James Kemp was born in 1915, in the Bladen/Columbus County area.  Little is known about James, but at a young age, he moved to Georgetown, SC and worked in farming. During this time, he lost direct contact with much of the family.

On January 26, 1937, James died at the age of 22. His siblings never knew what happened to him, but in 2015, his death certificate was located — clarifying the details of his death.