A. Kemp

27 Sep 2021, last revised 31 Jul 2023

With just two bottles that form a pair of different sizes, both extremely rare, it appears A. Kemp was a short-lived operation that probably made only one purchase of bottles. The 1897 Polk directory listed Kemp & Roberts consisting of Arvid Kemp and Frank Roberts as manufacturers of carbonated waters (1). This was their only listing, as they did not appear in the 1895 (2) nor 1899 (3) volumes, confirming a brief period of existence.

Axel Arvid Kemp was born on 15 Mar 1868 in Finland (8) and immigrated to the U.S. in 1887 (4). It is unknown when he arrived in the Copper Country, but his marriage record indicates that he was a resident of Calumet and a miner on 18 Jul 1896 (6).

The Frank Roberts we found living in Calumet during this time period was born in Calumet and was working as a miner during the date of his marriage on 11 Feb 1893 (6).

A newspaper announcement on 07 Oct 1897 stated that the firm of Kemp & Roberts, pop manufacturers, was dissolved (5). Kemp had plans to continue the business at the old stand, and Roberts was no longer responsible for any debts or payments for the firm. If Kemp actually did continue to run the business, it was not for much longer.

The 1897 directory located their business at 426 Pine St. in Calumet, which was also Kemp's residence, while Roberts resided in Tamarack (1). This address was on the south side of the street just west of 4th St., although at the time, 4th St. was obstructed by a building on Pine St. The 1897 Sanborn map labeled the front building as a dwelling and a tiny rear building as a pop factory. Certainly, this was a small operation.

Interestingly, the 1897 directory also located Isaac Lantto at the same address. He was a barber, but also proprietor of Red Jacket Bottling Works. In Jul 1898, Kemp sold the bottling works to R. T. Harvey of Calumet Bottling Works / Harvey Bottling Works, who moved it to Laurium and became the longest lived pop company in the Copper Country.

By 1900, Kemp had moved to Hancock and was a wood chopper, and Roberts had moved to Franklin and was a miner (4). Kemp was in Stanton Township "clearing land" on the 1910 U.S. Federal Census (9). He was said to be "of Toivola" in Jun 1904 (12). He was then a farmer on the 1920 and 1940 censuses, still in Stanton Township (10,11). He died on 15 Aug 1950 at the age of 82 in Stanton Township (8).

Given what we have learned, Kemp's pop operation started in the second half of 1896 or in 1897, and ended by Jul 1898. It is still unknown why the bottles have only Kemp's name on them. Were the bottles from Kemp & Roberts or from after the firm dissolved? Or perhaps Kemp started the business and ordered the bottles before partnering with Roberts.

References

1. R. L. Polk & Co. 1897. Houghton County Directory 1897-98. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
2. R. L. Polk & Co. 1895. Houghton County Directory 1895-96. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
3. R. L. Polk & Co. 1899. Houghton County Directory 1899-1900. R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Detroit, MI.
4. U.S. Census Bureau. 1900 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
5. anonymous. (1897, Oct 07). untitled. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 8.
6. Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867-1952 (accessed on ancestry.com).
7. anonymous. (1898, Jul 28). Pop Factory Changes Hands. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 5.
8. Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952 database, FamilySearch.org
9. U.S. Census Bureau. 1910 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
10. U.S. Census Bureau. 1920 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
11. U.S. Census Bureau. 1940 United States Federal Census. accessed on ancestry.com.
12. anonymous. (1904, Jun 07). Calumet Briefs. The Copper Country Evening News (Calumet, MI). p. 4.