The Kempe Families of Catahoula and Tensas Parishes

Colonel James Kempe was born in 1760 in Castlefin, Donegal, Ireland.  He married Margaret "Peggy" Graham who was born in 1780 in Prince William County, Virginia.  Colonel Kempe died on September 18, 1819 in Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi and Peggy Graham Kempe died on July 10, 1818 in the same location.

The following children were born to the marriage of Colonel James Kempe and Margaret "Peggy" Graham Kempe:

Thomas Byrd, 1800-1894 (m. Margaret P. Lee Bowen)
Jane Rawlston, 1802-1882 (m. 1. Francis Spain Girault; 2. Charles N. Rowley)
Frances Elizabeth, 1804-1892 (m. Sturges Sprague)
Margaret Louisa, 1806-1867 (m. William Burr Howell)
James, 1810-1835
David Beckett, 1815-1832

(Editor's note:  The above information was provided by Julia Mills)

Thomas Byrd Kempe was born in Prince William County, Virginia.  He and his family relocated to Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi.  On April 9, 1849, he married Margaret P. Lee Bowen in Mobile, Alabama.  Margaret was born August 8, 1820 in Tensas Parish, Louisiana to Charles S. Lee and Elizabeth Bass.  

Their family home at Kempe's Bend near Waterproof, Louisiana was swept away into the Mississippi River in the late 1800s.  Margaret Kempe owned much of the land between St. Joseph and Waterproof. 



Margaret P. Lee Bowen Kempe obituary from the Tensas Gazette, May 15, 1908 (courtesy of LSU/Library of Congress):

 

The following children were born to the marriage of Thomas and Margaret Bowen Kempe:

Charles Lee Kempe was born on December 21, 1852 and died on March 4, 1926.  He is buried in the Kempe Cemetery, Tensas Parish, Louisiana.

Francis Graham "Frank" Kempe was born circa 1854.  On August 7, 1888, he married Sarah "Sadie" Nash Ogden.  Sadie was born in Mississippi in 1869.  Frank died on November 29, 1930 in Harris County Texas and Sadie died in 1954.  They had the following children:

Francis Graham, Jr., 1889
Thomas Ogden, 1891
Sarah Maude, 1893
Martha Lee, 1897
Abner M., 1903

Thomas Winchester Kempe was born on January 24, 1856 in Natchez, Mississippi.  In 1868, he married Katie E. Doniphan who was born on February 1, 1868.  Katie's parents were Dr. Henry Slaughter Doniphan and Amelia King Scott Doniphan of Sicily Island. 

Katie Doniphan Kempe was a devoted member of the Methodist Church.  She was a charter member of the Pine Hill Methodist Church and also an ardent member of the Eastern Star.  She was a benefactress to many and devoted her life to helping others.  Katie was a most industrious lady.  She would sew late at night, collecting fifty cents for making a lady's dress, in order to help make payments on their family farm.

Thomas and Katie Kempe had one child, a daughter, Margaret Lee.  Lee married a widower, Ralph L. Matthews, who had two children.  Thomas and Katie took the children as their own grandchildren.  They also opened their home to one foster son, Melvin Riggs. (Reference:  Our Island Heritage, Vol. 3, 1978, compiled by Sophie Haley and Mickie Smith)

Thomas Winchester Kempe died on July 24, 1931.  Katie Doniphan Kempe died on July 12, 1945.  Both are buried in the Old Pine Hill Cemetery in Sicily Island.

Record of death for Thomas Winchester Kempe:

Margaret "Maggie" Kempe was born on July 7, 1858.  On February 6, 1885, she married Louis J. Witte.  Maggie died on May 20, 1953 in Los Angeles, California.