Levi Kemp

Chickasaw, was the son of trader William Kemp. He was first mentioned in October, 1800, when missionary Joseph Bullen discovered Indian doctors attempting to suck a ‘witchball’ from his head (1). Kemp survived the procedure, and operated an inn on the Natchez Trace, near the present Lee—Pontotoc line, in 1814. He was listed on the 1818 census, his household including Polly, Jackson, Rhode, Elisa, Eveline, John, Visey, Mrs., and Sarkeetan. In March, 1834, he provided room and board for Levi Colbert, Kilpatrick Carter, and William McGillivray, chiefs planning a trip to Washington (2). He sold the S½ S3, S9, S10, T14 R4E in Monroe County, Mississippi, on May 24, 1836, a deed witnessed by his son, Jackson (3). On June 13 he sold the E½ S19 T14 R4E in Pontotoc County (4). On September 15, 1837, he sold the W½ S19 (5). From August 4 to September 12, 1837, he served as an interpreter for emigration officials (6). The 1837 Pontotoc County state census shows him as a resident with three persons in his household. On October 2, 1837, he deeded slaves to James Perry in Pontotoc County for the benefit of his wife, Polly (7). He enrolled for the west that year, moved in November, and apparently died soon afterward. He was married to Polly Frazier. His other children included Joel, Annica (married Winchester Colbert), William, and Betsy (1800—1871; married Thomas F. Cheadle) (8).

(1)Phelps, “Bullen”, 274; ASPIA, 2:718.

(2)Payments from, the Chickasaw Fund, 0IA.

(3)Deed Book 4:223, Monroe County, Ms.

(4)Deed Book 1:418, Pontotoc County, Ms.

(5) Ibid.

(6) Payments from the Chickasaw Fund.

(7)Deed Book 2:179, Pontotoc County, Ms. Polly Kemp was patented S7 and 8 T1l R5W In Yalobusha County on February 9, 1836 (Duke and Morgan, passim). She later made a deed to James Brown there (Deed Book 1, Yalobusha County). Polly’s reserve was suspended in 1848 (Chickasaw Reserves, OIA, roll 148, frame 431).

(8)There is thus far no documentation to prove that these were Levi’s children.

• Updated from RootsWeb's WorldConnect via son Joel I Kemp by SmartCopy: Mar 19 2015, 21:35:21 UTC
• Updated from Ancestry Genealogy by SmartCopy: Mar 19 2015, 21:55:49 UTC