Matthew Kempe (abt. 1630 - 1683)

Born about 1630 in England

Ancestors

Husband of Dorothy (Heyton) Kempe — married before 1660 in England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 23 May 1683 at about age 53 in Gloucester, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

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Magna Carta Gateway Ancestor Descendant of Surety Barons Gilbert de Clare, John de Lacy, and possibly others (see text). Join: Magna Carta Project Discuss: magna_carta

Matthew Kempe is the Gateway Ancestor in a badged trail to several Magna Carta Surety Barons (see text below).

WARNING: Several Matthew Kemp/Kempe(s) are often confused/conflated - see below. As no primary sources have been found, per Magna Carta Project guidelines, the biography below defers to Douglas Richardson's Royal Ancestry and Magna Carta Ancestry as the most relevant/recent source of information on this person.

Biography

Matthew Kempe is a Qualifying Ancestor of the Jamestowne Society

Matthew Kempe was a Virginia colonist.

[Col.] Matthew Kemp,^[1] Gent., was the son of Robert Kempe, Knt., 1st Baronet, of Gissing, etc., Norfolk, and Jane Browne and the brother of Sir Robert (2nd Baronet), Thomas, Richard, Jane (wife of Thomas Waldegrave, Esq.) and Elizabeth (wife of Maurice Shelton).^[2][3][4] He was a nephew of Richard Kempe, Secretary and Acting Governor of Virginia.^[5] His date and place of birth are not known. His birth is estimated to be about 1630 based on the 1627 birthdate of his elder brother, Robert.

Life in Virginia

Matthew immigrated to Virginia before 1658.^[2] He settled at Lancaster County, later removing to Gloucester County.^[2][4] He purchased 700 acres in Lancaster County in 1658 from Henry Corbin, Gent., and assigned that land to 1663 to Robert Biggs.^[2] In 1661, he sold to Leonard Howson 2,000 acres in Northumberland County, Virginia.^[2]

Matthew served as Justice and Sheriff of Lancaster County, Virginia in 1659.^[2][6] He was Speaker of the House of Burgesses in 1678-9, and was a Council member^[2] 1680-82.^[6][7] As Speaker, in May 1679 he was a joint signatory of a letter to Charles II seeking remission of arrears of quit-rent in the colony, and financial support for frontier defence, because of the "poor and distressed state" to which colonists had been reduced by "late intestine divisions of the Colony and the charge of a tedious war with the Indians."^[8] He was Burgess in 1680,^[7] having lost re-election as Speaker in a 15-13 vote.^[6]

Colonel Matthew Kemp

Matthew Kemp led the cavalry during Bacon's rebellion in 1676-1677.^[6] Hitchin-Kemp states that Col. Matthew Kemp was "denounced by the populace of Virginia as one of the officials said to be oppressors of the poor and a corruptor of the administration of the colony" in the "Declaration of the People" signed by Nathaniel Bacon (who was a kinsman of the Kemps of Gissing),^[9] in July 1676. Bacon's Declaration names Matthew Kemp in a list of William Berkeley's "wicked and pernitious Councellors, Aiders and Assisters against the Commonalty in these our Cruell Commotions".^[10] After Bacon's rebellion, Matthew is listed in the Commissioners' Report signed by John Berry in October 1677, as one those persons who suffered by the rebellion: "Col. Matthew Kempe a gentleman of an honest Loyall Family, a very deserving Person and much a sufferer by the Rebells".^[11]

In spring 1682, Col. Matthew Kemp was dispatched by acting Governor Sir Henry Chichley to suppress a tobacco "plant cutting" uprising with force of arms,^[12][13] during which time he made several arrests. Kemp suppressed "the Mutineers whom with his Horse hee surrounded," leading the militia's horse and foot,^[6] as commander of Gloucester County.^[14]

Marriage and Children

Matthew married the daughter of ____ Heyton^[15] of Greenwich, Kent, before 1660, Dorothy Heyton.^[2] Matthew was issued a certificate for headrights dated 15 November 1660 in Lancaster County, Virginia, "among which were for himself and twice for his wife Dorothy", so they were probably married in England.^[16]

Matthew and Dorothy had two sons together.

• Thomas, Gent.,^[2][3] "son of Mathew Kemp late of Gloucester" in 1687 deeded land to John Mott of Lancaster.^[16]
• Peter,^[2][3] who in 1687 was granted 638 acres originally granted to Col. Mathew Kemp in 1671 and was Sheriff of Gloucester in 1702.^[16]

Death

[Col.] Matthew Kempe died on 23 May 1683.^[2][3][4] Virginia House History states that Matthew died on 13 or 14 December 1682 (unsourced) and did not live to see Bartholomew Black Austen, one of the tobacco cutters, hanged before the Gloucester County courthouse.^[6]

Matthew's brother, Sir Robert Kemp, 2nd Baronet, made his will dated 3 May 1704, naming Thomas and Peter Kempe, sons of his deceased brother Matthew.^[4][9]

Research Notes

There is much confusion on the Matthew Kempe(s) of Virginia in the seventeenth century. There were at least three Matthew Kempe(s) born among the Kempe(s) of Gissing, Norfolk, related to Sir Robert Kempe, the first Baronet (their relationship to the 1st Baronet is in bold). Another Matthew of the Gissing Kempe family remained in England.

Matthew #1: (this profile) c. 1630 - 1683, son of Robert, 1st Baronet

Son of ROBERT KEMPE, 1st Baronet and JANE BROWNE. Husband of DOROTHY HEYTON and father of PETER and THOMAS.^[2]

According to Hitchin-Kemp, there is a letter dated 1730 from Dorothy Seaton of Piankatank, Virginia, addressed to the 3rd Baronet, which claimed she was "the eldest and only surviving daughter of a Peter Kemp, son of Matthew Kemp, who was brother to the 2nd Baronet". According to the same source, Sir Robert Kemp, 2nd baronet, in his will mentions Peter and Matthew (discrepancy between the name Matthew and Thomas), sons of his brother Matthew, deceased.^[9] Hitchin-Kemp also states that the Journal of the Virginia Historical Society, has a different theory: that "a prominent Colonel Matthew Kemp died in 1683, but the Journal reasons that this Matthew was the son of an Edmund Kemp, another brother of the Baronet".^[9]

Matthew #2: c. 1650 - 1715, son of Edmund

Son of EDMUND KEMPE and ANNE (UNKNOWN) KEMPE SKIPWITH (married 2nd to Sir Grey Skipwith).^[2] Husband of ANN ____ and father of MATTHEW and ANN.^[16] Elizabeth, his sister, married ____ Bonner.^[2]

He was the nephew to Richard Kempe, Secretary of Virginia and grandson to Edmund Kempe Sr.. Edmund Kempe Sr. was the brother of Sir Robert Kemp, 1st Baronet (the father of the Matthew, above), making him the grand nephew of Robert, 1st Baronet.

Matthew Kemp of Middlesex County, Virginia made a will dated 4 May 1715 and proved 2 June 1716. In his will he named his son Matthew, daughter Ann, Sir Grey Skipworth and Sir William Skipworth [step-brother].^[9][16][17]

This Matthew may also have been party to a deed dated 1687 with the husband of Katherine Lunsford Jennings, daughter of Elizabeth, who was the former wife of Richard Kempe (brother of Robert, 1st Baronet)

THE FOLLOWING COULD RELATE TO EITHER MATTHEW #1 or #2

A Matthew Kempe witnessed a deed conveying 900 acres in New Kent from "Sir Grey Skipworth, Baronet"[sic] to Elizabeth Kempe. This same Matthew likely acted as attorney for Sir Grey Skipwith, "administrator of Edmund Kempe, Gent." in 1662 and "was granted administration of the estate of James Bonner as being next-of-kin" in 1663.^[9] [NOTE: Smith believes this information applies to Matthew #1 of this profile/above].^[16]

Matthew #3: 1695 - 1739, son of Matthew above

Son of MATTHEW KEMPE (#2 above) and ANN UNKNOWN (not Skipwith) and great grand nephew of Robert, 1st Baronet.

Matthew #4: c. 1612 - bef. 1626, son of Robert, Esq. (England)

Son of ROBERT KEMPE, ESQ. and DOROTHY HARRIS, and brother of Robert, 1st Baronet.^[2] This Matthew was not named in his father's will dated 11 November 1611 (born after that date) nor was he named in the will of his mother, dated 30 March 1626 (assumed he died before that date without issue).

Sources

1. ↑ Kemp, Matthew - A4505; died 1683, Gloucester Co.: 1679 (Speaker), 1680 (Burgess), 1680-82 (Councillor). accessed 28 September 2021
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14} Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. 2nd edition. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2011), vol. II, page 469, KEMPE 16.i.a.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2013), vol. III, page 413, KEMPE 18.i.a.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Faris, David. Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists. (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996), online at Ancestry.com, pages 151-152: HARRIS 1.i.c.
5. ↑ Roberts, Gary Boyd. The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004), online at Ancestry.com, pages 276-277: Richard Kempe (uncle).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} A History of the Virginia House of Delegates website (Virginia.gov): Mathew Kemp, Member from 1679-1686, bio (note, this source says Edmund is his father).
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Jamestowne Society website - qualifying ancestor.
8. ↑ 'America and West Indies: May 1679', in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 10, 1677-1680, ed. W Noel Sainsbury and J W Fortescue (London, 1896), pp. 356-371, May 1679, No. 995, British History Online (subscription or access via an institution required), accessed 10 January 2020
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5} Hitchin-Kemp, Frederick. A General History of the Kemp and Kempe Families of Great Britain and her Colonies. (London: The Leadenhall Press: New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1902) online at Archive.org, page 46 (sons named in bro. Robert's will); pages 60-62 (sons in Robert 2nd Bt.'s will (again), Seaton letter, atty for Skipwith); chart "Descent of Kempe Barons of Norfolk and Suffolk"] (names "Col." Matthew of VA as son of Robert and Dorothy Harris; Matthew of VA is son of Robert, 1st Bt., and Jane)
10. ↑ Bacon, Nathaniel. “Proclamations of Nathaniel Bacon” in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 1, no. 1, 1893, pages 55–63, online at JSTOR, page 60. Accessed 7 Jan 2020.
11. ↑ “Persons Who Suffered by Bacon's Rebellion. The Commissioners' Report” in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 5, no. 1, 1897, pages 64–70, online at JSTOR, page 67. Accessed 7 Jan 2020.
12. ↑ “Virginia in 1682 (Continued)” in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 28, no. 2, 1920, pages 117–127, online at JSTOR, page 117. Accessed 7 Jan 2020.
13. ↑ "America and West Indies: May 1682" in Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies: Volume 11, 1681-1685. ed. J W Fortescue. (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1898), online at British History Online pages 226-228, #490, 2 May 1682, #495, 8 May 1682. See also p. 154 (#319. 12 Dec 1681).
14. ↑ Stanard, W. G. “Major Robert Beverley and His Descendants” in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 2, no. 4, 1895, pages 405–413, online at JSTOR, page 409. Accessed 7 Jan 2020.
15. ↑ Wotton, Thomas, et al. The Baronetage of England. Vol. 1. (London: Printed for G. Woodfall, 1771), online at Archive.org, page 439: Sir Robert Kemp.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5} Smith, Claiborne. Jr. "Kemp of Gissing County, Norfolk" published in Historical Southern Families, vol. X. (Genealogical Publishing Co., 1966), online at Archive.org, pages 164-169.
17. ↑ Tyler, Lyon Gardiner. Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Vol. 1. (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1915), online at Archive.org, page 270, accessed 4 Jan 2020. (NOTE: he is called son of Matthew, not Edmund in this article).

• Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. 2nd edition. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2011). See also WikiTree's source page for Magna Carta Ancestry.
• Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham. (Salt Lake City, UT: the author, 2013). See also WikiTree's source page for Royal Ancestry.

See also:

• Withington, Lothrop. Virginia Gleanings in England, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1980), online at Ancestry.com, page 324: sons named in Will of Robert Kempe.
• “Historical and Genealogical Notes and Queries” in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 15, no. 3, 1908, pages 313–323, online at JSTOR, page 320. Accessed 7 Jan 2020: member of House of Burgesses (Gloucester) 1680.

Sources that Conflate Matthew #1 and #2:

• Allen, Dorothy. Zimmerman, Waters and Allied Families, online at Archive.org, page 43: NOTE: conflates Matthew Kempe 1 and 2 by stating he was son of Edmund Kempe [Matthew 2] and also of Lancaster, as Justice in 1659, Speaker of House of Burgesses 1678-9, Sheriff, member of Council 1681[Matthew 1]. She goes further to state Matthew married unknown and had four children: Matthew [Matthew 2], Peter and Thomas [Matthew 1] and Richard [??].
• "Causes of Discontent in Virginia, 1676" in The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography for the Year Ending June 1896, Vol. 3., No. 1, Jul 1895 (Richmond, VA: William Ellis Jones), online at GoogleBooks, Notes, pages 40-41: conflated w/son of Edmund, states he had son Matthew.

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

Matthew Kempe is listed in Magna Carta Ancestry as a Gateway Ancestor (vol. I, pages xxiii-xxix) in project-approved/badged trails (reviewed in 2014 by the Magna Carta project and re-reviewed Dec 2019 by Thiessen-117) through Magna Carta surety barons William d'Aubigné, Richard de Clare, Gilbert de Clare, John de Lacy, Saher de Quincy, and Robert de Ros. Matthew Kempe is also a Gateway in Richardson-documented trails to surety barons Hugh le Bigod, Roger le Bigod and William Malet that were developed in Autumn 2022. There are many other unbadged trails that are identified on this page. See the Magna Carta Trails section of Richard Kempe's profile, where the badged and Richardson-documented trails are all set out.

See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".