Kemp Vault, Third Ward, St. Helena Parish, La.
File prepared by Deandra Norred Pardue

This cemetery is taken from the book, St. Helena Parish Cemeteries,1914-1987
Published by the St. Helena Historical Association, Inc.
Address: Rt. 1 Box 131; Amite, La. 70422   The LaGenWeb Archives would like
to express their thanks to the Association for giving us permission to put
these cemeteries online.  The society retains the copy right to these works.

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Directions to vault:  Between Highway 43 and Highway 441, south of Highway 1045 
is a brick vault in which Judge William Breed Kemp is buried.

There is no inscription on the vault - it is of red brick, with a dome shape
and has been well maintained by the family.  From family records I take the
following information regarding this Mr. Kemp (who is not buried in the 
Jonathan Kemp Cemetery, but nearer to the "Old Home Place".)

William Breed Kemp, born in St. Helena Parish, La.
Jan 11, 1834
Died May 6, 1899
Married Elizabeth Nesom, April 13, 1861

He attended the University of Virginia in 1856 & 57 and took his degree in law
from Louisiana University in 1859.  He served in the War Between the States 
serving as Captain.  He was captured at Port Hudson and taken north to Forts
Delaware and McHenry.  He was paroled in 1865.  Upon returning to St. Helena he
resumed the practice of law and was elected Judge in 1872.  He moved to Amite 
in 1879.  Shortly before his death he formed a co-partnership with his son 
Bolivar E. Kemp in the practice of law.  He was a member of the Episcopal Church,
Masonic Order, Knights of Honor and U.C.V.

The following is taken from his obituary:  "Judge W.B. Kemp.  The touching fare-
well at the grave in the woodland.  The last paragraph:  "This simple, yet imposing, 
burial, in the field, surrounded by the peaceful woods, and with only the exquisite
notes of the wood thrush falling upon the evening quiet, realized the wishes of
the deceased, who a lover of nature, must have found an echo of his own sentiments
in the tender lines of O.N. Ogden, his friend and fellow citizen:

What a wealth of silver sound
In thy music doth abound,
Matchless thrush!
How the sylvan arches thrill
When thy soft, mellifluent bill,
Breaks the hush!
I want no organ proud
With requiem pealing loud,
At my goal:
May such minstrelsy as thine,
Tuned by Nature's hand divine,
Waft my soul!" "

Inez B. Tate from records of Mrs. J.M. Tate, Jr.

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File at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/sthelena/cemeteries/kempvaul.txt