Information on 1600-1700 Charles Kemp, John Stephen Kemp to Robert Kemp in VA, MD, PA?

Question

On 7 Mar 2021 Karen Kemp wrote on Kemp-209:

I found a group of Kemps coming from the Virginia and Maryland colonies through New Jersey to Pennsylvania. KEMP-8635 John Stephen Kemp was born 1745 Overwharton Parish in Stafford, VA according to [ https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LBHX-5DL/john-stephen-kemp-1745-1810 ]. The Ancestry page shows his marriage in NJ ca.1768 and death in PA ca.1810. John Stephen's father is listed as Charles. The Ancestry data shows a big family and I listed all in the above profile for now. The only names I recognize are Stephen, John T., and Edward. There is also an Edward Kemp who is "everywhere in VA, MD, NJ, and PA as a surveyor and landowner." [https://goodspeedhistories.com/first-landowners-of-hunterdon-county/]. Edward appears to have been born in the late-1600s. If you have not read this historical blog, it is wonderful, well documented, and presents good information including some researchers theorize that Edward may have been the son of Edmund and Denise Watson of Norfolk, England, therefore pointing that Edward may not have been connected to the Kemps from VA. According to other researchers, Dan Kemp, Marlene (Kemp) Woods, and my piecemeal, handed-down collection, some of this information works with what we know from more solid sources, i.e written histories from Somerset (PA) Historical Society, wills, land ownership, etc. However, I'm not comfortable the family group KEMP-8635 is correct. I am hopeful this Thomas Kemp in Calvert County is related to the Charles Kemp family in Stafford VA. Any comments or guidance is so appreciated. Thank you, Karen

Comments

Hi Karen. I added a couple tags to your post so it gets more views. I also changed the linked profile to KEMP-8635 as your question doesn't seem to relate to Kemp-209.

Answer 1

Hi Karen, I've never heard of a Charles Kemp in Stafford County, Virginia, don't see him in the blog, do you have another source? I'm skeptical of this claim that a "John Stephen Kemp" son of Charles was born in Overwharton Parish, since no such person appears in the parish register (there is a John Kemp b. Aug. 28, 1742 to James and Mary Kemp--I believe these people may be related to Thomas of Calvert Co. MD). James Kemp appears in the tobacco cutter's census of 1724 in Stafford County. He is the only Kemp named.

I'd begin with the assumption that genealogists writing the Familysearch profile are confusing the Virginia and New Jersey families. Here's another resource on the Overwharton Kemps who are said to have gone to Frederick County then out west. https://kycarter.com/charts/kemp.pdf

Comments

Thank you, Jason!

I was not aware of any Kemp's in that area, either.  I believe our Kemps are the NJ branch, but I cannot find where they came from on their way to PA.