Family and Friends

 

Thomas Kemp (1811-1878)

Daniel's father, Thomas was born October 16, 1811 in Longformacus, Berwickshire Scotland. Berwick is very near the English border. He was baptized on November 11, 1811, one can only hope at 11:00 AM. He emigrated to New York on the Ship Maida, leaving Kingston upon Hull, England (Woodhouse) and arriving in the Port of New York in June 2, 1831. I do not know when he arrived in Buffalo nor how he met his wife in Perth, Ontario, Canada. He married Catherine MacDonald in Perth in 1838. They are listed in the 1840 Census living in Buffalo, NY.

Thomas was as an unusually large man, standing 6'4" tall. He worked as a ship and house carpenter or "joiner" as he called himself. He was a member of the Sons of Temperance, and active in the First United Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, serving as an Elder in the Church.

He was a literate man. I have a copy of a letter he wrote to Daniel near the end of 1863. It is a well written letter.

Catherine MacDonald Kemp (1816 - 1882)

Daniel's mother, Catherine, was born in Paisley, Scotland in 1816. In 1829 her family emigrated to Perth, Ontario. She stood 4'10" tall and seems to have had a strong and cheerful personality. Like her husband Thomas, she was literate. In addition to writing letters to her son, she also wrote poetry expressing her motherly worries about the well-being of her boys.

George Kemp (1838 - 1892)

George Kemp was the oldest of Daniel's siblings. He also fought in the Civil War, serving with Troop K 12th Cavalry. He was stationed in North Carolina in 1864. He wrote letters from Price's Creek and Camp Palmern. He married Hattie A. Lockwood on November 30, 1882 in Cuyahoga, Ohio.

Margaret (Maggie) Kemp (1842 - 1891)

Some of Daniel's letters are written to his older sister Maggie, who was born about 1842 and died January 26, 1891.

Jennett (Jenny) Kemp (1847 - 1902)

Jenny was Daniel's next youngest sibling, born about 1847. She died September 20, 1902.

Archibald Kemp (1852 - 1916)

Archibald was about 11 years old when Daniel was in the Navy. He later worked as a carpeter in Buffalo, and then in Bellevue, Washington. He died in Seattle on June 25, 1916 at the age of 64.

Robert Kemp (1854 - 1921)

Robert was about 8 years old when Daniel was in the Navy.

Mrs. Lander (1814 - 1863)

Grace Lander was the widow of James Lander. They owned a shoe store in Buffalo where Daniel worked as a teenager. The Landers came from England originally.

Leopold Snyder (1844-1863)

Leopold was one of Daniel's close childhood friends. As a teenager he worked as a "hired hand" at Jacob Darney's Grocery in Buffalo.

James W. Stewart

James was another of Daniel's childhood friends. He worked as a clerk before the war. After leaving the service James had a lumber yard in Cairo, Il. He lost a hand in an accident with a lumber saw.

Algernon Stout (1844 - 1863)

Algernon Stout was the only son of William and Eleanor Stout. They had one daugher as well. William was a Master Cabinet Maker. Before the war Algernon worked as a clerk.