This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: cskwilliams Surnames: KEMP, ANNEAR, ELMS Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.kemp/1881.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I understand your confusion. Between the mixed up dates and all the Williams and Johns floating around the Kemp family tree, this branch of my family has been really tough to research. Background information obtained from relatives: My paternal grandfather was Frank Alexander Kemp, born in Camden, Maine in 1895. His parents were Frank Kemp and Kate Liddell. Frank Kemp was born in Minersville, PA in 1856. His parents were William John Kemp and Rhoda Annear (both were born in Cornwall, England around 1820). My grandfather had 2 aunts who also lived in Maine when he was a child -- Emma Kemp Elms, and Mattie Kemp Cooper. The reason I mention Emma and Mattie is that they turned out to be the key to putting all the pieces together. I'm still not sure I have it all right yet, but it seems to fit. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1841 ENGLAND CENSUS - Gwennap With St Day, Cornwall, England WILLM KEMP, Male, age 20, Copper Miner RODICE(?) KEMP, Female, age 18, Copper Miner ******************* This fits with birth years obtained from later re - 1822 for William John and 1823 for Rhoda. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1860 US CENSUS - Minersville, Schuylkill, PA JOHN KEMP, 29, England (occupation - Coal Mining) REGETTA, 28, England JOHN, 16, Pennsylvania WILLIAM, 15, Pennsylvania ANN, 12, Pennsylvania MARY, 11, Pennsylvania FRANCIS, 3, Pennsylvania EMMA D, 9/12, Pennsylvania ******************* According to family information, my grt-grt-grandfather's name was "William John Kemp". In all the records I've come across, William and John seem to be used interchangeably. I have no idea how somebody got "Regetta" out of "Rhoda", but since the rest of the family fits with later records, I'm pretty sure Regetta is Rhoda. John/Rhoda's ages should be 39/38 rather than 29/28. (If Rhoda was 28, she would have been 12 when son John was born.) Based on other records I've found, I think Wm-John and Rhoda came to the U.S. in the 1850's. The birthplace for the 1st 4 children should be England, not PA. ------------------------------------------------------------ 1870 US CENSUS - Shamokin, Northumberland, PA Dwelling 636, Family 688: WILLIAM, 26, England (occupation - works in mines) GEMIMA, 25, Pennsylvania Dwelling 636, Family 689: WILLIAM KEMP, 48, England (occupation - works in mines) RHODA, 47, England JOHN, 27, England (occupation - works in mines) FRANCIS, 13, Pennsylvania EMMA D, 11, Pennsylvania JAMES H, 10, Pennsylvania MARTHA, 5 Pennsylvania *********************** This is the same family from the 1860 Census in Minersville. John is still living with his parents. (If William and John served in the Civil War, it appears both came home safely.) William has gotten married (wife Gemima). Ann and Mary would be in their 20's -- probably married and living with their new families? Francis and Emma still there, and two new children -- James and Martha (Martha is Mattie Cooper mentioned earlier). ------------------------------------------------------------ Wm-John dies in 1878 (Shamokin Cemetery records), leaving Rhoda widowed with their 2 youngest children -- James and Martha. The three brothers -- William, John, and Frank (Francis) are in Colorado in 1880. They're listed on the 1880 U.S.Census in Poughkeepsie Gulch, San Juan, Colorado. Their ages and birthplaces aren't right, but the basic fact is consistent with family accounts. (And it explains why Gemima is a head of household but still married on the 1880 census.) Emma married Joseph Elms in 1875 and some time in the late 1870's they move to Maine. Joseph Elms was born in Maine, so I assume they were returning to where he had family. (I haven't figured out yet when or why he came to PA.) I'm basing the time frame on a later census indicating that their first two children are born in PA and the 3rd in Maine. In 1882, Martha (Mattie) married Samuel Cooper (in PA, I think.) I haven't figured it all out yet, but somehow or other, most of the family ended up living in Maine. (Rhoda marries again -- her second husband is John Easton.) ----------------------------------------------------------- 1990 US CENSUS - Camden, Knox, Maine SAMUEL E COOPER, 40 MATTIE, 34 WILLIAM E, 17 PEARLIE, 16 EDNA M, 14 WALTER, 13 MILDRED H, 5 JOHN EASTON, 79 RHODA K EASTON, 77 JAMES H KEMP, 38 FLORA M, 37 WILLIE L BARRICK, 17 JESSIE M, 11 EVA M, 3 FRANK KEMP, 40 KATE L, 33 BEATRICE, 6 FRANK A, 4 MARY L, 6/12 1990 US CENSUS - Belmont, Waldo, Maine JOSEPH E ELMS, 49 EMMA D, 42 LAURA A, 19 FRANK A, 13 AUBREY E, 9 CLARENCE T, 3 ----------------------------------------------------------- I still have SO many questions... According to the 1900 census, Rhoda had a total of 16(!)children and 5 were still living. There are 8 children on the 1860-1880 census records. (I'm guessing that the other 8 could have died as infants, or died some time before the 1860 census). Four of the children are living in Maine in 1900 -- Frank, Emma, James and Mattie. Which of the other children is still living? William died before 1890. John maybe? Or I suppose it could be Ann or Mary. I have no idea what became of them after 1860. I hope this helps in your research. If you come across any additional information to share, I would love to hear from you. Thanks, Carol Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.