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Out Texas cousin shares her research, photos, and the family tree of one of our ancestors.
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Notes on Nathan Elgin Kemp "Nathan Elgin Kemp was born on December 23, 1824 in Madison County, Alabama and was the son of Nathaniel L. Kemp and Margery Brashears. On August 8, 1844 he married Semantha Chamness, daughter of John H. and Polly Chamness (nee unknown) in McNairy County, Tennessee. Nathan and his family were enumerated in the 1850 census of McNairy County. In 1858, Nathan and his family were living in Hot Spring County, Arkansas, perhaps moving to that area at the time his father, Nathaniel decided to move from McNairy County, Tennessee to Hot Spring County, Arkansas. By 1860, Nathan and Semantha were in Bradley County, Arkansas where they were members of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. The church was organized on August 30, 1854 and today still continues to meet at the same location on the south side of what is now State Hwy 4, a few miles west of Warren, Arkansas. At the age of 38, Nathan enlisted in the Confederate Army at Warren Arkansas on February 1, 1863, serving in Hardy's Regiment, Co. D, 24 Reg't Arkansas Infantry. Nathan Elgin Kemp died on August 1, 1865 (only a few months after the Civil War ended) in Bradley County, AR. At the time of his death he was only 40 years old. Kemp researcher, Terry Kemp, states that Nathan Elgin Kemp died from appendicitis. He received this information from another Kemp researcher, Nina Huey. Although numerous endeavors have been made by several of Nathan's descendents to locate his gravesite, these endeavors have been unsuccessful. Notes on Semantha E. Chamness Kemp In January of 2000, Kemp researcher, Penny Stafford of North Little Rock shared with me information revealing Semantha's parents were John H. and Polly Chamness (nee name unknown). Penny had obtained this valuable information while looking through court records in McNairy, County, Tennessee. The document she found was regarding a suit against Semantha for her part of the insolvency estate of her father filed by her brother, C.C. Chamness and C. B. Chamness. At the time of her father's death, Semantha was living in Bradley County, Arkansas, and possibly did not know of her father's death until suit was filed against her. Semantha was born on June 30, 1829 in Tennessee. Although a family record states that she was born near Nashville, TN it is most likely Semantha's birth place was in McNairy County, Tennessee. She married Nathaniel Elgin Kemp on August 8, 1844. She and Nathan had four children; William Allen Kemp, born January 23, 1847,m. Caroline Elizabeth Adams, daughter of Abner Aaron Adams and Catherine Henry; Mary Jane Kemp, b.September 23, 1848, m. James Wiley Adams, January 9, 1868, son of Caleb Adams and Mary E. unknown. Susan E. Kemp, b. August 8, 1856, m. William H. Adams, January 9, 1868, son of Caleb Adams and Mary E. unknown. Note that Mary Jane and her sister, Susan, were married to brothers and both married on the same date, however no record has been found regarding the marriage of Mary Jane Kemp and James Wiley Adams. While living in Bradley County, Semantha, was a member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. After Nathan died in 1865, Semantha married second husband, William Jones on December 20, 1868. Within a year after marrying William, Semantha died on August 11, 1869 in Bradley County, Arkansas. Cause of death and place of burial is unknown. Additional Notes on Nathan's 24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Organized on June 6, 1862 under the command of Colonel Edward E. Portlock, Jr., and field officers Lt. Col. Thomas M. Whittington and Majors William R. Hardy and Francis H. Wood. The regiment was recruited from the following counties: Co. A, Sevier county; Co. B, Camden and Palestine; Co. C, Halcon; Co. D, Warren; Co. E, Monticello and Drew county; Co. F, Washington; Co. G, Calhoun and Ouachita counties; Co. H, Dallas county; Co. I, Clark and Yell counties, and Co. K, Pike and Polk counties. Assigned to the garrison of Arkansas Post in early December 1862. Most of the regiment was captured when that post was attacked by Union forces under Generals Sherman and McClernand on January 11, 1863. The elements not captured at Arkansas Post were subsequently consolidated with Crawford's Infantry Battalion and the 19th (Dawson's) Infantry Regiment and the combined unit redesignated as "Dawson's-Hardy's Infantry Regiment (Consolidated) in early 1863. The remainder of the regiment was paroled and declared exchanged at City Point, Virginia on May 12, 1863 and were assigned to the Confederate Army of Tennessee where they were consolidated with the remnants of the 2nd Arkansas Infantry in Liddell's Brigade, Cleburne's Division. Because of misconceptions about the surrender of Arkansas Post, few of the Confederate division commanders would accept the soldiers of the 24th; however Pat Cleburne welcomed them warmly and gave them ample opportunity to prove their worth at Chickamauga. After Chickamauga, the 2-24th Arkansas participated in all the remaining battles of Cleburne's Division and the Army of Tennessee: the siege of Chattanooga, Ringgold Gap, Dalton, Resaca, New Hope Church, Pickett's Mill, Kennesaw Mountain; Peachtree Creek; Atlanta and its ensuing siege, Jonesboro, Spring Hill (TN), Franklin, Nashville, the Carolinas Campaign, and the Army's last effort at Bentonville, North Carolina in March, 1865. The survivors were consolidated with those of the 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, and 15th Arkansas regiments and the 3rd Confederate Regiment at the last reorganization of the Army of Tennessee at Smithfield, NC on April 9, 1865, and redesignated as the 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment, Consolidated. Surrendered two weeks later, on April 26, 1865, with General Joe Johnston's Army of Tennessee at Greensboro, North Carolina. Dawson's - Hardy's Arkansas Infantry Regiment Organized around February of 1863 by consolidating the portions of the 19th (Dawson's) and 24th Infantry Regiments and Crawford's Infantry Battalion that were not captured at the battle of Arkansas Post on January 11th, 1863. The regimental commander was Colonel Charles L. Dawson, assisted by Lt. Col. William R. Hardy and Major Francis H. Wood. Initially assigned in an unattached status to Frost's Division in southeastern Arkansas in May and June of 1863, they were reassigned to Drayton's Brigade of Price's Division, which in turn became Tappan's Brigade upon that officer's reassignment to the Trans-Mississippi in January, 1864. Field consolidated with the 30th Arkansas in March, 1864. Then under the command of Lt. Col. Hardy, the regiment participated in the Red River Campaign withTappan's Brigade in northwestern Louisiana in March and early April of 1864, and was engaged at the battle of Pleasant Hill. They then slung their knapsacks and went back north into Arkansas in time to fight at Jenkins' Ferry on April 30, 1864. The 33rd suffered a total of 8 killed and 18 wounded in this battle. Consolidated again with the 15th and 20th Arkansas Infantry on November 29, 1864, and the consolidated unit renamed as the 3rd Infantry Regiment, Consolidated. The regiment saw little additional combat during the rest of the war, and remained in service in southwestern Arkansas until surrendered with MG Kirby Smith's army on May 26, 1865." |
"Here is an outline of descendents I have regarding Nathaniel Elgin Kemp. My direct Kemp ancestors are:
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| "...The first photo is of Louis Sercy Adams, grandson of Nathaniel Elgin Kemp and Semantha Chamness through their daughter, Mary Jane Kemp and her husband, James Wiley Adams. The next is Lewis August Adams and his sister, Lola, son of Lewis Sercy Adams and his wife, Ellinor Hoffmeister Adams. The third picture is that of Mary Jane Kemp (daughter of Nathaniel Elgin Kemp and Semantha Chamness) and Mary Jane's husband, James Wiley Adams. The final picture is that of my beloved grandparents, Herman Wiley Adams, and Hattie Mae Wilson Adams. In the descendent chart, I have included my notes on my grandparents. That's all for now." [kb] | |||
