Edward Kemp

Edward Kemp

Edward Kemp was born 1 July 1860 in East Ruston Norfolk England, a son of John Kemp II and Phyllis Green. He was the eighth in a family of ten children. The family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which make them unpopular. However, enough friends remained to keep his father employed on a farm where Edward also worked. His job was to frighten crows from the grain field. His mother, who was a very fine cook, was employed at this time to prepare special meals for well to do families who were kind enough to see that Edward’s people were well fed. His father’s family came to Utah in 1871 and settled in Riverdale, near Ogden, where Edward was employed in President Taylors mill as a boy helper. In 1873, Edward, with his fathers family, moved to Lewiston Utah where they homesteaded in West Lewiston on a 160-acre farm. Later he returned to Ogden where he became the miller in President Taylor’s Mill. While working in the Mill one Day, His foot caught in a belt and it carried him around. Each time around his head struck both the wall and the floor. William Blair turned off the shaft, and then picked him up unhurt. He said each time his head struck, it was as if something caught him and stopped the force of the blow. Some time later he was forced to discontinue work in the mill because the flour dust caused severe attacks of Asthma. From there, he went to work on the Railroad in Idaho, Montana and Utah. He remained with the Railroad until the death of his Father. He then returned to Lewiston and took over the family farm for his mother. When Edward returned to Lewiston he met and married Susan Isabella Stephenson in the Logan Temple in 1884. She was born at Richmond Utah May 15, 1865 a daughter of Harris Shannon Stephenson and Isabella Sproul. She was the second in a family of 9 children. Susans family moved to Lewiston in 1872. Her Father was Irish and her mother was Scottish and with the wit of the Irish and Scot combined there was always plenty of entertainment in their home. After Edward and his wife were married, they were active in Church organizations. Edward was very talented in music, and had a fine bass voice. He sang in the Ward Choir for more than 30 years, where he did some solo work in the bass section. He was also a member of the first Brass Band in Lewiston under the leadership of Theo France. This Band practiced weekly. In the early days, the Band and dancing were the main source of entertainment. The band gave concerts for all holidays and special occasions. During the Christmas holidays, they serenaded all the families. Edward and his wife assisted families who had serious illness in the home and helped with the burial of the dead. They went in the home of Frances Marion Stephenson, whose family was stricken with diphtheria, to administer and helped carry six of their dead out in six weeks. Edward was a member of the Sunday School Superintendancy for many years and was made a member of the Benson Stake High Council when the Stake was organized, where he served for 26 years. His wife was a talented seamstress and excellent cook. She worked for many years in the primary and Relief Society, until her health forced her to retire and live a very quiet life. In 1886 when Lewiston was surveyed and broken into lots for blocks, Edward was called by William H. Lewis, the first Bishop of Lewiston, to help build the town, and he built the first home on the new city lots. That house was built of logs, which Edward cut and brought down from the canyon it is still standing, but has been remodeled. There were two other homes in the city section at the time, but they were built on quarter sections before the town was laid out. When he moved into his new home, he was three miles from his farm. He was a great lover of good horses and always owned fine and fast driving teams. He was always noted for his ability to handle horses, and was a wonderful teamster. At one time when they were binding grain, they broke down and he had to go to Logan for a part. He harnessed his pony to a cart and invited his brother John to go along, He always kept two or three good driving horses, so he gave the pony his head and they were off. He was hanging onto the reins, and had no difficulty staying in the cart, but John couldnt stay anyplace, so he had to tie a rope onto the dashboard to hang on to. Edward was more or less a dare devil and the more John would express his fear, the faster they would go. They went 20 miles in one hour and 20 minutes. For horse and buggy days, that was really fast. As a teamster, he was wonderful, but when it came to driving a car, well it just didnt respond to "get up and whoa". He was a very humble man, and was called out a lot to administer to people who were ill. In many instances, he was blessed with the gift of healing, and the sick were instantly healed. Many people would call him before the doctor when they were ill. He lived a very full life, and passed away at the age of 73 on Oct. 2, 1933. He was the father of eleven children. He died of cancer but never knew it. The doctor ordered him to quit work but just chore around the house. He milked one cow the morning of the day he died. When he reached the house, he fell in exhaustion and suffered terribly that day, but passed away at 11:30 that night. The next morning when the neighbors came to call, they found that every one had prayed that he would be released from his suffering. He was greatly loved by all that knew him. This history was typed by Randy L. Harrison, son of Vaun E. Harrison, from a manuscript that may have been created by Phyllis Isabella Kemp, a daughter. It was placed into a computer database by Vaun Harrison, a grandson on 1292003.