COL. JOHN J. KEMP, deceased. The influence of a good man will be ever expanding with the lapse of time, and his deeds of charity and acts of kindness will live to commemorate his name and perpetuate his memory. It can be truly said that a good man has been gathered to his fathers, but his virtues live after him, and his name is everywhere mentioned with respect and honor. He was born in middle Tennessee August 6, 1818, and his death occurred May 31, 1893. His early education was obtained in the State of his birth, and having been brought up to the occupations of farming and stock raising, he followed them throughout life. Upon coming to Arkansas he settled at Flatwoods, in what is now Stone County, and over forty years ago took up his residence in Richwoods. By the judicious exercise of both brain and brawn he cleared up what is now one of the finest farms in the county, if not the finest, containing 480 acres, all of which is extremely fertile. He was very successful in his chosen calling, and was one of the very first in this section to introduce a good grade of horses, cattle, mules and hogs.
He lost heavily during the Civil War, but afterward retrieved his losses, and at the time of his death was wealthy. He was a southern sympathizer, was a soldier of the Confederate Army, and ever afterward was a stanch Democrat. He was a member of the Christian Church, and socially belonged to the A. F. & A. M. He was married in Arkansas to Miss Cynthia Reeves, who was born in Boone County, Arkansas, and to them twelve children were born, six sons and four daughters of whom are living at the present time. He was twice married, first to a Miss Young, who bore him quite a large family. Isaac, the fourth child by his second wife, was born May 13, 1864, on the farm where he now lives, and during his boyhood and early manhood he attended the schools of Richwoods and assisted in the duties of the farm during vacations. He was deputy sheriff of the county for two years under E. E. Rosson, but since the death of his worthy sire he has lived on and managed the home place, which he and his brother, J. T., own. They are wide-awake young business men and are admirably fitted to carry on the work which was successfully conducted by their father for so many years. Isaac was married to Miss Julia Hughes, of this county, and like his father before him he is a Democrat in his political views.
