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Richard Kempe (1600 - aft. 1650)

Richard Kempe aka Kemp
Born in Gissing, Norfolk, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married before 1649 in Virginiamap [uncertain]
Father of
Died after after age 50 in Rich Neck Plantation, James City County, Virginia Colonymap
Profile last modified | Created 26 May 2013
This page has been accessed 5,278 times.
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Descendant of Surety Barons Gilbert de Clare, John de Lacy, and possibly others (see text).
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Contents

Biography

This profile is part of the Kemp Name Study.
U.S. Southern Colonies Project logo
Richard Kempe was a Virginia colonist.

Richard Kempe[1][2] (aka Kemp)[3]

BORN 1600 in Gissing, Norfolk
PARENTS Robert Kempe and Dorothy Harris
IMMIGRATION to Virginia in 1634
SECRETARY of Virginia 1634-1640, 1642-1649
MARRIED Elizabeth _____ and had one child
DEATH unknown, will dated 4 January 1649/50, proved 6 December 1656

Origins

Richard, son of Robert Kempe[4][5] and Dorothy Harris, was baptized in 1600 at Gissing, Norfolk, England.[1][2] He was the third[3] of eight sons and had three sisters.[1]

Virginia - Offices

Richard immigrated to Virginia and served as Secretary of Virginia in 1634.[1][2] In August of that year, King Charles I had named Richard Kemp as the new secretary of the Virginia colony, replacing William Claiborne. Richard was responsible for overseeing correspondence with the king, issuing permits, granting passes to leave Virginia, etc. He received land and servants as compensation for his work, along with fees for his services.[3][6] Richard Kempe served as Secretary from 1634-1640 and from 1642-1649.[5]
When Richard arrived in Virginia, the colony had an unpopular governor in Sir John Harvey. Richard was a close ally to Harvey and was a member of the governor's Council.[3] Harvey was involved in several disputes with the Council and was impeached in 1635 and was briefly replaced as governor until the king reinstated his appointment in 1636.[3]
On 6 April 1638, Richard Kemp, as secretary of Virginia, wrote an important letter to Secretary of State Windebank, recounting the proceedings of the Assembly (reprinted in the Journals of the House of Burgesses ...).[7] This letter was written during the session which began in February 1637/38, a very tumultuous time in Virginia.
When Harvey was replaced as governor in 1639, Richard retained his place as secretary due to the influence of Lord Baltimore and Secretary of State Windebank. Rev. Anthony Panton, who had been mistreated by Harvey, returned to England and spoke against both Harvey and Richard. Richard returned to England in 1640 to defend his conduct, leaving his friend George Reade as deputy secretary.[5]
In 1642, Richard returned to Virginia with the colony's new governor, Sir William Berkeley[5] and became a senior member of the Council,[3][6] and also reclaimed his former post as Secretary.[5] He served as Acting Governor of Virginia while Berkeley was in England from about June 1644 to 1645/6.[1][2][3][5]
Richard left his position as Secretary and his seat on the Council in 1649 due to his declining health.[3]

Virginia - Property

Richard had gained thousands of acres of land through headright, as he had paid for the transport of almost one hundred people to Virginia,[3] thirty of which were Africans.[6] According to the Encyclopedia Virginia, Richard Kempe was one of the first plantation owners to use an enslaved workforce.[3]
He received patents for land as follows:
  • On 14 November 1637, he received 600 acres in James Cittie Co. to allow him to be near James City to execute his duties as Secretary.[8] It is thought that on this land, around 1638/39, Richard built a large house, "one of the finest" in Jamestown, made entirely of brick with a ceramic tile roof. It is thought to be the first brick home in Virginia.[3][6] In 1641, he sold the house to then-governor Francis Wyatt.[3] This sale may have occurred while Richard was in England.
  • On 3 January 1638, he received 1,200 acres called Rich Neck (see below) and 100 more acres between it and Middle Plantation. The 1,200 acres had been previously purchased from George Minifie on 23 February 1636, but not properly surveyed, and the 100 acres was for transporting two people.[8]
  • On 4 March 1638, he received 840 acres adjoining Rich Neck for the transportation of himself and sixteen others.[8]
  • On 1 August 1638, he received an interesting patent, issued by Act of the Assembly on 20 February 1636, in return for a yearly "rent" of one capon at the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle.[8]
  • 17 April 1643, he received 4,332 acres in James City County, including the 1,200 acres purchased from George Minifie and 940 acres from former patents (see 3 January and 4 March 1638 above) and also 2,192 acres for transporting 44 persons.[8][9]
  • 29 May 1649, he received 3,500 acres on Mockjack Bay in Ware River for transporting 70 people.[8]

Rich Neck Plantation

On 23 February 1636, Richard purchased Rich Neck plantation from George Menefie,[8] who had been one of those opposing Governor John Harvey.[6] Menefie had patented the 1,200 acre property on 2 July 1635.[6]
Richard settled at Rich Neck[1] in 1642, on his return from England.[3] The brick house he built there is described as "surprisingly similar" to the one he had built in Jamestown in 1638/9. At Rich Neck, he also built another large outbuilding for the kitchen, storage and servants quarters.[3][6]
Rich Neck Plantation was located near the James River, and was accessible by College Creek during its years as a colonial plantation. This was in the historic Middle Plantation (now Williamsburg), Virginia, in James City Shire (later James City County).[6] The site was discovered in 1988, and has since been explored by archaeologists. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has published an interesting description of the property here.

Marriage and Children

Richard married Elizabeth ______.[1][2][5] Several sources cite Richard's will as proof that his wife was Elizabeth Wormeley, possibly the daughter of Christopher Wormeley.[3][4][6][10] However no marriage record for Richard and Elizabeth is found, and no birth record for an Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher Wormeley has been located. See Elizabeth Wormeley's profile for a discussion of her possible origins.
Richard's will dated 4 January 1649/50 is the only source of information currently found on his wife and child. Accordingly, his marriage is estimated as before 1649, as is the birth of his daughter.
Richard and Elizabeth had one child:

Death and Legacy

On 4 January 1649/50, Richard wrote his will.[1][3] A transcription of his will can be found here. His exact date of death is not known, but he likely died soon after making his will, as several land patents issued in 1650 and 1651 referred to him as deceased,[6] the first of which is dated 23 March 1650.[8] His will was proved on 6 December 1656[1] in London, England.[11] In it, he named, among others, the following people: his wife, Elizabeth; his daughter, Elizabeth; his uncle, Ralph Wormley; his brother, Edward Kempe and his nephew, Edmund Kempe.[1][2]
His will instructed that his body be buried in the orchard at Rich Neck.[4][6] He also directed that his "deare and carefull wife Elizabeth Kempe" and his daughter, "my poore child Elizabeth Kempe", serve as the executors of his estate, and that "my unckle, Ralph Wormeley" serve on his daughter's behalf during her minority.[4]
Richard's will instructed his wife to sell Rich Neck and return to England,[3][6] but she did not carry out her husband's wishes. She married, as her second husband Thomas Lunsford[1][2][4] on 24 October 1650. Thomas also became Secretary for Virginia Colony. Lunsford's tombstone contains an inscription which affirms that the orchard was the burial site for both men:
... and near this place lye the Bodies of RICHARD KEMP, esqr, his Predecessor in ye Secretarys Office and Sr THOMAS LUNSFORD KT ...[6]
Elizabeth married third [Major-Gen.] Robert Smith of Middlesex County, Virginia.[1][2][4] in 1659.[6] They removed to a Lancaster County property near Elizabeth's family and, in the spring of 1665, Elizabeth and her husband repaid a £1,000 debt to Thomas Ludwell by signing over Rich Neck to him.[6]

Sources

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. 2nd edition. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2011), vol. II, pages 469-470, KEMPE 16.ii.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2013), vol. III, page 414.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 Muraca, David. "Richard Kemp (ca. 1600–ca. 1650)." in Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Humanities, 20 Mar 2014. Accessed 9 Dec 2019.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 “Two Wills of the Seventeenth Century” in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 2, no. 2, 1894, pages 174–177. Online at JSTOR: copy of Richard Kempe's will
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 “List of the Colonial Secretaries” in The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 10, no. 3, 1902, page 171. Online at JSTOR.
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 Muraca, David, et al., "The Archaeology of Rich Neck Plantation (44WB52): Description of the Features." page on the website of the Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 0386. (Williamsburg, VA: Jan 2003), pages 1, 8, 12, 15-47.
  7. McIlwaine, H. R., ed. Journals of the House of Burgesses of VA, 1619-1658/9. (Richmond, VA: Library Board, Virginia State Library, 1915), online at Archive.org, Vol. 1, pages xxxvl, xl, 126-127..
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 Nugent, Nell M. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1800. 1st ed. (Richmond: Dietz Print Co., 1934), online at Archive.org, Book 1, Part 2, pages 75 (11/37), 95 (8/38), 104 (3/38), 105 (Rich Neck 1/38), page 143 (4/43) and Book 2, pages 182 (5/49), 212 (as dec'd).
  9. “Patents Issued during the Regal Government” in The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 9, no. 3, 1901, page 143 #877. Online at JSTOR.
  10. “The Wormeley Family (Continued)” in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 36, no. 1, 1928, page 98. Online at JSTOR.
  11. Withington, Lothrop. Virginia Gleanings in England. (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980), online at GoogleBooks, pages 323-324.
  • Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. 2nd edition. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2011). See also WikiTree's source page for Magna Carta Ancestry.
  • Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2013). See also WikiTree's source page for Royal Ancestry.
See also:
  • Faris, David. Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists. (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co.), online at Ancestry.com, page 152.

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

This profile was re-reviewed and approved by Thiessen-117 in January 2020.
Richard Kempe is listed in Magna Carta Ancestry as a Gateway Ancestor (vol. I, pages xxiii-xxix) in project-approved/badged trails (reviewed in 2014 by the Magna Carta project and re-reviewed Dec 2019 by Thiessen-117) through Magna Carta surety barons William d'Aubigné, Richard de Clare, Gilbert de Clare, John de Lacy, Saher de Quincy, and Robert de Ros. Richard Kempe is also a Gateway in a Richardson-documented trail to surety barons Hugh le Bigod and Roger le Bigod (vol. II, pages 468-470 KEMPE) that has not yet been developed on WikiTree. There are many other unbadged trails that are identified on this page. See the Magna Carta Trails section below, where the badged and Richardson-documented trails are all set out.
See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".

Magna Carta Trails

Badged trail to the Clares, Lacy, Quincy, Ros and Albini (2015):
Gateway Ancestors
Edmund Kempe (badged), son of Edmund Kempe (badged)
Matthew Kempe (badged), son of Robert Kemp (badged)
Richard Kempe (badged/100% 5-star)
Edward Kemp (badged/100% 5-star)
1. Edmund, Robert, Richard & Edward are sons of Dorothy Harris (badged/updated 2019)
2. Dorothy is the daughter of Dorothy Waldegrave (badged/100% 5-star)
3. Dorothy is the daughter of William Waldegrave (badged/100% 5-star)
4. William is the son of George Waldegrave (badged/100% 5-star)
5. George is the son of Margery Wentworth (badged/100% 5-star)
6. Margery is the daughter of Henry Wentworth (badged/100% 5-star)
7. Henry is the son of Margery Despenser (badged/100% 5-star)
8. Margery is the daughter of Elizabeth Tiptoft (badged/100% 5-star)
9. Elizabeth is the daughter of Robert de Tibetot (badged/100% 5-star)
10. Robert is the son of Margaret de Badlesmere (badged/100% 5-star)
11. Margaret is the daughter of Margaret de Clare (badged/100% 5-star)
12. Margaret is the daughter of Thomas de Clare (badged/100% 5-star)
13. Thomas is the son of Richard de Clare (badged/100% 5-star)
14. Richard is the son of Magna Carta Surety Gilbert de Clare
15. Gilbert is the son of Magna Carta Surety Richard de Clare
13. Thomas de Clare is the son of Maud de Lacy (badged/100% 5-star)
14. Maud is the daughter of Magna Carta Surety John de Lacy
14. Maud de Lacy is the daughter of Margaret de Quincy (badged/100% 5-star)
15. Margaret is the daughter of Robert de Quincy (badged/100% 5-star)
16. Robert is the son of Magna Carta Surety Saher de Quincy
10. Robert de Tibetot is the son of John de Tibetot (badged/100% 5-star)
11. John is the son of Agnes de Ros (badged/100% 5-star)
12. Agnes is the daughter of William de Ros (badged/100% 5-star)
13. William is the son of Robert de Roos (badged/100% 5-star)
14. Robert is the son of William de Roos (badged/100% 5-star)
15. William is the son of Magna Carta Surety Robert de Ros
13. William de Ros is the son of Isabel de Albini (badged/100% 5-star)
14. Isabel is the daughter of William d'Aubigny (badged/100% 5-star)
15. William is the son of Magna Carta Surety William d'Aubigné
Badged Richardson-documented trail to the Bigods (MCA II:468-470 KEMPE):
8. Margery Despenser is a daughter of Philip Despenser (badged/R&A 9 Nov 2022)
9. Philip is the son of Philip le Despenser (badged/R&A 10 Nov 2022)
10. Philip is the son of Philip le Despenser (badged/R&A 11 Nov 2022)
11. Philip is the son of Philip le Despenser (badged/R&A 11 Nov 2022)
12. Philip is the son of Isabel de Beauchamp (badged/100% 5-star)
13. Isabel is the daughter of Maud FitzJohn (badged/100% 5-star)
14. Maud is the daighter of Isabel le Bigod (badged/100% 5-star)
15. Isabel is the daughter of Magna Carta Surety Hugh le Bigod
16. Hugh is the son of Magna Carta Surety Roger le Bigod
Badged trail to Malet:
10. Philip Despenser is the son of Joan Cobham (badged/R&A 12 Nov 2022)
11. Joan is the daughter of Joan de Beauchamp (badged/100% 5-star)
12. Joan is the daughter of John de Beauchamp (badged/100% 5-star)
13. John is the son of Cecily de Vivonne (badged/100% 5-star)
14. Cecily is the daughter of William (Vivonne) de Forz (badged/100% 5-star)
15. William is the son of Mabel Malet (badged/100% 5-star)
16. Mabel is the daughter of Magna Carta Surety William Malet
See this page for more unbadged trails. The Magna Carta Project has no current plans to verify or develop these trails.




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Comments: 9

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I recommend that the images remain attached. An image must remain attached to at least one profile or space page, otherwise it will be automatically deleted after a space of time (might be 1 week... maybe 1 month - I just know I found out the hard way when an image I'd embedded in the profile disappeared, since I'd removed it from the profile).

Also, if there is no profile or page attached, the image becomes private.

posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
FYI - the will in the attached 3 images is sourced and linked in the bio, so a PM might consider removing the images. They were published in 1894 so there are no copyright issues.
posted by Traci Thiessen
Kemp-1457 and Kempe-66 are not ready to be merged because: I would like to see more information about the parents before I agree to merge them. I think they may be two different people, perhaps cousins. Would someone who is working on the Kemp family please work on this merge?
posted by Linda Plummer
Match with Kempe-66

These two profiles certainly represent the same person, the Secretary for Virginia in 1634/5.

The birth date for Richard Kemp/Kempe is well documented and correct on Kempe-66, his death date is unknown, only before Oct 24, 1650, according to the Encyclopedia Virginia - again correct in Kempe-66.

Will leave it to the managers to decide which spelling to go with Kemp or Kempe. Thanks!

posted by Cynthia (Billups) B
Category: Slave-owner: Virginia is listed under misnamed categories. Shouldn't it be Category: Virginia Slave Owners instead?
posted by Greg Hays

Rejected matches › Richard A Kamp