Kemp or Kempe in Thanet area pre 1800

[Penndennis]

We are trying to clarify my wife's maternal grandfather's line.  We had got back to death of GGGGGrandfather, Ebenezer Chapman Kemp who died in India in 1822.  In his will he left 'my estate in Kent' to his sons.

Thanks to some help from three other people looking for the same ancestors, we have now been offered a line going back a couple of hundred years before Ebenezer.  The trouble is that we have found no colateral evidence to support the ancestry recorded on the LDS site.

Can anyone help us verify any of the following details:

ECK is reported to have been born in 1770-72 possibly in India.  His parents were George Kempe (d. 1810) and Mary Chapman married in 1769 in Ramsgate.

George Kempe's parents were George Kempe (b. 1695 Thanet d. 1739) and Lydia Culmer from the parish of St Lawrence, Thanet.  They were married on 26 Aug 1716 at St Alphage's, Canterbury.

The senior George Kempe's parents were William Kempe (allegedly b. 4 Dec 1681 which would make him 14 when his son is born) and Elizabeth Egelstone.

I shan't bother you with the rest.  Yet!

Thanks

Bill

 

[casalguidi]

Hi Bill

With a name like Ebenezer, I immediately thought perhaps non-conformist.

There is a non-conformist baptism for an Ebenezer KEMP whose parents appear to be George and Mary in 1772 see http://www.bmdregisters.co.uk/

It is a pay per view site which I have never used personally so I would advise to tread with caution as it looks to be quite expensive.

Have you seen the historical volume "A General History of the Kemp and Kempe Families of Great Britain and Her Colonies" (under "search records" "historical books") http://www.familysearch.org

There is mention of James Wheeler KEMP born India 1851 son of James George KEMP and grandson of Ebenezer Chapman KEMP who went to India in the employ of the Royal Navy.  If I am reading it correctly, Ebenezer had a brother Alexander Davidson KEMP born about 1770 who was connected with a London firm of glass silverers although also at one time was in the Royal Navy.

Casalguidi

[casalguidi]

Ebenezer KEMP born 28 Sep 1772 (baptised St Peter Cornhill, London) son of George & Mary KEMP (maternal grandfather John CHAPMAN)

George KEMP born 6 Aug 1774 (baptised St Peter Cornhill, London) son of George & Mary KEMP (maternal grandfather John CHAPMAN)

Mary KEMP born 10 Jul 1770 (baptised St Peter Cornhill, London) dau of George & Mary KEMP (maternal grandfather John CHAPMAN)

Couldn't see supposed brother Alexander Davidson KEMP though so I'm not so sure these are who you are looking for - no mention of middle name CHAPMAN for Ebenezer

Can, I ask how you know that the parents of your Ebenezer Chapman KEMP are George KEMP and Mary CHAPMAN?

Is the will you have seen that of Ebenezer Chapman KEMP of Calcutta the one proved in 1855 (a long time after his death) or is that a different Ebenezer Chapman KEMP?

Casalguidi

[Penndennis]

This all looks extremely interesting.  I'll try and tell you some of what we know.

Ebenezer Chapman Kemp (ECK 1) was a captain in the Royal Navy.  He was born about 1772 and died in India 4 Oct 1822.  His sons included my wife's GGG Grandfather, Alexander Davidson Kemp (born Calcutta 4 Oct 1802) and ECK 2 the one who died in 1855.  Both sons named their first born sons after themselves.

There seems to have been a tradition in the family of including the mother's maiden name, thus Chapman and Davidson and a number of others in successive generations.  Folowing ECK1, the family was closely associated with India or the East India Company throughout 19C.  ADK1 and 2 were attorneys for example, and the next two generations were military.

The people who have got in touch fall into two camps.  From one we have had lots of more information about 19C Kemps which all fitted and was verifiable from the FIBIS site and elsewhere.  Others made the connection to a George Kemp and Mary Chapman from Thanet, which feels OK but then goes racing back through another two hundred years without any obvious evidence and some clear inconsistencies.

Do you have an interest in this family, or do you just enjoy the search?  You have certainly helped us.

Thanks
Bill