1. Joseph Hemphill was an American politician who served as a Federalist member of the US House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district from 1801 to 1803, as a Jackson Federalist representative for Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district from 1819 to 1823 and as a Jacksonian representative for Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district from 1829 to 1831.
Joseph Hemphill served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1797 to 1800, in 1805 and from 1831 to 1832.
Joseph Hemphill graduated from the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1791.
Joseph Hemphill studied law under Thomas Ross, was admitted to the bar in 1793 and began to practice law in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Joseph Hemphill was elected as a Federalist member representing Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district in the Seventh Congress from 1801 to 1803.
Joseph Hemphill moved to Philadelphia in 1803, and again was a member of the State House of Representatives in 1805.
Joseph Hemphill was appointed the first president judge of the district court of the city and county of Philadelphia.
Joseph Hemphill was elected as a Federalist member representing Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Congresses from 1819 to 1823.
Joseph Hemphill was elected as a Jackson Federalist member representing Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district in the Eighteenth Congress, and reelected as a Jacksonian to the Nineteenth Congress, from 1823 until his resignation in 1826.
Joseph Hemphill was elected as a Jacksonian member representing Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district in the Twenty-first Congress from 1829 to 1831.
Joseph Hemphill was a member of the State House of Representatives in 1831 and 1832.
Joseph Hemphill introduced a bill in 1824 which called for the usage of military personnel to conduct surveys and estimate costs for construction of roads and canals.
Joseph Hemphill was an anti-slavery advocate and gave a speech to Congress against slavery, especially in Missouri.
Joseph Hemphill declared slavery to be "the forcible oppression of otherwise powerless people".
Joseph Hemphill proposed delaying implementation of the act in order to conduct surveys of the land the Native Americans were to be moved to, but his proposal was voted down.
Joseph Hemphill purchased the Historic Strawberry Mansion in Fairmount Park from Judge William Lewis in 1821 and used it as his summer home.
Joseph Hemphill added the Greek Revival wings to the structure and was known to entertain John C Calhoun from South Carolina and the Marquis de Lafayette from France.
Joseph Hemphill died in Philadelphia on May 28,1842, and was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery.