52 Relatives: Great-GrandUncle James Alexander Kemp (1872-1934) of Ontario and California

James Alexander Kemp was born 12 July 1872 in Middleton Township, Norfolk County, Ontario, the fifth child and second son of James Abraham and Mary Jane (Sovereen) Kemp.[1-3]

Mary Jane (Sovereen) Kemp died in 1874, leaving five children aged 2 to 12.  James Abraham Kemp married, secondly, to Melissa Wilson (1840-1902) on 16 November 1876 in Bell Ewart Innisfil, Simcoe County, Ontario.  

In the 1881 Census Records for Norfolk County North, Ontario, the James A. Kemp family resided in Middleton Township, Norfolk County, Ontario.[4]  The household included:

• James A. Kemp - Age 49, born Ontario, Religion Wesleyan Methodist, Origin English, Carpenter.
• Melissa Kemp - Age 35, born Ontario, Religion Wesleyan Methodist, Origin Irish.
• James Kemp - Age 8, born Ontario.
• Georgianna Kemp - Age 12, born Ontario.
• Alfred Kemp - Age 1, born Ontario.

On 1 February 1890, James Alexander Kemp traveled from Woodstock, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan for the purpose of residing in the United States.[3]  He may traveled with his sister, Georgianna Kemp, and may have gone to Chicago, Illinois to live with his sister, Sarah Elizabeth (Kemp) Cropp.  

On 26 August 1892, James Alexander Kemp married Bertha Anice Fuller (1874-1951), probably in Will County, Illinois.[5]  Bertha was born 1 January 1874 in Wallonsburg, Essex County, New York, the daughter of Horace M. and Alta Lucretia (Cadwell) Fuller, who resided in Will County in the 1880 United States Census.  By 1894, the Horace M. Fuller family resided in Barona, San Diego County, California.  Bertha (Fuller) Kemp died 25 January 1951 in El Monte, Los Angeles County, California.  

James and Bertha (Fuller) Kemp probably came to San Diego County, California in the early 1890s.

James Alexander and Bertha Anice (Fuller) Kemp had three children.

• Myrtle Marie Kemp, born 10 Jul 1893, Lemon Grove, San Diego, California, United States; married Frank Edgar Marley (1895-1968), 7 Nov 1923, Los Angeles, California, United States; died 5 Aug 1970, San Rafael, Marin, California, United States.
• LeRoy Gordon Kemp, born 25 Jan 1896, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States; married Laura Louise Ehlers (1896-1972), 16 Jul 1917, San Diego, California, United States; died 12 Oct 1933, Bell, Los Angeles, California, United States.
• Edith Mae Kemp, born 25 Sep 1903, San Diego, California, United States; married (1) Grove Bradbury Conklin (1896-1969), 28 Apr 1923, Los Angeles, California, United States; married (2) James Harper Shoop (1896-1945), 10 Aug 1937, Salt Lake, Utah, United States; married (3) Dennis Maurice Ott (1896-1969), bef 1946, Los Angeles, California, United States; died 2 Oct 1971, Los Angeles, California, United States.

In the 1900 United States Census, the James A. Kemp family resided in Spring Valley township, San Diego County, California.[6]  The household included:

• James A. Kemp - head, male, white, born July 1871, age 28, married, for 7 years, born Canada English, father born Canada English, mother born Canada English, immigrated in 1890, US resident for 10 years, Alien, a farmer.
• Bertha A. Kemp - wife, female, white, born Jan 1874, age 26, married, for 7 years, 2 children born, 2 living, born New York, father born New York, mother born Vermont, no occupation.
• Myrtle M. Kemp - daughter, female, white, born July 1892, age 7, single, born California, father born Canada English, mother born New York.
• Roy Gordon Kemp - son, male, white, born Jan 1896, age 4, single, born California, father born Canada English, mother born New York.

James Alexander Kemp was named in the will of his father, James A. Kemp, proved in Norfolk County, Ontario on 11 December 1902, and was bequeathed five dollars as were his siblings.

James Alexander Kemp petitioned the United States Department of Commerce to be a naturalized United States citizen on 24 September 1906 in Superior Court of San Diego.[3]  In the petition, he stated:

• His name was James Alexander Kemp, a resident of Foster, San Diego County, California, occupation Rancher.
• He was born 12 July 1871 in Delhi, Ontario, Canada.
• He emigrated from Woodstock, Canada on 1 February 1890, arriving at Detroit on the Grand Trunk Railway.
• His wife's name is Bertha Kemp, born in New York, resident of Foster, California.
• He has three children - Myrtle, born 11 July 1894 at Lemon Grove, California, Leroy born 10 January 1897 at Lemon Grove, California, and Edith, born 25 September 1903 at El Cajon, California, all reside at Foster, California.
• He renounced all allegiance and fidelity to Edward VII, King of Great Britain and Ireland
• He has lived in the United States since 2 February 1890 and in California since 2 March 1893.
• He prayed that he be admitted a citizen of the United States of America on 29 September 1908.

In the 1910 United States census, the James A. Kemp family resided on Barona Ranch in Lakeside township, San Diego  County, California.[7]  The household included:

• James A. Kemp - head, male, white, age 37, married once, for 17 years, born Canada English, father born Canada English, mother born Canada English, immigrated in 1887, Papers, a manager, works on general farm.
• Bertha A. Kemp - wife, female, white, age 36, married once, for 17 years, 3 children born, 3 living, born New York, father born New York, mother born Vermont, no occupation.
• Myrtle M. Kemp - daughter, female, white, age 17, single, born California, father born Canada English, mother born New York.
• Leroy A. Kemp - son, male, white, age 14, single, born California, father born Canada English, mother born New York.
• Edith Kemp - daughter, female, white, age 6, single, born California, father born Canada English, mother born New York.
• A. Frank Kemp - brother, male, white, age 30, married once, for 5 months, born Canada English, father born Canada English, mother born Canada English, immigrated in 1904, Alien, a farm laborer, works on general farm.
• Ella Kemp - sister-in-law, female, white, age 28, married once, for 5 months, 0 children born Canada English, father born Canada English, mother born Canada English, immigrated 1907.

In the 1920 United States census, the James A. Kemp family resided in Calumet Township, Fallon County, Montana.[8]  The household included:

• James A. Kemp - head, owns home, with a mortgage, male, white, age 48, married, immigrated in 1890, naturalized in 1910, born Canada (mother tongue English), father born Canada (English), mother born Canada (English), a farmer.
• Bertha A. Kemp - wife, female, white, age 46, married, born New York (English), father born New York (English), mother born Vermont (English), no occupation.
• Myrtle M. Kemp - daughter, female, white, age 26, married, born California (English), father born Canada (English), mother born New York (English), a nurse, works in a hospital.
• Leroy G. Kemp - son, male, white, age 24, married, born California (English), father born Canada (English), mother born New York (English), a rancher, works on ranch.
• Laura L. Kemp - daughter-in-law, female, white, age 24, married, born Iowa (English), father born Iowa (English), mother born Germany (German), no occupation
• Edith M. Kemp - daughter, female, white, age 16, single, born California (English), father born Canada (English), mother born New York (English), no occupation.
• Leroy J. Kemp - grandson, male, white, age 1, single, born Montana (English), father born California (English), mother born Iowa (English).

In the 1930 United States census, the James A. Kemp family resided on Kling?? Ave. in El Monte township, Los Angeles County, California.[9]   The household included:

• James A. Kemp - head, rents home for $25, owns a radio, male, white, age 57, married, first at age 21, born Canada English, father born Canada English, mother born Canada English, speaks English, immigrated in 1890, naturalized, a farmer, in walnut industry.
• Bertha A. Kemp - wife, female, white, age 56, married, first at age 18, born New York, father born New York, mother born Vermont, no occupation.

James Alexander Kemp died 12 September 1934 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.[10]  A short obituary was published in the Los Angeles Times newspaper on 13 September 1934.  It reads:

"KEMP, September 12. James A. Kemp, husband of Bertha Kemp: father of Mrs. Myrtle Marley of Santa Ana, Mrs. Edith Conklin of Los Angeles and the late Le Roy G. Kemp of Bell, Cal.

"Services 2 p.m. Saturday from Pierce Brothers, Interment, Inglewood Park Cemetery."

James Alexander Kemp is buried in the Elm section of Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California.[11] 

SOURCES:

1. Cheryl Kemp Taber, "Kemps and Kin," online database, Rootsweb WorldConnect Project (https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com), birth date for James Alexander Kemp, son of James A. and Mary Jane (Sovereen) Kemp.

2. "Ontario, Canada Births, 1832-1917," indexed database, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), James Alexander Kemp entry, 12 July 1872, son of James and Mary Jane (Sovereen) Kemp.

3. "U.S. Naturalization Records, Original documents, 1795-1972," digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), Petition for Naturalization, James Alexander Kemp entry.

4. Census of Canada, 1881, Norfolk County, Ontario, Schedule #1, district 158, Norfolk North, subdistrict A, township of Middleton, page 6, Dwelling #33, Family #33, James A. Kemp household ; digital image, Library and Archives Canada (https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/census-1881/index-e.html : accessed 5 March 2013); citing Library and Archives of Canada Microfilm C-13263.

5. Cheryl Kemp Taber, "Kemps and Kin," online database, Rootsweb WorldConnect Project, (https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com), marriage date for James A. Kemp and Bertha A. Fuller, 26 August 1892.

6. 1900 United States Federal Census, San Diego County, California, Spring Valley township, Enumeration District 203, Page 1A, Dwelling #4, Family #4, James A. Kemp household; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T623, Roll 100.

7. 1910 United States Federal Census, San Diego County, California, Lakeside  township, Enumeration District 125, Page 25B, Dwelling #483, Family #488, James A. Kemp household; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T624, Roll 95.

8. 1920 United States Federal Census, Fallon County, Montana, Calumet township, Enumeration District 51, Page 3A, Dwelling #22, Family #22, James A. Kemp household; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T625, Roll 970.

9. 1930 United States Federal Census, os Angeles County, California, El Monte township, Enumeration District 932, Page 2A, Dwelling #22, Family #22, James A. Kemp household; digital image, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T626, Roll 126.

10. "California Death Index, 1905-1939." online database, FamilySearch (https://www.FamilySearch.org), James A. Kemp entry, 12 September 1934.

11. Find A Grave, indexed and imaged,  (https://www.findagrave.com), Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, Calif., James A. Kemp (1872-1934) memorial #177801490 .

                                   =================================

James Alexander Kemp (1872-1934) is my great-granduncle and the brother of my great-grandmother, Georgianna (Kemp) Auble (1868-1952).  Since he and his family lived in San Diego in 1910, their presence may be the reason that Charles and Georgianna (Kemp) Auble brought their family to San Diego from Chicago in 1911.  I know that Lyle and Emily (Auble) Carringer, along with Georgianna (Kemp) Auble, often visited the Kemp families in the Los Angeles area until Georgianna died in 1952.  

I have posted over 500 genealogical sketches of  my ancestors back through the 7th great-grandparents and a number of close relatives - see the list in 52 Ancestors/Relatives Biographies.  

The "52 Relatives" theme is a weekly series to document the lives of siblings of my ancestors with relatively short genealogical sketches, including important events, and with source citations.  These relatives lived and died within a family structure, and deserve a genealogical sketch - they were integral parts and important persons in the lives of my ancestral families.  I will post the sketches on the 52 Ancestors/Relatives Biographies. and my Ancestry Member Tree, in WikiTree, and in the FamilySearch Family Tree. 

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