Simeon Kemper was born ( February 5, 1799 – March 11, 1883 ) in Montgomery County, Kentucky. Simeon taught school in Montgomery County. In 1835 he met  Miss Jane Ann Shortridge of Baltimore , Maryland, who was visiting relatives in Kentucky. They married on December 17, 1835 and two years after they moved to Missouri. On November 5, 1837, they left Montgomery County with their first child and traveled by steamboat to St. Louis and then to Liberty Landing, arriving on November 27, 1837. They spent a year in Clay County where their second child was born. They then spent a year in Clinton County and decided to move to the Blacksnake Hills. They bought 160 acres of land and Kemper followed his profession of surveyor. In 1843 he was invited by Joseph Robidoux to create a plan for Robidoux Landing. Robidoux had also asked Frederick W. Smith to prepare a town plan. Robidoux chose the Smith plan because it provided more lots that could be sold.

Simeon became the first city and county surveyor, and in 1848, at the direction of State Senator ( later Governor ) Robert M. Stewart, he made a preliminary survey for the route of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad. This was followed two years later by a final survey of about one-third of the line.

Kemper and Israel Landis laid off the northwest twenty acres of his quarter section of land for Mt. Mora Cemetery. He developed the rest of the land for residential and business purposes. The area near 19th and Clay Street was developed as “ Kemper’s Addition.”

When Simeon passed away on March 11, 1883, it was said of him: “Few men have lived in the county as long as Mr. Kemper and no one has enjoyed in a greater degree the respect, esteem, and confidence than this sturdy pioneer. His sterling qualities of mind and heart will long live in our memories. As one of the foundation builders of St. Joseph his name will stand.”

This information is from Sheridan A. Logan’s book OLD SAINT JO Gateway to the West, 1799-1932.