Was Ellie Kemper Crowned ‘Queen Of The KKK’ In 1999? Here’s The Truth About The Veiled Prophet Organization And Her Involvement G (Getty Images) Ellie Kemper is trending on Twitter because of something she was involved with over two decades ago with a controversial history, the Veiled Prophet Ball. There are a lot of inaccurate reports hitting the web, which is not surprising. Here’s what we know. Ellie Kemper’s Upbringing Kemper was born and raised in St. Louis, Misouri. Her family has a lot of history in St. Louis and the state of Missouri in general, with a long line of successful bankers going back generations. Her great-great-grandfather, William Thornton Kemper Sr., founded Commerce Bank in the early 20th century, and many of his descendants have since followed him into the banking business, including with Commerce. Her father, David Kemper, ran the bank as well.