Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895

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C.S.A. general; Virginia governor, 1874-1878.

From the description of Letter to Dr. A. G. Grinnan, 1856 June 4. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 52960481

James Lawson Kemper (1823-1895) was a Virginia legislator, Confederate soldier and governor of Virginia (1874-1878).

From the description of Papers, 1800-1894 (bulk 1841-1888). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 86172341

Kemper was an alumnus of Washington College (Class of 1842) and a Madison County and Richmond, Va., lawyer; Virginia governor (1874-1878).

From the description of Letters : to James Lawson Kemper, 1868-1877. (Washington & Lee University). WorldCat record id: 319065043

Madison County and Richmond, Va., lawyer; Virginia governor (1874-1878).

From the description of Papers : of James Lawson Kemper, 1837-1903. (Virginia Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 29553105

James Lawson Kemper was born 11 June 1823 at "Mountain Prospect" in Madison County, Virginia, to William Kemper (1776-1853) and Maria E. Allison Kemper (1787-1873). He attended the Locust Dale Academy, then Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia, graduating in 1842. He read law under George W. Summers (1804-1868) of Kanawha County, (West) Virginia, and received a master's degree from Washington College. Admitted to the bar 2 October 1846, Kemper returned to Madison County to practice law. When the Mexican War began, Kemper was appointed captain in the First Virginia Regiment and served until the end of the war. In 1853, Kemper was elected to the House of Delegates and served until 1863. He was Speaker of the House from 1861 to 1863. When the Civil War began, Kemper was appointed colonel of the 7th Virginia Infantry. Due to his performance at the battle of Seven Pines, Kemper was promoted to brigadier general. He was wounded in Pickett's Charge on 3 July 1863, and was captured by Union troops a few days later. Exchanged in September 1863, he returned to his command. Kemper was put in command of the reserve forces of Virginia in 1864. After the war ended, Kemper returned to his law practice in Madison County and pursued business interests. He was elected governor of Virginia in 1873 and served from 1874 to 1878. Much of his term was spent in dealing with Virginia's debt. After he left the governor's office, Kemper returned to Madison County, then moved to Orange County in 1882. Kemper married Cremora Conway Cave (ca. 1837-1870) 4 July 1853 in Madison County, and they had seven children. Kemper died 7 April 1895 in Orange County and buried at the family cemetery at "Walnut Hills" in Madison County.

From the guide to the Papers, 1804-1951, (Library of Virginia)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn David Homer Bates Papers, 1837-1926 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895,. Autograph letter signed J.L. Kemper, Madison C.H. Virginia, to William A. Baker [manuscript], 1867 January 7. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Stuart, Alexander H. H. (Alexander Hugh Holmes), 1807-1891. Papers of Alexander H. H. Stuart and the related Stuart and Baldwin families [manuscript], 1776-1878 (bulk 1850-1861). University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Baldwin, John Brown, 1820-1873. Papers of the McCue family, 1777-1920. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. Papers : of James Lawson Kemper, 1837-1903. Virginia Historical Society Library
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1865-1891 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn Tintypes of James Lawson Kemper and John A. Rosser, ca. 1864. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Papers, 1804-1951 Library of Virginia
referencedIn Thrift, George N., 1802-ca. 1857. Papers of George N. Thrift, 1825-1985. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. 19th century Governor's letter of permission, 1875 Oct. 26. Temple University Libraries, Paley Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part II: The Civil War and the Confederacy, 1832-1915. Houghton Library
creatorOf Perry, Elizabeth. Papers of the McCue, Martin, and Perry families [manuscript] ca. 1800-1930. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. Letter to Dr. A. G. Grinnan, 1856 June 4. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Confederate officers photograph album, n.d. Alabama Department of Archives and History
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. Letters of James Lawson Kemper to John Rutherfoord [manuscript] 1841-63. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Lee, Fitzhugh, 1835-1905. Papers of Fitzhugh Lee [manuscript], 1731-1952. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Echols, John, 1823-1896. Letters by John Echols and W. Fearing Gill [manuscript], 1897 and 1908. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Janney, Lilias. Janney-Pollock papers, 1865-1901. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. Papers, 1800-1894 (bulk 1841-1888). Library of Virginia
referencedIn Virginia. Board of Immigration. Brock Collection: Correspondence of Virginia State Board of Immigration, 1875-1879. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Benan, Nathan S. S. (Nathan Sidney Smith), 1785-1871. Virginiana, 1876-1971. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. Papers of the Janney and Pollock families [manuscript], 1865-1901. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn United States. Army. Virginia Infantry Regiment, 1st. Letterbook, 1846-1848 [microform]. Virginia Historical Society Library
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. Letters : to James Lawson Kemper, 1868-1877. Washington & Lee University, James G. Leyburn Library
creatorOf Walker family. Correspondence of the Walker family, 1853-1936. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Photographs of Confederate officers, n.d. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Hammond, Isaac, 1841-1915. Isaac Hammond Collection, 1839-1875 Library of Virginia
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. Financial journal of James Lawson Kemper, 1861-1871. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Photographic Portrait File The Huntington Library
creatorOf Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895. Letter, Richmond, to James and Heber Kemper [manuscript] 1876 September 12. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Clark, Edwin Parsons, Dr. Items from the papers of Dr. Edwin Parsons Clark, of Willow Grove, Orange County, Va. and The plains, Fauquier County [manuscript] 1803-1906. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Tunstall, Nannie Whitmell. Papers, 1842-1886 (bulk 1875-1878). Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
creatorOf French, Samuel Bassett, 1820-1898. Papers, 1858-1892. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Records of the U.S. Coast Guard. National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Baldwin, John Brown, 1820-1873,. Papers of the McCue family [manuscript], 1767-1944. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn McConville, D. D. Confederate Collection, 1861-1918, 1862-1863. Lynchburg Public Library
referencedIn Munford, George Wythe, d. 1882. Papers, 1828-1891. Library of Virginia
creatorOf Adams, Stephen, 1835-. Papers of the Barbour family [manuscript], 1793-1941. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Ewell family papers [manuscript], 1819-1918. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Morton, James W. (James Williams), 1842-. Papers of James Williams Morton [manuscript], 1889-1909. University of Virginia. Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Baker, William A., fl. 1867 person
associatedWith Banks, Robert A. person
associatedWith Barbour, B. Johnson (Benjamin Johnson), 1821-1894. person
associatedWith Barbour, James, 1775-1842. person
correspondedWith Bates, David Homer, b. 1843. person
associatedWith Bocock family. family
associatedWith Bocock, John H. (John Holmes), 1813-1872. person
associatedWith Bocock, Nicholas F. person
associatedWith Bocock, Walter Kemper, 1858-1904. person
associatedWith Davis, J.B. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Early, Jubal Anderson, 1816-1894. person
associatedWith Flood family. family
associatedWith Freemasons. Virginia. corporateBody
associatedWith French, Samuel Bassett, 1820-1898. person
associatedWith Fry, William Oswald, 1834-1889. person
associatedWith Geiger, George H. person
associatedWith Greever, James S. person
associatedWith Grinnan, Andrew Glassell, 1827-1902, person
correspondedWith Hains, Peter C. person
associatedWith Hammond, Isaac, person
associatedWith Harvie, Lewis Edwin, 1809-1887. person
correspondedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
associatedWith Hill, A.P. (A. Powell), 1825-1865. person
associatedWith Hill, John V. person
associatedWith Humphrey, Thomas J. person
associatedWith Hunter, R. M. T. (Robert Mercer Taliaferro), 1809-1887. person
associatedWith Hunton, John. person
correspondedWith J[ames] B. Groome person
correspondedWith J[ames] L. Kemper person
correspondedWith James M. [sic] Kemper person
associatedWith Janney, Lilias. person
associatedWith Jones, W.E. person
associatedWith Jordan, Thomas, 1819-1895. person
correspondedWith J[ubal] A. Early person
associatedWith Kellogg, William. person
associatedWith Kemper, Cremora Conway Cave. person
associatedWith Kemper, Heber, person
associatedWith Kemper, James, person
associatedWith Kemper, Maria Elizabeth Allison, 1787-1873. person
associatedWith Kemper, Meade C. person
associatedWith Kemp family. family
associatedWith Lee, Fitzhugh, 1835-1905. person
associatedWith Lewis, Robert Warner, 1839-1902. person
associatedWith Leyburn, John, 1814-1893. person
correspondedWith M[ary] A. F[reeman] person
associatedWith Mayo, Joseph, 1832-1896. person
associatedWith McConville, D. D. person
associatedWith Mcculloh, Richard Sears person
correspondedWith M[eade] C. Kemper person
associatedWith Morton, James W. (James Williams), 1842- person
associatedWith Mosby, John Singleton, 1833-1916. person
associatedWith Munford, George Wythe, d. 1882. person
associatedWith Paris Exposition corporateBody
associatedWith Patton, W.T. person
associatedWith Pendleton, William K. person
associatedWith Pickett, George E. (George Edward), 1825-1875. person
associatedWith Polk, E. J. person
associatedWith Polk, T. J. person
associatedWith Richardson, G.W. person
associatedWith Richardson, Robert A. person
correspondedWith R[obert] A. Banks person
associatedWith Robertson, William J. person
associatedWith Rutherfoord, J.C. person
associatedWith Rutherfoord, John, 1792-1866, person
associatedWith Scott, John. person
associatedWith Scott, Virginia, person
associatedWith Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. person
associatedWith Spitler, Mann. person
associatedWith Stadler, John Gaspar, 1724-1796. person
associatedWith Stuart, Alexander H. H. (Alexander Hugh Holmes), 1807-1891. person
associatedWith Taliaferro, John, 1768-1852. person
associatedWith Thomas Branch and Co. (Richmond, Va.) corporateBody
associatedWith Thrift, George N., 1802-ca. 1857. person
associatedWith Tunstall, Nannie Whitmell. person
associatedWith Tyler, James Hoge, 1846-1925. person
associatedWith Tyler, John Poyntz, 1862-1931. person
associatedWith United States. Army. Virginia Infantry Regiment, 1st. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Virginia. corporateBody
correspondedWith U. S. Grant person
correspondedWith Virginia. Board of Immigration. corporateBody
associatedWith Virginia. Governor (1874-1878 : Kemper) corporateBody
associatedWith Walker family. family
associatedWith Wallace, H.N. person
associatedWith Wallace, Sidney. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Virginia--Madison County
United States
Iowa
Virginia
Virginia
Virginia--Madison County
Madison County (Va.)
Madison County (Va.)
Virginia
Subject
African Americans
Exposition
Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863
Light House Board
Local election
Mexican War, 1846-1848
Ponies
Real estate investment
Recommendations For Positions
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1823-06-11

Death 1895-04-07

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