1914 Biography - James Parkerson Kemper

Kemper, James Parkerson, civil engineer, was born in St. Mary parish, Aug. 5, 1868, the son of William P. Kemper, a native of St. Mary parish, who was born June 26, 1826, who lived all his life in St. Mary parish and died there Nov. 26, 1890; and Monica (Rogers) Kemper, who was born in Boston, Mass., in Nov., 1835, the daughter of John and Margaret (Reynolds) Rogers. Monica Rogers came to St. Mary parish as a governess in 1857 and in 1 year married Mr. W. P. Kemper. To Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Kemper, 8 children were born, as follows: Stephen Young, who died in infancy; Eliza Blanche, afterwards Mrs. Carroll Barton of Assumption parish, and who died in 1892; William Byrne, now of Wharton; Tex.; Kate Gilman, now Mrs. Dr. W. P. Simmons, of Terre Bonne parish; Mary Jane, now Mrs. Wallace Trowbridge, of Eunice, La.; James Parkerson, the subject of this sketch; Walter Young, of Franklin, St. Mary parish, now internal revenue collector at New Orleans, and Charles Delaware, of Franklin, St. Mary parish, who is superintendent of the Sterling Sugar & R. R. Co. J. P. Kemper's great-grandfather was Nathan Kemper, who moved to St. Mary parish in 1807. He and Gov. Johnson were partners in a sugar plantation on Bayou Sale. This Nathan Kemper was prominent in the early history of this country. Reuben Kemper, a bachelor, and a brother of Nathan Kemper, served under Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. This battle occurred in Jan., 1815, after peace had been proclaimed, but they did not know it. This same Reuben Kemper served under Sam Houston when Texas fought for freedom from Mexico. He was deeded large land grants for his services, but he did not care for it, and went off and let it alone. The Kempers were brought to this country from Germany in 1712 or 1717, by Gov.-Gen. Spottiswood, to operate mines in Virginia. They settled the little colony of Germania in Virginia. J. P. Kemper spent his youth in St. Mary parish and was taught by a governess until 14 years old, when he went to the Maryland agricultural college in Prince George county, Md. From there he went to the University of Alabama in 1884, and graduated from the school of engineering with the degree Bachelor of Engineering, in 1887, and for post-graduate work obtained the degree C. E. in 1891 from the same university. After obtaining his first degree he started in R. R. engineering in Alabama, but in 1890 he changed into electrical engineering, and that year, 1890, he spent in what was then the Thompson-Houston works, in Lynn, Mass., which is now part of the General Electric Co. The year 1891 was spent in electrical business in St. Paul, Minn., and the years 1892 and 1893 in the same line in Chicago. In 1894 he returned to Louisiana and continued in electrical engineering until 1896, when he returned to the practice of civil engineering in St. Mary parish, which consisted mostly of drainage work. In 1908 he moved to New Orleans, and has since had a general engineering practice which, however, is nearly all country work. In addition to this engineering work, he has always had sugar plantations and some of the time timber interests. He now has a timber interest in Pointe Coupee parish. Mr. Kemper is a member of the Louisiana Engineering society and also a member of the Episcopal church. In 1896 he married Cordelle, daughter of T. S. Alexander, of St. Mary parish. To Mr. and Mrs. Kemper 3 children have been born, as follows: Cordelle, James, Lawson and Richard Rogers Kemper.

Extracted 2020 Nov 01 by Norma Hass, from Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, published in 1914, volume 3, pages 231-232.

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