Joseph Hemphill

Joseph Hemphill (January 7, 1770 – May 29, 1842) was an American politician who served as a Federalist member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district from 1801 to 1803 and from 1829 to 1831.

Joseph Hemphill
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831
Preceded by	Joel Barlow Sutherland
Succeeded by	John Goddard Watmough
In office March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803
Preceded by	Richard Thomas
Succeeded by	See below
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 2nd district
In office March 4, 1823 – 1826
Preceded by	See below
Succeeded by	Thomas Kittera
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 1st district
In office March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1823
Preceded by	See below
Succeeded by	Samuel Breck
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office 1797-1800
Personal details
Born	(1770-01-07)January 7, 1770 Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania
Died	May 29, 1842(1842-05-29) (aged 72) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Political party	Federalist Jacksonian Federalist Jacksonian

Biography

Hemphill was born in Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1791. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1793 and commenced practice in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1797 to 1800. He also owned the Historic Strawberry Mansion in Fairmount Park and used it as his summer home from 1821 until his death in 1842.

Hemphill was elected as a Federalist to the Seventh Congress. He moved to Philadelphia in 1803, and again was a member of the State House of Representatives in 1805. He was appointed the first president judge of the district court of the city and county of Philadelphia. He was again elected as a Federalist to the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Congresses, elected as a Jackson Federalist to the Eighteenth Congress, and reelected as a Jacksonian to the Nineteenth Congress, and served until his resignation in 1826. He was again elected as a Jacksonian to the Twenty-first Congress. He was a member of the State House of Representatives in 1831 and 1832, and died in Philadelphia in 1842.[1] Interment in Laurel Hill Cemetery.[2]

His wife, Margaret Coleman Hemphill, was the sister of Anne Caroline Coleman, the fiancée of then-future President James Buchanan who also served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.

References

1. Ashmeade, Henry Graham (1884). History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co. pp. 703–704. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
2. "Joseph Hemphill". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 10 July 2020.

Sources

• United States Congress. "Joseph Hemphill (id: H000470)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Political Graveyard
• Joseph Hemphill at Find a Grave

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Richard Thomas	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803	Succeeded by Isaac Anderson, Joseph Hiester, and John Whitehill
Preceded by William Anderson, Joseph Hopkinson, John Sergeant, and Adam Seybert	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1823 alongside: Samuel Edwards, John Sergeant, and Thomas Forrest (1819–1821) Samuel Edwards, William Milnor, and John Sergeant (1821–1822) Samuel Edwards, John Sergeant, and Thomas Forrest (1822–1823)	Succeeded by Samuel Breck
Preceded by William Darlington, and Samuel Gross	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district March 4, 1823 – 1826	Succeeded by Thomas Kittera
Preceded by Joel Barlow Sutherland	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831	Succeeded by John G. Watmough