John Kemp UE (abt. 1723 - bef. 1795)

Husband of Anna Van Vorst — married [date unknown] in Schenectady, Schenectady, New York, United States [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 15 Jan 1795 before about age 72 in Fredericksburg, Addington, Ontario, Canada

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Biography

John Kemp was a United Empire Loyalist.
UEL Status:Proven
Date: Undated

John Kemp fought in the American Revolution alongside his three sons and his stepson, they all supported the British, they enlisted with the King's Rangers and were stationed in St, Jean, Quebec.

John was about 57 years of age when he enlisted and served as a Private for the next two years around the New York war zone. He was finally reunited with his sons at St. Jean in 1783.

Date & Place of Death : July 1789, Fredericksburgh Addington Cty Ont.

All of the data listed here has been obtained from Mrs. Cheryl Taber

of Kingston, Ontario and Mr. Bob Kemp of Peterborough, Ontario, who are planning a book on the Kemp family.

The origin of John Kemp is not known. He was in the Albany -- Schenectady area of New York in the 1760's. John Kempe was one of the petitioners who requested a minister for St. George's Anglican Church in Schenectady in 1765. He resided in Guilford township, district of Ballston, Saratoga County, New York in the 1772 census (as John Camps) with a wife and eight children. John Camp was on the 1779 tax list for Ballston District.

John Kemp is in the muster roll of Captain Samuel Harden's Company, under the command of Lt. Col. Commandant Robert Rogers in His Majesty's Service in the Corps stiled the King's Rangers, dated at New York, 18 Oct. 1780, with the rank of Private. Jno. Kemp served in a detachment of the King's Rangers commanded by Major James Rogers, quartered at St. John's 21 January 1783. He was listed as from the Country of Merriland (is that Maryland?), age 60, size 5 feet 5 inches, and had served one half month. His sons Joseph and John were also in the same King's Rangers.

The family resided in Fredericksburgh, Addington County, Ontario as early as 1784. He was a farmer, and attended the Anglican and/or First Reformed Church.

The old United Empire Loyalists List shows John Kemp Sr of Fredericksburgh, soldier, on the Land Board of Mecklenburgh in 1790 and of 1793. He is also listed as being of the King's Rangers, Provision List of Kingston, 1786.

There are two petitions by John Kemp for land in Richmond township, Lennox County, Ontario in 1790 and 1793.

Cheryl Kemp Taber (email ctaber@mountaincable.net) has researched and collected a wealth of information about this family, and posted it in her WorldConnect database on Rootsweb (wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com) titled "Kemps and Kin" updated 13 January 2010. Her notes for this person are:

John Kemp was born ca. 1723, possibly in the State of Maryland, U.S.A., although this has not been proven; nor has his nationality been confirmed with total certainty. His name first appeared on the records of the First Dutch Reformed Church of Schenectady, N.Y., in 1761, on the baptismal record of his eldest son, Joseph. At this time, John would have been about 38 years of age and, to-date, virtually nothing is known of his life prior to this time. On the early New York State records, he was shown as John "Camp". He married Anna Van der Bogart, the widow of Nicolaas Van der Bogart, sometime prior to 1760/61. The name of " John Kempe" appeared on a petition, made in March 1765, by a group of Englishmen who wanted a minister found to administer to the needs of the English at St. George's Anglican Church, in Schenectady. Whether this is our John Kemp, remains to be seen.

John fought for the British during the American Revolution, as did his three sons and a step-son. They joined the King's Rangers, a unit of scouts, and spent most of the War stationed at St. Jean, Quebec (named as St. John's in the records), located on the Richilieu River. John Kemp did not enlist in the King's Rangers until October 13, 1780, at approximately 57 years of age. He served as a Private & for the next two years he was stationed in the occupied zone around New York City. By January of 1783, he was reunited, at St. John's (now St. Jean), Quebec, with his two eldest sons, Joseph & James, and his step-son, Francis Van der Bogart, who had also enlisted with the King's Rangers. When the British lost the war, the King's Rangers disbanded at Cataraqui, Ontario, near Kingston, in October 1784. Because of their loyalty to King George III of England, John Kemp and his family were bestowed the title of "United Empire Loyalists" and were each granted 200 acres of free land. John Kemp was on the Provision list of Kingston in 1786 & received his grant of land in Fredericksburgh Tp., Addington County, Ontario, on Concession 4 Lot 2. He died there in 1795, at about 72 years of age. His wife, Anna, died there six years previously in July 1789.

Burial

Burial:

Date: 15 JAN 1795

Place: Fredericksburg, Addington, Ontario, Canada

Marriage

Marriage:

Date: BEF 1761

Place: probably Schenectady, Schenectady, New York, United States

Sources

• http://www.uelac.org/Loyalist-Info/detail.php?letter=k&line=52
• The Muster Rolls of New York Provincial Troops, 1755-1764, have been checked but there was not any Kemp or Camp listed.
• Genealogies of the First Settlers of Schenectady, by Jonathan Pearson, pg. 32: Camp, John, & Anna, dau. of Jacobus Van Vorst. Ch. bp: Joseph, July 20, 1761; Jacobus, Jan. 9, 1763; Rachel, Aug. 23, 1767. (Note: Jacobus is the Dutch name for James).
• Book: St. George's Church [Anglican, Schenectady, N.Y.]: Chapter V, pg. 51 - Although "from their small Ability, & great desire to become like other Christians," the English of Schenectady had by 1765, "with much perseverance almost finished a small Church for Publick Worship," they now found that they were unable to support a clergyman & that, therefore, all their endeavors were ineffectual. From time to time, since the latter part of the year 1763, irregular services had been held in the chapel under the direction of the Reverend Thomas Brown, rector of St. Peter's. These services did not, however, satisfy the needs of the worshippers & with "great desire," therefore, & "small ability" to gratify it, it was determined, in this early crisis in the affairs of the parish, to seek the aid of the Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel & on March 23, 1765, certain petitioners were moved to "humbly pray" that a mission be granted to enable them to complete the work begun, or in case this was not feasible, that some other assistance might be given. On pg. 59: John Kempe is one of the petitioners on the list.
• There is a John Camp listed in Capt. Daniel Campbell's Company of Militia Schenectady, 12 May 1767
• History of Saratoga Co., NY, pp249/250, Tax List of the Dist. of Ballston, Dec. 31, 1779, shows John Camp, Assessment: 87 pounds, Amount of Tax: 3 pounds 15 s. 6 d. The writeup noted that the district of Ballston then comprised Ballston, Milton, Charlton, Providence, Galway, Day, Edinburgh, & the western parts of Hadley, Corinth, & Greenfield. The collector of this tax was Dr. Elisha Miller.
• British Military C Series, C1862, p125, Muster Roll of Captain Samuel Hayden's Company under the Command of Lt. Col. Commandant Robert Rogers in His Majesty's Service in the Corps stiled the King's Rangers, dated at New York, 18 Oct. 1780: #41 - Rank - Private, John Kemp, Date of Commission or Time of Inlistment - 13 Oct. 1780, By whom inlisted - Capt. Hayden.
• British Military C Series, C1862, p121: Muster Roll of Capt. Samuel Hayden's Company of Rangers in His Majesty's Service in the Corps stiled the King's Rangers under the Command of Lt. Col., Robert Rogers, dated New York, 29 Dec. 1780: #39 - Private, John Kemp, Time of Inlistment Oct. 13, 1780, by Capt. Hatfield.
• British Military C Series, MG13, W.O. 28, Vol. 10, pg189,190: Return of the names Country age Size and time of Service of a detachement of the King's Rangers Commanded By Major James Rogers Quartered at St. Johns, 21 Jan. 1783: Jno. Kemp, Country of Origin - Merriland, Age- 60, Height - 5'5", Time of Service - 1/2 month. (Ontario Archives, Toronto, Microfilm Reel B2867).
• Call Number Haldimand Papers, Cote M.G21, B166, Muster Roll of the King's Rangers taken between Sept. 1783 & May/June 1784, pp218-223: pg. 219 - #882- Jno. Kimp, 1 Incorporated Man, 1 Woman, Total - 2, from N. York, Farmer.
• Book: Roger's Rangers, Appendix "A", pg. 197-199: A list of the Officers & Men of Major Rogers's Company of King's Rangers together with the Number of their Families, St. John's, 27th January, 1784: John Kemp, 4.
• Call Number - Haldimand Papers, Cote-M.G. 21, Vol.B-168, pp71-76: Return of Disbanded Troops & Loyalists Settled in Township No.3/Cataraqui, 6th October, 1784: King's Rangers - Jno. Kemp.
• Old UEL List: John Kemp Sr., Fredericksburgh, Soldier, Land Board of Mecklenburgh 1790. 300 and Land Board of Mecklenburgh 1793, 200. King's Rangers, Provision List of Kingston 1786.
• Upper Canada Land Petitions, RG1L3, John Kemp, Kingston, U.C.L.P. 1790, Misc. K11(1788-1795)-281-C2123, Cab. 1 Reel 154 (Ontario Archives) : #11 - having already received 100 acres asks for 200 acres in the 10th Twp. [my italics - Richmond Tp.] March 11, 1790. Also prays for 100 acres for my wife & child; in all 300 acres.
• Ontario Archives Land Record Index by Locatee, pg. 6544: Kemp, Fredericksburgh Tp., Con. 4, Lot 2, 1790, Full Grant, Old Regulations, Reference: RG01-AIV, Vol. 009, pg. 027.

This was shared with Oliver Church Jr.

• Upper Canada Land Petitions, RG1L3, John Kemp Sr., Adolphustown, Feb. 1793, U.C.L.P. Misc. K12 (1788-1795)-281-C2123, Cab. 1, Reel 1 (Ontario Archives) : #12 - Sent. Soldier in King's Rangers commanded by Major James Rogers having drawn only 100 acres asks for two lots of 200 acres. Feb. 1793. Sent. No. 56. Memorial for 400 acres, 200F which is granted. Asks for in Township of Richmond, Co. of Lennox.
• Ontario People 1796-1803, by E. Keith Fitzgerald, pg. 139 (National Archives of Canada; Upper Canada District List) - Midland District, Township of Fredericksburg - #3515, 144, John Kemp, UE.
• Early Church Records of Rev. John Langhorn & Rev. Robert McDowall, by Loral & Mildred Wannamaker: Burials of 3rd Town (Fredericksburgh) recorded by Rev. Langhorn - pg. 83 - John Kemp died January 31, 1795.