Francis Xavier Kempker, Sr. was born on Saturday, September 9, 1893 in Folsom, Atlantic County, New Jersey. He was the son of Heinrich "Henry" and Emma (Klauser) Kempker.

The 1900 and 1910 census reports show him living with his family at 3617 Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His occupation was bookkeeper.

In 1917, he married a woman named Catherine or Katherine Rummel who had been born about 1896. They would live at 4146 Marshall Street in Philadelphia and Francis worked as a railroad clerk at Lehigh Valley Railroad.

They had one child:

1. Francis Xavier Kempker, Jr. (1920 census)

The 1930 census shows them living at 96 McLean Street in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. Francis was listed as a traveling inspector for a steam railroad. By 1940, they were living at 709 Columbia Avenue in Landsale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Francis was earning $2,300 at his job.