Person:Amos Kempson (1)

Amos Kempson was born on 19th February 1824 at Totternhoe in Bedfordshire, son of Rebecca Kempson, formerly Turnham, and her husband George Kempson, a straw dealer. Amos was baptised on Good Friday, 4th April 1824. He was the youngest of the couple's twelve children, and their tenth son. When Amos was nine years old, his mother died.

In 1835 Amos's father married a Celia Jones, who thus became Amos's stepmother. The 1841 census finds Amos living with his father, stepmother, brother and two young half-siblings at Church End in Totternhoe. Amos was working as an agricultural labourer by this time.

On Christmas Day 1845, aged 21, Amos married Elizabeth Osborn at Totternhoe. They went on to have eight children at Totternhoe between 1847 and 1864, although at least three died young. The 1851 census describes Amos as an agricultural labourer, whilst Elizabeth was a straw plaiter. Amos's father died in 1853.

The 1861 census finds Amos, Elizabeth and their children living at Lower End in Totternhoe. By 1871 the family had moved to the neighbouring village of Stanbridge, where they lived on Totternhoe Road. Amos was by this time working as a straw dealer.

Amos died in 1879, aged 54. Elizabeth survived him by about fourteen years.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Baptisms register, in Church of England. Parish Church of Totternhoe. Parish registers of Totternhoe, 1559-1812. (Bedford: Bedfordshire County Record Office, 1982).

   BAPTISMS solemnized in the Parish of Totternhoe in the County of Bedford in the Year 1824
   No.159
   When baptized: 1824 Apr 4
   Name: Amos son of
   Parents: George & Rebecca
   Surname: Kempson born Feb 19
   Abode: Totternhoe
   Occupation: Straw dealer

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 5; Book 36; Folio 6; Page 7, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Church End, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, male, 50 [1786-91], Straw factor, born in county
   Cerea Kempson, female, 25 [1811-16], not born in county
   Enoch Kempson, male, 6 [1834/5], born in county
   Sophia Kempson, female, 4 [1836/7], born in county
   Amos Kempson, male, 15 [1821-6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Jesse Kempson, male, 15 [1821-6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1757; Folio 14; Page 21, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Amos Kempson, head, married, male, 26 [1824/5], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 24 [1826/7], Straw Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   William Kempson, son, male, 3 [1847/8], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Kempson, son, 9m [1850], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 1010; Folio 19; Page 10, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Lower End, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Amos Kempson, head, married, male, 33 [1827/8], Labourer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 34 [1826/7], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   William Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 13 [1847/8], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 10 [1850/1], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 8 [1852/3], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Kempson, daughter, unmarried, female, 5 [1855/6], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Alfred Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 1 [1859/60], b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1562; Folio 100; Page 23, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Totternhoe Road, Stanbridge, Bedfordshire
   Amos Kempson, head, married, male, 45 [1825/6], Straw Dealer, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Kempson, wife, married, female, 44 [1826/7], Domestic, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Thomas Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 20 [1850/1], Straw Cutter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   George Kempson, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1852/3], Straw Cutter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Kempson, daughter, female, 14 [1856/7], Plaiter, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Kempson, daughter, female, 7 [1863/4], Scholar, b. Totternhoe, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Amos KEMPSTON, March Quarter 1879, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 297, aged 54 [1824/5]