Samuel Dempsey (1874 - 1957)

Born 6 Apr 1874 in Owen, Kentucky, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Ada Florence (Keith) Dempsey — married 25 Sep 1895 in Owen, Kentucky, United States

Descendants

Died 9 Nov 1957 at age 83 in Owen, Kentucky, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Doyle Keith [send private message]

Biography

When Samuel "Sam" Dempsey was born on April 6, 1874, in Owen, Kentucky, his father, Benjamin, was 26 and his mother, Mary, was 26.

Sam's family was living in the Caney precinct of Owen County in June 1880 when Dr, S. Rawlins visited on the 18th of the month as the enumerator for the Census Bureau. The family consisted of his father, Benjamin, his mother, Mary and his four brothers: Jeptha, William B, Jehu and James D. Sam is 5 years old on this document. His father is working as a farmer.

He married Ada Florence Keith on September 25, 1895, in their hometown by J. H. Threlkeld. The event was witnessed by Laura Wilhoite and Minnie Clifton. They had eight children in 16 years.

Joseph Lucas Reed gathered the data for the 1900 Census on June 12th of that year. He was working the Hesler precinct. Sam and Ada had started their family, Lilly was 2 years old. Sam was 26 years old and working as a farmer on a piece of property he was renting and living. Sam and Ada were taking care of a young cousin, James M Clifton who would later marry Ada's younger sister, Lulie.

Sam moved his family of 7 people to Harrison County some time prior to Apri 21st, 1910 when Thomas Beckett interviewed them on behalf of the Census Department. They were living on the north side of Cynthiana on the Falmouth Turn Pike. He and Ada have been married 15 years now, even though Mr. Beckett said 17 years. Ada has borne 6 children, 5 of them are living in their home with them. The children were: Lillie, Ollie, Lola, Ray and Howard. Sam is 34 now and he is making his living by operating a mill. The house he owns is mortgaged.

The Census was taken early in the year in 1920. Mr. Herman Littrell was the enumerator. He visited with them on the 7th of January. They were living on Madison Street in Owenton, Kentucky at the time. Sam is 45 years old and working as a deputy sheriff for the county. He owns the home they're living in free and clear. They have 8 children now. The youngest, Marvin is 4 years old. Education is important in this family; everyone is able to read and write except the 3 youngest children.

In February of 1920 Sam arrested a fugitive on the train running between Sanders and Sparta. Mr. Ed Lee had killed Bud Marks the week prior and escaped rather quicky.

In 1922 Sam was charged with assault and battery when he allegedly assaulted one Mr. J. H. Settle, an attorney. Sam was working in the capacity of deputy sheriff when this occurred. He was acquitted of the charges, when the jury returned a not guilty verdict.

Mr. Dempsey was the Sheriff of Owen County. He was elected in November of 1925. Sam evidently went on a mission in 26 in rounding up nuisance dogs. He had farmers coming into the county clerk's office by the score. The County clerk had issued 1550 dog licenses by April 12th. The first case tried in 1926 was against Sam's brother-in-law for breach of the peace.

Sam and Ada would experience a horrible loss when their young son Marvin would die in 1925 from Typhoid Fever. Fear would undoubtedly sweep through their home the following year when two more of the kids would become ill. Prayers were answered as they both recovered.

Sam would sell his home on Madison Street and move his much smaller family to a farm on Georgetown Pike in Owen County. This was the location Rose Hill interviewed them on April 25th of 1930. Sam is listed as a farmer only. I didn't see that he was re-elected as sheriff in 1929. Wonder if his efforts in rounding up wayward dogs would cost him votes? He is 56 years old now. He has acquired a radio set for his family.

His brother, Will passed away in December of 1932 and in his obituary, he was referred to as the former sheriff of Owen County. His older brother, Jeptha would pass away in August of 1933. Jepp was the first person on the bond listing Sam needed to post in order to become sheriff in 1926.

In September 1933 he was named the Chief of Police in Owenton.

His younger brother Jimmy Dick, who was also his brother-in-law, would pass away in 35.

He sold his farm on Georgetown Pike near Owenton in 1936 and purchased a 150-acre farm in Pleasant Home. He was a noteworthy tobacco farmer; he and his son sold an above average priced crop in the first January sale of 1940.

Sam's farm in Pleasant Home had a value of $1200.00 on 6 April 1940. Their son Fred is living at home and assisting in the farming operation. He tells John Walker, the census worker that he is continuing to earn wages from another source besides the farm. We see that he is functioning as the Master Commisioner for the county early in 41.

The mother of his children who he'd spent 56 years of life with would pass away in October 1951.

He died on November 9, 1957, in Owen, Kentucky, at the age of 83, and was buried beside Ada in the IOOF Cemetery in Owenton, Kentucky.

Sources

• "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K35B-MDP : 22 February 2021), Samuel Dempsey, 1917-1918.
• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2D6-3B8S : 22 July 2021), David Dempsey and Adar Keith, 25 Sep 1895; citing Marriage, Owen, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,534,139.
• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Q6-TMK7 : 22 July 2021), Samuel Dempsey and Adar Or Ada Keith, 25 Sep 1895; citing Marriage, , Owen, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,943,440.
• "Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F49Z-HMG : 22 July 2021), Samuel Dempsey, 1895.
• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Q6-TL41 : 22 July 2021), Sam Dempsey in entry for Ackley Oliver and Lillian Dempsey, 2 Apr 1922; citing Marriage, , Owen, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,943,443.
• "Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4S8-QNW : 22 July 2021), Sam Dempsey in entry for Ackley Oliver, 1922.
• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2D8-Y4V1 : 22 July 2021), Sam Dempsey in entry for Albert Downs and Lola Dempsey, 18 Aug 1927; citing Marriage, Georgetown, Harlan, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,943,444.
• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2D4-LXDG : 22 July 2021), Sam Dempsey in entry for Howard Dempsey and Euple Miller, 30 Nov 1946; citing Marriage, Newport, Campbell, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,913,220.
• "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DPMZ-N8N2 : 7 April 2021), Sam Dempsey in entry for Grover R Burris, 1927.
• "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DXTQ-YP3Z : 3 September 2021), Sam Dempsey in entry for George R Burris, 1927.
• "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2DH-PKLV : 22 July 2021), Sam Dempsey in entry for Ray Dempsey and Stella Kemper, 23 Feb 1935; citing Marriage, Owenton, Owen, Kentucky, United States, various county clerks and county courts, Kentucky; FHL microfilm 1,943,445.
• "Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1965," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N9KD-3HV : 2 March 2021), Sam Dempsey in entry for Marvin Dempsey, 1925; citing Death, Owenton, Owen, Kentucky, United States, certificate , Office of Vital Statistics, Frankfort; FHL microfilm 1,912,898.
• "Kentucky, Vital Record Indexes, 1911-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH1-XMY5 : 11 February 2018), Samuel Dempsey, 08 Nov 1957; citing Death, Owen, Kentucky, United States, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMFF-W3V : accessed 25 September 2021), Samuel Dempsey, District 2, Owen, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 8, sheet 6A, line 1, family 129, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 772; FHL microfilm 2,340,507.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7YJ-694 : 9 January 2021), Samual Dempsey, Magisterial District 4, Owen, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 94-10, sheet 2A, line 16, family 25, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1347.
• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHPQ-5YP : 1 February 2021), Samuel Dempsey, 1920.
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9HR-WHP : accessed 24 September 2021), Samuel Dempsy, Magisterial District 3, Hesler, Harmony Precincts, Owen, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 52, sheet 10A, family 182, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,547.
• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2DC-GD4 : accessed 25 September 2021), Samuel Dempsy, Magisterial District 3, Harrison, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 91, sheet 5B, family 83, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 479; FHL microfilm 1,374,492.
• "Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWTF-W3D : 23 February 2021), Sam'l Dempsey, 1895.
• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCZL-FFY : 19 February 2021), Samuel Dempsy in household of Benjaman Dempsy, Caney, Owen, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district ED 4, sheet 169C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,438.
• "Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4H3-3WG : 23 February 2021), Sam'l Dempsey, 1895.
• "Kentucky Death Records, 1911-1965," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJ5-KLBX : 2 March 2021), Samuel Dempsey, 8 Nov 1957; citing Death, Owenton, Owen, Kentucky, United States, certificate , Office of Vital Statistics, Frankfort; FHL microfilm 1,709,311.

Research Notes

• 1920 Arrest notice [1]
• 1922 Not guilty of assault [2]
• 1922 Not guilty verdict returned [3]
• 1925 Death announcement of Marvin Dempsey, his son [4]
• 1925 Election results [5]
• 1926 Children are ill [6]
• 1926 Representing Owen County in a new Louisville to Cincinnati road discussion [7]
• 1926 Elected officials take office [8]
• 1926 Sheriff is collecting unlicensed dogs [9]
• 1932 Marriage of Howard Dempsey [10]
• 1932 Death announcement of Will Dempsey [11]
• 1933 Death announcement of Jep Dempsey, his brother [12]
• 1933 Named Owenton Police Chief [13]
• 1933 Appointed Police Chief in Owenton [14]
• 1934 Fishing trip for the Chief of Police [15]
• 1936 Farm Purchase [16]
• 1940 recognized in Lexington newspaper tobacco sales for having one of the better crops on this sale day [17]
• 1941 Master Commissioner advertisement [18]
• 1951 death announcement of Ada Florence Keith Dempsey, his wife [19]
• 1951 death announcement of Ada Florence Keith Dempsey in Courier-Journal [20]
• 1951 obit of Ada Florence Keith Dempsey [21]
• 1957 obit of John Dempsey, his brother [22]