Back in the Day: The Kemp family disperses

April 05--The names of Wichita Falls founders Frank Kell and Joseph A. Kemp are well represented in the city's streets, buildings and businesses, but one place you won't find them is the residential listings of the local phone book. This begs the question, what became of their families?

A thin file in the TRN archives -- holding a picture and a few, sparse clipping about a prominent Wichita Falls couple -- holds some clues to half of the puzzle.

In 1960, hundreds of Wichitans attended the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Newton Maer at 600 Grant St. Mr. Maer was a successful oilman and insurance agent in his own right, but it was Mrs. Maer's pedigree that was better known. She was the daughter of J.A. Kemp, and served as the chairman of the board of Kemp Public Library.

The couple's two children, who hosted the gathering, both lived in Houston The only Kemp sibling in attendance was Mrs. Maer's sister, Mrs. Alfred Miller, who also lived in Wichita Falls. Among all of the Maer's bevy of grandchildren, the name Kemp only comes up once -- they had named their only son Kemp Maer. And while a few of the many grandchildren had taken up residence in Archer City, most were living in either Dallas or Houston.

The city that J.A. Kemp had invested his heart and soul in was no longer enough for his family. Mrs. Maer died less than a year after the anniversary gala. In keeping with the standards of the time, her first name is never mentioned, even in her obituary. Her husband continued in the insurance business for at least five more years, and died in 1970.

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