow. At the suggestion of Mr. Kemp the amount was paid by members of the tax board.
D. Kemp, 82, was born in St. Helena Parish, La., March 19, 1845. Died in Jackson, Miss., Sunday, June 26 at 10:30 p. m. at the home of his daughter Mrs. F. L. Adams.
Mr. Kemp was a member of Company H. 27th Infantry and was captured at the siege of Vicksburg. In reconstruction days in Louisiana in 1878 he represented St. Helena Parish in the Constitutional Convention, being the youngest member of the convention. He moved to Cameron in 1881 and embarked in the mercantile business with the late M. M. Kemp, under the firm name of D. Kemp and Brother. He remained in the mercantile business until 1907. He moved to Houston about 15 years ago.
He was a regular attendant upon the Confederate Veterans Convention and it was on his return from Miami, Florida from the Convention this year that he was taken ill at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Adams in Jackson, Mississippi. His wife died in April 1910.
He is survived by the following children, all of whom were present at the funeral except Demmie M. Kemp of Pueblo, Colo., Jeff T. Kemp, Cameron; Mrs. F. L. Adams, Jackson, Miss; Mrs. J. M. Tucker Dallas; L. W. Kemp of Houston and Mrs. George Byrom of Houston.
He is survived by the following grand children, three of whom were present at the funeral, Miss Ruth Kemp and Thompson Kemp of Lometa and Kemp Dodge of Houston. The others were unable to attend: Will Dodge, New York City; Clarence P. Dodge, Jacksonville, Fla; Mrs. Kemerton Dean of Houston and H. T. Dodge of Lexington, Ky., also four great grand children survive him.
Following the religious service the Masonic Lodge of Cameron had charge of the service, Royal P. Jeter officiating. Mr. Kemp had been a Mason 61 years and a member of San Andres Lodge of Cameron since 1881.
He was a member of the Methodist church, having united more than 60 years ago and several times held positions of prominence. At one time he was president of the board of stewards in Cameron.
Among those attending the funeral from out of town besides the children named above were: Will Kemp of Ardmore, Okla; Mr. and Mrs. E. T. Kemp, Rockdale; Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Phillips, Rockdale; Mr. and Mrs. O. K. Phillips, Rockdale; W. E. White, Rockdale; Mrs. W. B. Thomas, Rogers; Mrs. M. M. Kemp and Miss Mary Louise Kemp of Waco; Thompson Kemp of Lometa; Mr. and Mrs. Kemp Dodge of Houston; Rev. John E. Green, Houston; Mr. and Mrs. Sam Meshinney, Mr. and Mrs. T. V. Adams, Mr. and Mrs. T. F. Criswell of Buckholts; Will Hensley and Lesser Newton of Milano.
Honorary pall bearers: W. W. Chambers, A. M. Lankford, W. H. Triggs, Ed F. English, Jno. B. McLane, C. W. Lawrence, A. H. Baskin, R. L. Batte, T. C. Stafford, J. M. Ralsotn and Sam Houston.
Active pall bearers: T. F. Hardy, Judge John Watson, W. G. Gillis, S. P. Cross, J. C. Joseph, Robert McLane, Wm. Henderson and Max Collins.

The Cameron Herald(Cameron, Texas), 30 Jun 1927, Thu, Page 4

Family Members
Parents
Peter Hutchinson Kemp
1812-1894

Permelia Womack Kemp
1824-1870

Spouse
Martha Taylor Kemp
1846-1910

Siblings
Abner Kemp
1851-1879

Marshall Kemp
1852-1923

Children
Ada Permillia Kemp Dodge
1867-1915

Jeff T. Kemp
1869-1946

Moe Kemp Tucker
1880-1946

Louis Wiltz Kemp
1881-1956

Lucille Kemp Byrom
1885-1963

Photo courtesy of: Holly Bonorden Jentsch

Contributed on 1/28/21 by lynst.peters62
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Record #: 383393

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