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James Lawson Kemper. Papers, 1800-1951. Accession 24692. Personal papers collection. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Purchased 22 November 1957.
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.
Papers, 1804-1951 (bulk 1841-1888), of James Lawson Kemper of Madison and Orange Counties, Virginia, consisting of loose papers and letterpress copy books. Loose papers contain circular letters, clippings, deeds, land surveys, letters, obituaries, papers money, photographs, poems, and promissory notes. Papers cover Kemper's political career in the House of Delegates and as governor of Virginia, as well as personal and business matters. Of interest are letters from J. C. Rutherfoord while a student at the University of Virginia; poems apparently written about Cremora "Belle" Conway Cave (ca. 1837-1870) before her marriage to Kemper; letters concerning the sale of slaves; letters written by Confederate officers and soldiers to Kemper during his tenure as Speaker of the House of Delegates; draft of of a letter to John S. Mosby concerning Virginia politics; address by Kemper supporting Horace Greeley (1811-1872) for president in 1872; Governor Kemper's message to the General Assembly, 1 December 1875; and letters from Kemper's daughter Lucy (ca. 1860-1915) while travelling in Europe. There are two newspapers: THE MANASSAS JOURNAL (28 October 1943) and THE ORANGE REVIEW (25 October 1951).
Letterpress copybooks contain copies of letters written during Kemper's term (1874-1878) as governor of Virginia, and the majority of letters are written by him, or either Meade C. Kemper (d. 1886), S. Bassett French (1820-1898), or Charles Rutledge Whipple, all of whom served as secretary to Kemper. Correspondence consists of replies to requests for pardons, employment, or other matters. Also contains correspondence from Kemper concerning matters of the commonwealth and include letters written to the governors of Maryland and West Virginia, the Secretary of War William W. Belknap (1829-1890), and President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885). Several letters were written to General Stephen V. Benet of the ordnance department. Other correspondents include Jeremiah S. Black (1810-1883), Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), William D. Hix, A. J. B. Beresford Hope, J. M. Keeling, John Letcher (1813-1884), and Asa Rogers (1802-1888).
Items are arranged in chronological order.