Augustin Kem
Among the native son of Indiana who make their home in Marion, is Augustin Kem. Mr. Kem belongs to that class of men who have made the central states the great stronghold of power and stability which they have become. This generation of men, most of whom came with their parents across the mountains and settled in this region when it was backwoods country, have clung to the sturdy virtues and firm principles of their New England and Virginian ancestors. Living in an agricultural section they retained the qualities which made it possible for a handful of Colonial soldiers to conquer Great Britain's armies, longer perhaps than the people of any other section, and Mr. Kem is a typical example of this type.
Augustin Kem was born in Wayne County, Indiana in the country between Centerville and Richmond, on the 20th of March, 1842. His father was John Kem and his mother was Ann (Russell) Kem. The Kem family is of English origin, and although the Russell's were probably English also, it is not definitely known just where they originated in the mother country. The ancestors of both families, however, came to this country during the days when the New England colonies were being settled. The Kem's settled in Virginia where they lived until 1829 when they emigrated to Indiana.
It was on the 3rd of October, 1853, that Augustin Kem came with his parents into Grant County. He was one of seven children and the whole family occupied a log cabin of one room, the only other building on the place being a smoke house. Two acres were cleared land and the rest of the farm was virgin forest, alive with coon, opossum, grey squirrel, wild turkey, a few deer and an occasional wolf. It was a hard struggle with the forces of the wilderness and every foot won from the forest was a glorious victory for civilization. Loneliness and hard work was the portion of every frontier family but at least they were in no danger of starvation with the woods full of game. In the winter of 1854 after a snowfall of thirty inches John Kem and a neighbor while out hunting came across a tract in the snow which looked like a bear track. Even at this date bears were extremely scarce in this section and they set forth in great excitement to capture this specimen. They followed the tracks for some time and finally the object of their hunt took refuge in a hollow tree of considerable height. The only thing to do was to chop the tree down but his was no great feat for the two sturdy backwoodsmen and soon the tree came crashing down. With guns ready to fire the two men approached the place where a scuffling told them their quarry was and to their chagrin they discovered the supposed bear to be only a porcupine. Mr. Kem, our subject, who saw it after they brought it home, says this is the nearest he ever came to seeing a wild bear in Grant County.
Augustin Kem grew up on his father's farm, helping to cultivate the cleared land and each year aiding in driving the forest father back. He obtained what little education he could from the backwoods school, during the long winters when it was too cold to work. This was his life until 1861 when the news of the firing upon Fort Sumter set the country afire with patriotism and the determination to keep the Union undivided if it took every man north of Mason and Dixon's line. Grant county went wild and when the call for the three months' volunteers was issued almost every able bodies man in the county hastened to offer his services. There was not room for so many; however, and the ranks were quickly filled, leaving many disappointed would-be soldiers. Then came an idle spell when the only thought in the minds of every man was what was transpiring at the front and news was the best selling commodity of the day. Patriotism remained at fever heat and when the call was issued for three hundred thousand volunteers there was a rush to enlist, every man being afraid that all the places would be filled before he reached the recruiting station. It was at this time that Augustin Kem enlisted. He went into the service of the 5th of September, 1861, in Company "F" of the Thirty-fourth Regiment of Indiana Infantry, in a three years' term of enlistment. He only served two years and three months, however, being discharged on account of failing health at New Iberia, Louisiana. He returned home sadly incapacitated by ill health but after a few months rest he was able to return to active life again. For a few months he attended school, being ambitious to complete the education which the war had interrupted. He then became a school master for at time and then an event occurred which changed his whole life. As Mr. Kem himself phrases it, "there came a little, bewitching, black-eyed Holman girl," -Lauretta Holman the daughter of Nicholas D. Holman and Minerva (Massey) Holman. Mr. Kem and Lauretta Holman were married on the 26th of September, 1868. Mrs. Kem is of Puritan ancestry but her parents came to Indiana from North Carolina and Kentucky. She was born in Grant County, Indiana, on June 21, 1850. Mr. and Mrs. Kem have had a long and happy married life and their union has been blessed with two children, Edith I. and Carter O. Kem, and Lowell K., Kenneth G., Lawrence A., Oren Robert, and Augustin Donald Morrow.
Until within the past ten years Augustin Kem and his wife have lived on their farm, but ten years ago he retired from the active life of that farm and came into Marion to live, making his home here since that time. In religious matters all of the family have been Methodists and in politics Mr. Kem give his allegiance to the Republican party. Mr. Kem served from 1905 to 1907 as a member of the city council and for the past three years ahs been a member of the Marion board of park Commissioners. He is a member of Gen. Shunck Post, No. 23, G. A. R., of which he is Past Commander. He is also a Mason, and both he and his wife are members of the Eastern Star.
Source: Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914, page 794-795.