This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: Karen_Jorgensen Surnames: Kemp, Walker, Mears, Skaggs, Curry, Bennett, Grimm, Wyman, Graham, Cook, Smith Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.kentucky.counties.green/17807/mb.ashx Message Board Post: AT 98 Mrs. JIM KEMP IS LOOKING FORWARD TO HER 100TH BIRTHDAY "Honor they father and mother that they days will be prolonged", is the quotation that Granny Martha Kemp recites when anyone asks to what she attributes her long life. Granny Martha, who is Mrs. Jim Kemp of the Miami community, celebrated her 98th birthday on July 20. Almost totally blind and nearly stone deaf, Martha Kemp has not lost her spirit. It was this spirit that caused her to take a 4 year old girl to raise after bringing up 11 of her own children. The daughter of George and Celina Mears Walker, Martha was born about 4 miles from Greensburg during the Civil War. She remembers her father telling how they hid the horses down in the grove so the soldiers would not steal them. She still lives in the house that her husband bought with 22 acres-of land 43 years ago. It was the first home they had ever owned. Mr. Jim Kemp, who was a deacon in the Baptist Church, often brought the preacher, home for dinner and there was plenty to eat, what with killing 7 hogs for meat a year. There was always 3 hot meals a day, says her daughter, Alma, who remembers how her mother's cornbread would melt in your mouth. When all the children were home there was usually 10 large pones of corn bread that came from the oven at mealtime. Nothing could be better, spread with sorghum and butter, (real butter, not hypocrite butter that never saw a cow.) Granny likes to drink her coffee from a saucer with three biscuits for breakfast. She likes vegetables and lean meats and (of all things) has homemade cookies and 7-Up for supper. She is the only living child of seven in the Walker family and seven of her 11 children are living, ages ranging from around 60 to 75. There are over 60 grandchildren and no count of the great and great, great grandchildren. She has one sixth generation grandchild, although all 6! generations of this line are not living. Three of her children living in Green County are Mrs. Cassie Skaggs, Mr. George Kemp and Mrs. W. S. Curry, with whom she lives. Two children that are living in Adair County are Mrs. Edith Bennett and Bramlett Kemp. Mrs. Edna Grimm lives at Bloomington, Ill., and her youngest son, Mr. Scott Kemp, lives at Tallula, IL. Her foster dau, Mrs. Katherine Kaufman Wyman lives in Louisville. Granny Kemp is looking forward to her 100th birthday if the "Lord is willing." Although she never learned to read and write very well, she has lived a full life for her Lord and prays often during the day and sometimes all through the night. One of her favorite praying places is in the smoke house, where she walks by herself with the aid of a cane, for she knows every inch around the house and yard and sometimes ventures across the road to see her daughter, Cassie. Yes, Granny Kemp still has a full life and "is ready to go but willing to stay as long as the Lord wants her to be here." Her outlook over the years has kept her Young and is truly a reason for her long life. Obit: Mrs. Martha Ellen Kemp, 99, died at 2:10 a. m. Wednesday, December 18, at her home in the Mt. Gilead Community of Green County. She was a member of the Mt. Gilead Baptist Church at the time of her death. She united in marriage to James Kemp who preceded her in death in 1935. Surviving children are George and Bramlett Kemp, Columbia; James Scott Kemp, Tallula, Illinois; Mrs. Edith Bennett, Mrs. Cassie Skaggs and Mrs. Alma Curry, Columbia; Mrs. Edna Graham, Bloomington, Illinois, and Mrs. Katherine Wyman, Valley Station, Ky. Other survivors are two half sisters, Mrs. Pinkie Cook, Louisville and Mrs. Albert Smith, Greensburg; 50 grandchildren; 157 great-grand children; and 28 great-great grandchildren. Services were held at 2:00 p. m. Thursday, December 19 at Cowherd & Parrott Funeral Home with burial in the family cemetery. Rev. J. C. Rattliff and Rev. E. T. Caffee officiated. Pallbearers were Jack Curry, Jimmie Skaggs, James Bennett, Donnie Bennett, James Harman and Leonard B! ennett. Obituaries of Green Co. Ky., Vol. 2, compiled by Eunice Montgomery Wright, p. 112 The Judd Book, by Peggy Gregory, p. 270 Kentucky Death Index, rootsweb KEMP MARTHA E; age 99; death place GREEN; residence GREEN; death place 18 Dec 1963 1910 Green Co. Ky. Miracode census index James Kemp; ED: 0045; W; 50; Ky; Visit: 0108; Green; Relation: Husband; Relatives: Wife Martha E 45, Ky Son Samuel E 21, Ky Son George W 20, Ky Dau Lan E 18, Ky Son Governor B 16, Ky Son Leonard O 14, Ky Dau Cassie O 12, Ky Dau Martha A 10, Ky Son James S 08, Ky Marriages of Green Co. Ky. 1874 -1890, compiled by Judy Froggett, p. 84 James Kemp and Martha E. Walker. Bond 6 Mar 1885. M.M. Squires on bond. Groom age 22, lst mg., farmer, born Adair Co., parents born Adair Co. Bride age 20, lst mg., born Green Co., parents born Green Co. Married at Solomon Nichols' 7 mar 1885 by S.J. Nichols. Wit. Jmaes H. Kemp, T.C. Nichols and Mortimore Squires. Cemeteries of Green Co. Ky. Vol. 4, p. 26: Moulton Cem., located about 1 mile east of Mt. Gilead Church on the old Cedartop School Rd. James G. Kemp 11 Nov 1861 - 6 Aug 1935 Martha E. Kemp 20 Jul 1864 - 18 Dec 1963 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.