Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-03-02
From the Warrenton True Index.
.. Cedar GrOYC.'
AN OLD HOMESTEAD EAD-INTEREST1NG
.---. FAMILY HISTORY.

AN OLD HoMEsTEAD-INTER
/ ..-,-.. FAMILY HISTORY.
."Cedar Grove" is the homestead
the Kempers, one of the oldest familie
of Fauquier county. Indeed, the home
stead ante-dates the creation! OF tn
county fourteen years, and is most re
markable in this that it has descende
in an unbroken line from father to SO
from 1745 to 1880, a period of 135 years
1t lies to the left of the road fror
Warrenton to the Springs, just acros
Great run, about two and a half mile
from town, and now contains a fey
hundred acres. Formerly it was bound
ed by map8rial lines, and might hav
been called magnificent estate, if wilt
lands deserve that designation. 1t in
cluded the farms offDr. Kloman. JohI
NJ. Forbes, Gen. JBethune, and sundry
other present-day proprietors.
1t was patented by John Peter KEN
| per at date which can only be de
termined now by the misty records 0
| the Land Office at Richmond. Tradi-
ton hath it that Cedar Grove" was
f6btAnef from Alexander Spottswood
who was Governor of Virginia from
to Campbell, the historian, lie at Item.
place during the coming year will be
held centennial celebration of the
surrender of Lord CORVALLIS, in which
the Governors of the thirteen States
and citizens from all parts of the United
States will take part.
If "CedaT Grove" were bought of him,
or any one else, its occupant did not
then get a title in fee, for the land lay
in that region known as the Northern
Neck of Virginia. which included all
land lying between the headwaters and
mouths of the Rappahannock and Po-
tomac rivers, and it was the unvarying
rule of Lord Fairfax, its proprietor. to
bind every person in his patent to pay
to him an annual rent of one shilling
on every so acres. This quit rent, as it
was called, was abolished by the revolu
ton of 1775.
From tradition we learn that colony
Of Calvinistic Germans left Nassau on
account of religious persecution and
settled at Germana, in the county of
Culpeper, in 1717, and were followed
three years later by their pastor, DIR.
Hager, q learned divine, who subse-
quently removed to Maryland. where a
town was called for him. From the
family record Of the KempeTs, it ap-
pears that John Keuiper, of the town of
Mensen, near the city of Seyen, Nassau,
Germany, was one OF those settlers,
that he married daughter of DR.. Ha-
ger, and that to them was born at Ger
mana, Virginia, on the 25th OF Decem-
Der, 1923. John Peter Kemper, the
founder OF the Cedar Grove" family.
1t also appears from the record that
John tetec Kemper married Elizabeth
Fishbacls, daughter of John Fishback,
of Truback, near Seyen, in Nassau,
Germany, Oh the 9TH Of September, 1873
tho groom not having reached his ma
joTity, and the bride being only Is years
and few months old. This marriage
was celebrated at Germantown in Prince
William county, where the settlers of
Germa;.a had moved and purchased 3
large body of land. Fauquier was cut
off from Prince William in 1850, since
which time Germantown has remained
part of Fauquier. Forty years ago,
and for many years preceding that time.
the lands of the old settlers at German
town were used as regimentaI training
grounds for the militia of Fauquier.
Seven years after his marriage we find
that John Peter !temper had moved to
"Cedar Grove' and erected there for
to which he nailed this text, carved in
a poplar plank, which is still preserved
as an heirloom to this day
GLAVBE AN. DEN HEERN IE-
SUM CHRISTUM so WRIST DU
UND DEIN EAUS SEEICH.-ACT
l6, Y. 81. I745.
JOHN PETER KEMPER UND
ELISABETH KEMPERIN.
The translation is: "Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved and thy house.-Acts, 16 chap,
V. 81. 1745. -
John PETER KEMpER and
ELIZABETH KEMPER"
The final syllable of the lady's name
in the original is merely, we understand.
feminine terminal. We are also
told, that similar texts are occasionally
the entrance door Of old farm houses in
Germany. Be this as it may, it appears
that God has kept his promise with the
old covenanter down to the fourth gem
Grafton of his house.
The fruits of this marriage were five
sons and as many daughters. The old
est, John Kemper, moved to Kentucky
where he lived to the ripe old age
ef 60 years, and died in peace with
God and man. The second son, Pc.
ter Kemper, emigrated to Ohio when
it was almost terra a;acOgnit0, pros
pered, and died aged S6 years. Della
ware and Koskiusco KeEper, who dis
tinguished themselves in the COnfedeg-
ate service, are his great-grand-sons.
Frederick Kemper married sister OF
Major Jeffries of the Pignut, and died
at the early age of 35 from fall upon a
stick which penetrated an eye. He was
the gFand-fa father of Gen. James l.. KEN
per, of Madison, late Governor of Vir-
ginia. James Kemper was educated for
the ministry. He married Miss Hath
away, of Upper Fauquier, and moved
to Ohio at an early day; and at 81 years
of age lie passed from his field OF cleri-
! cal usefulness. After the death of the
old patriarch in 1888, his youngest son,
Charles, inherited Cedar Grove. This
son served as a soldier iii the revolution
of 1776 and ss such drew q pension to-
wards the close of his long life. It was
doubtless while soldier that he came
into possession of the old silver watch.
now in the keeping of his grandson,
which by its case protects the following
inscription ii his own splendid hand
writing:
"177S. This watch bought of Brit
ish officer taken prisoner with General
Burgoyne 10Th October, 1777, for which
gave 1895 Continental Money. ~.
CHARLES KENPER." !" =
/ This first Charles married q Miss
Many, daughter Of Henry Mauzy (s
Huguenot,) and succeeded her brother
John Mauzy, as County surveyor or
the 2Sth July, 1900, giving official bono
to James Monroe, Governor of Virginia
in the penalty of $1,000, with Jane:
Blackwell and Augt. Jennings as sure
ties. He was gathered to his fathers il
1871 leaving Two sons s-Charlesii Kemper
r., socond inheritor of "Cedar Grove,
| who succeeded his father 1881 as county
surveyor; and Or. George Whitfield
Kemper, q practitioner of medicine il
the county of Rockingham, who had
grand-sons killed and 1 desperatel,
wound ded in the Confederate service
Charles Kemper, Jr., remained count,
surveyor till the office became eleetiv
and then refused to offer for the place
He died in 1870, at the ripe old age @
Is, Iaaving Charles Hager Kempeg, ID
younger Of his two SONS, proprietor C
| fbe old homestead "Ca...r y5rOvau