Ephraim Kempton, Sr.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Kempton-22

Ephraim Kempton Sr.

Born before 26 Oct 1591 in England

Son of George Kempton and Mary (Jersey) Kempton

Brother of Manasseh Kempton [half], Francis Kempton, William Kempton and Annis Kempton [half]

Husband of Elizabeth (Wilson) Kempton — married 12 Apr 1617 in London England

Father of John Kempton, Lettice (Kempton) Ring and Ephraim Kempton II

Died 5 May 1645 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Profile last modified 14 Oct 2018 | Created 8 Jul 2011

Biography

New Bedford Streets: A Piece of Americana: Kempton Street

Kempton Street is one of the most trafficked streets in the city, and the Kempton family name is one of that goes back to the very origins of New Bedford and the arrival of the first Europeans in the New World.

The first mention of a Kempton in the historical record is from 1623. The names Manasses/Mannasseh and Ephraim Kempton (though other documents suggest he came later) are mentioned as arriving on the ship Anne, or possibly on the Little James. Both were born in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, of parents George Kempton and Mary Jersey.

Mannasses’ soon to be wife, the widow Juliana (nee Carpenter) Morton, was also aboard the vessel, as was Ephraim’s two year old son, Ephraim, Jr. Ephraim Sr.’s wife, Elizabeth nee Wilson, had already passed away. A two year old surviving the journey across the Atlantic is a minor miracle unto itself, perhaps one could say he was destined to a future in the New World.

Mannasses Kempton (1589-1663)

By 1627 Mannasses married Juliana, and while they had no children of their own, Mannasses had five stepchildren to rear. Mannasses shared in the division of cattle, and by 1633 became a Freeman, eventually serving as deputy to the Plymouth General Court.

He was also one of the original proprietors of Old Dartmouth spearheaded by William Bradford. The land, purchased in 1652, was on the west side of the Acushnet River, beginning at Clark’s Point and following the County Road to the head of the River. There was originally 34 shares of land, and Mannasses Kempton owned one full share.

Ephraim Kempton Sr. & Jr. (1591-1645)

Ephraim Kempton, Sr., a tailor, and his son Ephraim Jr., eventually moved onto land owned by Mannasses in Scituate by 1640. Ephraim Sr. had other children: John, who stayed behind in England, Mannaseh and Lettice who did emigrate, and Annis of whom very little is known.

Ephraim Jr. married Joanna Rowlins in 1646, and they had six children, two Joannas (one had passed away within a year), Patience, Ephraim III, Mannasseh, and Ruth. After wife Joanna died, Ephraim re-married Sarah Maddox in 1656, and they had two sons, Nathaniel and Thomas. Ephraim was a prominent figure in the region and became a freeman in 1631.

These Kemptons were the very first Kemptons in the New World that our Kempton Street was named after. By 1790, thirteen Kemptons were named as residents in New Bedford, not including children. Thus are the humble beginnings of the Kempton Family, that would leave a indelible mark on New Bedford’s history.

Kempton Street was originally called Smith Mills Road, a road that led from Westport to New Bedford and passed through a village of the same name, which included Rockdale Avenue and Hathaway Road. One of the region’s earliest settlements, the village was the home of many ship-owners, had a large general store, two blacksmiths, and stone grist and saw mills. This was and still is a primary local road that most people in the region travel often, and is now called the Grand Army Highway or State Road (Route 6).Wilbur-403 19:02, 29 July 2018 (UTC)

Kempton was baptized 26 Oct 1591 at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, son of George and an unnamed mother. [1]

He married 12 Apr 1617 at Holy Trinity the Less, London, Elizabeth Wilson who likely died by 1642 when her husband emigrated to New England.

Ephraim and his son emigrated to New England about 1642 (not in 1627), settling on a farm in Scituate, Massachusetts, purchased for him by his brother Manasseh who had come over earlier. Massachusetts early census index lists him in Scituate, Massachusetts in 1643. [2]

Some sources even list his arrival year as 1623. [3]

He died before 5 May 1645 (inventory of his estate).

Reference

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Sources

↑ "English Origins of the Kempton Brothers," in The American Genealogist, 67(1992):132-35 ↑ Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. Massachusetts Census, 1790-1890. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes. p257. ↑ Virkus, Frederick A., editor. Immigrant Ancestors: A List of 2,500 Immigrants to America before 1750. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1964. 75p. Repr. 1986. https://www.newbedfordguide.com/new-bedford-streets-kempton-street/... FamilyTreeMaker.genealogy.com Source: S1517565335 Repository: #R1500959416 Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Source: S1517565401 Repository: #R1500959416 The New England Historical & Genealogical Register, 1847-2011 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Source: S1517566374 Repository: #R1500959416 U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc Source: S1517573908 Repository: #R1500959416 U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc The Kempton/Kimpton families in North America : from Plymouth Colony through the tenth generation throughout the United States and Canada by Saunders, Morton W., pg 3

Ephraim Kempton

• .26 Oct 1591 Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England
• d.bef 5 May 1645 Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA
• Son of George Kempton and Mary Jersey
• Husband of Elizabeth Wilson (married 12 Apr 1617 at Holy Trinity the Less, London (City of), London, England)
• Immigration[2] bet 1638 and 1640 New England

Children

• John Kempton (1618 - ) (stayed in England)
• (probably) Lettice (c 1620 - 1695) m 1) John Morton 2) Andrew Ring
• Ephraim Kempton (1620/21 - 1655) m Joanna Rawlins

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From New Bedford Streets: A Piece of Americana: Kempton Street

Kempton Street is one of the most trafficked streets in the city, and the Kempton family name is one of that goes back to the very origins of New Bedford and the arrival of the first Europeans in the New World.

The first mention of a Kempton in the historical record is from 1623. The names Manasses/Mannasseh and Ephraim Kempton (though other documents suggest he came later) are mentioned as arriving on the ship Anne, or possibly on the Little James. Both were born in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, of parents George Kempton and Mary Jersey.

Ephraim Kempton Sr. & Jr. (1591-1645)

Ephraim Kempton, Sr., a tailor, and his son Ephraim Jr., eventually moved onto land owned by Mannasses (his brother) in Scituate by 1640. Ephraim Sr. had other children: John, who stayed behind in England, Mannaseh and Lettice who did emigrate, and Annis of whom very little is known. [SIC: sister, not daughter]

References

• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Ephraim_Kempton_%2812%29
• Smith, Dean Crawford, and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996-2008), 1:67. ‘'EPHRAIM KEMPTON ... baptized Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland 26 October 1591; died Scituate, MA by 5 May 1645 (date of inventory [Plymouth Colony Probate Records 1:64]); married Holy Trinity The Less, London 12 April 1617 ELIZABETH WILSON, born say 1590s and who apparently died after 1620/1 and before 1640, when her husband had surely immigrated to New England without her.'
• ↑ Smith, Dean Crawford, and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996-2008), 1:69.