KEMP, JESSE AND JULIA (DOWELL)
by Beth Simonson Harding
Entry F236 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society
Julia and Jesse Kemp
Jesse Kemp was born January 27, 1860 and
Julia Etta Dowell was born October 18, 1862,
both were born near Carman, Illinois in
Henderson County. Jesse and Julia were
married in Illinois January 27, 1881. Their
eight children were born in Illinois. The
children are Edd, Frank, Harry, Ben, Grover,
twin daughters June and Julia and Merit
Glen.
The Jesse Kemp family moved to Kansas
in 1903 and farmed there until moving to
Mullen in October 1906, where they bought
land southwest of Mullen, then known as the
Barnebey place but later was called the
Smithy place. They lived there until 1914
when Jesse bought land at Wheatland,
Wyoming and moved his family there but
stayed only one year, returning to Mullen in
the spring of 1915 and moved to the Jim
Smith place south of Hecla, Nebraska,
Hooker County where they lived until 1921.
Jesse and wife, Julia and youngest son
Merit Glen moved to Idaho and while living
there Merit Glen died July 24, 1924 from
complications from red measles. A year later
they moved Wellington, Kansas to a small
farm, where Jesse died February 17, 1935.
Julia came back to the Mullen area and spent
time in the homes of her children until the
time of her death October 5, 1944. She died
in the home of her son Ben Kemp in Mullen.
Their children, who made their homes in
this area are, June Kemp, she married Carl
Simonson October 17, 1915 in Hyannis,
Nebraska and spent all of their married life
in the Mullen area where they were partners
with Elliott Lowe in the ranching business.
Ben and Agnes Kemp lived in Hooker
County and farmed and ranched. They later
moved to Mullen and worked at the Farmers
Elevator owned by Theadore Folk. Agnes
used her home for Mothers and new babies.
Grover and Zera Kemp lived in Hooker
County and were also engaged in farming and
ranching. They also lived in Seneca, Nebras-
ka for several years.