KEMPTER, Richard R.

History of Northern Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical, 1881, p 163

Hon. R. R. KEMPTER, dealer in grain and agricultural implements, Alma 
[Buffalo County, Wisconsin], was born 07 February 1837 in Wurtemberg 
[Wurttemberg], Germany. He came to America with his parents in 1849, and 
located in Cincinnati [Hamilton County], Ohio. In 1858 he came to Alma, and 
was employed as clerk by Charles SCHAETTLE. [See also the Buffalo County, 
Wisconsin, biography of Charles SCHAETTLE.] In 1861 he [Richard R. KEMPTER] 
enlisted in Company F, Ninth Wisconsin Infantry, and served two years. He 
was commissioned second lieutenant. He has been Clerk of the Court, and in 
1880 was elected a member of the [Wisconsin] Legislature.

He [Richard R. KEMPTER] has been twice married, first to [Miss?] Julia 
HUEBACH, a native of Bohemia. They [Richard R. and Julia KEMPTER] had six 
children: Richard A., Frank, George, Julia, Amelia, and Anton. His second 
wife was Caroline GAAB, a native of this [Buffalo] county. [According to the 
1880 census of Alma, p 318, Richard R. KEMPTER, age forty-two, born in 
Germany, about 1838 by his census age, to parents both born in Germany, 
retired merchant, resided in 1880 with his wife, Julia, age forty, born in 
Germany, by calculation about 1840, to parents also born there, and the 
following children, all born in Wisconsin: Richard A., age fifteen, born 
about 1865; "Frank J." age thirteen, born about 1867; "George W.," age 
twelve, born about 1868; Julia, age ten, thus born about 1870; Amelia, age 
six, born about 1874; and "Anton R.," age one, born about 1879. Caroline 
GAB, a servant, age nineteen, born in Ohio to parents both born in Germany, 
completes the household.]

[Is the servant enumerated in the 1880 census, Caroline GAB (GAAB?), the same 
as the wife, Caroline GAAB, mentioned in the biography? Did Julia KEMPTER 
die, or did she and Richard R. KEMPTER divorce between the time the census 
was enumerated in 1880 and when the biography text went to press in 1881? 
Because of their ages, was it actually Richard A. KEMPTER, son of Richard R., 
who married Caroline GAAB? If it was the father, Richard R. KEMPTER, who 
married Caroline, was she the second, not the first wife, as stated in the 
biography, where the past tense "was" is used when referring to Caroline? A 
former wife employed as a servant in the household of her ex-husband who is 
remarried would be highly unlikely! Bracketed material added by submitter 
(who is not researching these surnames) to support and clarify information 
given in the biography and to raise questions.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly