Biography - ROBERT S. HEMPHILL

Robert S. Hemphill, senior partner of the firm of Hemphill & Ibbetson, lumber dealers, was born in the vicinity of Hornsby, Macoupin county, Illinois, on the 1st of June, 1853. His parents were Hamilton and Martha (Dickerson) Hemphill, the father of Ireland and the mother of Kentucky. Hamilton Hemphill was born and reared in County Tyrone, Ireland, a son of the Rev. Charles Hemphill, a Presbyterian minister, who spent his entire life in the Emerald isle, having preached in one church for forty years. Rev. Charles Hemphill had three sons, Andrew, Charles and Hamilton. The youngest of the three, Hamilton, was educated for the ministry in his native country. In his early manhood he emigrated to the United States, first locating in Kentucky, whence he came to Macoupin county. When he first arrived here he taught a country school and assisted in felling the trees and erecting the first schoolhouse located on the present site of Oakland, Honey Point township. Afterwards he engaged in farming in the same township, but the latter years of his life were passed in Carlinville, where he died in 1860, at the age of sixty-five years. He had survived his wife by two years, her demise occurring when she was about sixty years of age. In matters of religion Mr. Hemphill was a Presbyterian, while his wife professed to the Methodist denomination. He always took an active and helpful interest in all educational matters and served his community for some time as school director. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hemphill all but three are now deceased. Those surviving are: Robert S., our subject; John, who is a resident of Pendelton, Oregon; and Margaret, the wife of T. W. Lofton, of Kansas City, Mo. The deceased members of the family are: William C., Charles J., Daniel, Thomas P., Joshua and Mary, the late wife of Samuel Potts. Three of the sons, William C., Thomas P. and Daniel, were soldiers in the Civil war. Mrs. Hemphill was a daughter of William Dickerson, a farmer and a. native of Kentucky, as was also his wife. They were among the pioneer settlers of Macoupin county, where for many years the father devoted his energies to the cultivation of a farm he owned in Carlinville township. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, and passed away at the venerable age of seventy-seven, but the mother was a few years younger at the time of her demise, being of the age of sixty-six years.

The greater portion of the first twenty years of the life of Robert S. Hemphill was spent on the farm of his uncle, Thomas Dickerson, by whom he was reared. His early education was obtained in the district schools of the vicinity, after which he attended Blackburn University, at Carlinville, Illinois. After the completion of his education he taught school for one term and clerked in a store for four years. After that time he removed to his father-in-law’s farm, and for fourteen years thereafter devoted -his attention to its operation. He was subsequently appointed deputy clerk of the circuit court, in which capacity he served for four years; then he engaged in the lumber business.

On the 2d of October, 1877, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hemphill and Miss Mary Ross; she was a native of South Palmyra township where she grew to womanhood, after which she removed to Carlinville with her parents. Mrs. Hemphill is a daughter of E. H. and Elizabeth (Pocklington) Ross, the father a native of Morgan and the mother of Macoupin county, Illinois. The paternal grandfather, Thomas Ross, came with his wife and family to Macoupin county in the very early days. Here he engaged in agricultural pursuits until he was elected sheriff of Macoupin county, when he moved to Carlinville. Mr. and Mrs. Ross were the parents of a very large family, among whose members were Erastus, Joseph, William, Woodford, John, Sarah, Mary, Charlotte and Jane. Mrs. Hemphill’s maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James Pocklington, emigrated from England to the United States, locating about the year 1832 in Macoupin county, where they passed away at an advanced age. They were the parents of but two children, John Wesley and Elizabeth, who became Mrs. Ross, lo Mr. and Mrs. Ross were born five children: Mary, now Mrs. Hemphill; Martha; Amelia; Thomas, and Leonard. The father passed away in 1901 at the age of sixty-nine, but the mother still survives.

Mr. and Mrs. Hemphill are the parents of two children, a son and a daughter, Ruth Ross, who became the wife of Ernest Ibbetson, of Carlinville; and Victor Herman, who is engaged in the practice of law in this city.

Mr. and Mrs. Hemphill both hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and he belongs also to the Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a stanch democrat, and for the past twelve years has served as supervisor of Carlinville township, while at one time he was town clerk. Mr. Hemphill is one of the successful and prosperous business men of Carlinville and in addition to his mercantile interests owns and manages some good farming land near this city.

Extracted 17 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 598-600.