Background
John Kemp was born on April 10, 1763 at Auchlossan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
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book
Memoir of De Witt Clinton: With an Appendix, Containing Numerous Documents, Illustrative of the Principal Events of His Life (Classic Reprint)
(Excerpt from Memoir of De Witt Clinton: With an Appendix,...)
Excerpt from Memoir of De Witt Clinton: With an Appendix, Containing Numerous Documents, Illustrative of the Principal Events of His Life This meeting is convened for the purpose of expressing the sense of the citizens of new-york, generally, on the occasion of the death of Governor Clinton. The various public institutions of which he was a distinguished member, and several of which were planted and watered by his hand, have already paid this tribute to his memory. But we are assembled to express, as far as possible, the sentiments of the citizens of New York. The benefit of his labours for the public good are felt in every section of the state. But we have participated largely, and we claim the privilege of expressing loudly, and deeply, our grief on this melancholy occasion. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
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John Kemp
Edit ProfileEducation
Kemp matriculated at Marischal College, Aberdeen, in 1779 and graduated with the Master of Arts degree in 1783. In 1782 he won in competition a Gray mathematical bursary, and left the college with an excellent reputation for scholarship. He received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from King's College, Aberdeen, in 1787 (upon the recommendation of General Arthur St. Clair, and Colonel William Grayson of Dumfries, Virginia).
Career
About 1783 Kemp went to America. He became in charge of the academy at Dumfries, Virginia, for two years. In April 1785 he was appointed to teach mathematics for one year at Columbia College in New York City. At the end of that time there was a public examination of his class, in which each student was required to draw a number out of a box and demonstrate without further assistance the problem or theorem in Euclid to which it referred. The examination was unusually successful, and this convincing exhibition of Kemp's mastery of his subject and his ability to teach it led to his appointment as professor of mathematics and natural philosophy in 1786 at the age of twenty-three. In 1795 he accepted the additional charge of the professorship of geography.
His courses, which are described in The Present State of Learning in the College of New York (1794), ranged from arithmetic to the higher branches of algebra, and over the whole field of "natural philosophy, " and provision was made for the attendance of the general public upon some of his lectures. Kemp's zeal and patient labor were never relaxed during nearly three decades of faithful service to the college. His courses required constant modification, from the discoveries and improvements continually being made in the physical sciences, and undoubtedly his intense industry, unaccompanied by suitable precautions for his health, led to his comparatively early death, which occurred at New York in his fiftieth year.
The tablet erected to his memory in Trinity Church by the Peithologian Society of the college is transcribed in Timothy Alden's Collection of American Epitaphs. His portrait, now in the possession of Columbia University, is that of a chubby little man with a look of geniality and keen intelligence.
Achievements
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John Kemp was a strong influence at Columbia College both among students and the faculty. His teachings made a deep impression upon DeWitt Clinton, one of his early pupils. Kemp was credited with influencing Clinton with the idea of creating the canal across New York State, which resulted later in the building of the Erie Canal.
Works
book
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Memoir of De Witt Clinton: With an Appendix, Containing Numerous Documents, Illustrative of the Principal Events of His Life (Classic Reprint)
(Excerpt from Memoir of De Witt Clinton: With an Appendix,...)
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Memoir of De Witt Clinton: With an Appendix, Containing Numerous Documents, Illustrative of the Principal Events of His Life (Classic Reprint)
Membership
Kemp became the fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1792.
Connections
Kemp was twice married, and left a daughter by his first wife.
References
- A discourse on the character and public services of Dewitt Clinton, delivered before the Associaiton of the alumni of Columbia college, at their anniversary, 6th May, 1829
- A General History of the Kemp and Kempe Families of Great Britain and Her Colonies: With Arms, Pedigrees, Portraits, Illustrations of Seats, ... Old Jewels, Curios, &C (Classic Reprint)
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Born
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Died
January 15, 1812 (aged 48) -
Nationality
American British