Clara Amanda McClurken Kemps

1849 - 1936

Photographs Courtesy of Philip Smith

Clara Amanda McClurken Kemps – Taken in Nashville, Illinois in 1896 or 1897

Clara Amanda McClurken was born in Oakdale, Illinois on June 7, 1849. She died on May 27, 1936.

Her parents were James McClurken (January 5, 1801 - October 8, 1875) and Sarah Rodman Hood (June 7, 1803 - April 15, 1884).

Her siblings were:

· Mary Jane Hood Sloane was born in 1823 in Chester County, South Carolina. She died on March 10, 1857 in Oakdale, Illinois.

· Margaret Hood Mitchell was born in 1825 in South Carolina. She died on September 16, 1900 in California.

· Thomas J. was born on October 7, 1828 in South Carolina. He died on November 27, 1861 and is buried in Oakdale Cemetery (Old Section, Row 4, Grave 3). See his Civil War Service Card.

· Elizabeth Smith McKelvey was born on October 14, 1830 in South Carolina. She died on August 21, 1923 in Randolph County, Illinois.

· Nancy J. Owens was born on April 10, 1833 in Washington County, Illinois and died on May 26, 1899.

· John Rodman was born in 1836 in Washington County, Illinois. He died on May 2, 1914 in Yakima, Washington.

· David W. was born in 1839 in Washington County, Illinois. He died on August 4, 1916 and is buried in Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, California.

· Sarah Ellen Walker was born about 1840 in Washington County, Illinois. She died October 31, 1924.

· James Hood McClurken, Jr., was born on March 29, 1843 in Oakdale, Illinois. He married Elizabeth Olivia Kemps, the sister of Samuel Henry Kemps. James died on November 13, 1933 and is buried in Oakdale Cemetery (New Section, Row 20, Grave 30).

· Andrew Todd was born on May 1, 1846 in Washington County, Illinois. He died on March 4, 1922 in Nobby, Missouri.

Clara shows up in the 1850 Census, along with her parents and nine siblings.

Clara shows up in the 1860 Census, along with her parents and four siblings.

Clara shows up in the 1865 Illinois Census along with her parents, three siblings and a female teenage cousin?

Clara Amanda McClurken married Samuel Henry Kemps on February 25, 1869. They had seven children:

· Albert Rodman Kemps (June 1, 1870 - April 4, 1958)

· Lawrence Edward Kemps (April 20, 1872 - October 5, 1873)

· Luther James Kemps (February 25, 1876 - November 22 1935)

· William Henry Kemps (October 29 1878 - October 2, 1964)

· May Belle Kemps Kirkpatrick (June 14, 1881 – February 16, 1964)

· (Clara) Ethel Kemps Boyle (December 23, 1882 - February 27, 1953)

· Edna Adella Kemps Smith (August 26, 1885 – December 20, 1932)

(Click on an image to enlarge. Click again, after it opens, to enlarge further.) Filename identifies individuals.

They eventually had eleven grandchildren.

Clara received two inheritances:

· Her brother, Thomas, died in 1861 and she received $88. Her father was her guardian for these funds and on May 7, 1870, when she was almost 21, she received $103.44. See Thomas McClurken 1861 Probate Documents for additional details.

· Her father, James McClurken, died in October of 1875. On December 29, 1877, Clara received $98.85 as her share. See James McClurken Estate for additional details.

Samuel and Clara were members of the (Covenanter) Oakdale Reformed Presbyterian Church.

The History of Oakdale Township includes a few references:

· Page 8 describes the location of their farm as west of Ayers Point

· Page 76 lists them as members of the Temperance Society of Elkhorn

· Pages 64 and 94 list Samuel

· Their children are referenced on other pages, see references

The 1880 Census shows Samuel and Clara and their three children (Albert R., Luther J., and William H.) and two boarders living on their farm in the Elkton Precinct of Washington County, Illinois.

The following images are of the home they built in 1891:

(Click on an image to enlarge. Click again after it opens to enlarge further).

The location is the West Half of the Southwest Quarter of Section 14, immediately west of Oakdale. It is identified as May Belle Kirkpatrick at this link. This 80 acre parcel was originally purchased, from the Federal Government, by Clara’s father, James McClurken, on September 27, 1831; see James_11_11_1831_WHSWQ_S14_T3SR4W.jpg.

The 1900 Census shows Samuel and Clara and their six children living on their farm in the Oakdale Township of Washington County Illinois. Albert R. and Luther J. were helping, as farmers, William H. was a traveling salesman, May Belle was a music teacher and Clara E. and Ethyl A. were both in school.

The 1910 Census shows Samuel and Clara still farming in the Oakdale Township of Washington County Illinois. Living with them were daughters, Ethyl C. and Edna A., a public school teacher. In the next dwelling lived Raymond Kirkpatrick, his wife, May Belle Kemps Kirkpatrick, and two grandsons of Samuel and Clara, Kemps R. and R. Merle.

The 1920 Census shows Samuel and Clara living alone in the town of Oakdale in a house they owned. They were no longer working. A view of this house is available at this link. A 1936 view of this house is available at this link.

Samuel Henry died on April 2, 1921 at the age of 78. He is buried in Oakdale Cemetery in Oakdale, Illinois (Old Section, Row 12, Grave 49).

Clara Amanda McClurken Kemps before 1920 and about 1925

The 1930 Census shows Clara living in the town of Oakdale with her daughter, May Belle Kemps Kirkpatrick, her son-in-law, Raymond, and grandson, Richard G.

Clara Amanda McClurken Kemps, born on June 7, 1849, died on May 27, 1936, almost 87 years of age. She is buried in the Oakdale Cemetery in Oakdale, Illinois (Old Section, Row 12, Grave 50). To see an image of the headstone, see this link.

Reference sources and files:

Oakdale

Oakdale Cemetery Website

1850_James_Sarah_McClurken_pg2.jpg see line 11

1860_James_Sarah_McClurken.jpg see line 10

1865_IL_James_McClurken.jpg see line 3

1880_Samuel_Kemps.jpg see line 15

1900_Samuel_Kemps.jpg see line 81

1910_Samuel_Kemps.jpg see line 91

1920_Samuel_Kemps.jpg see line 60

1930_Clara_Kemps.jpg see line 21

Samuel_Clara_Kemps_Marriage.pdf