HEMPHILL, Russell J., M.D.

HEMPHILL, RUSSELL, CARR, JENNINGS, CORBIN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/5/2014 at 14:50:09

HISTORY of CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IOWA
WHEELER, J.H. Vol. II. Pp. 690-93. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago. 1910

BIOGRAPHY ~ RUSSELL J. HEMPHILL, M.D.

Russell J. Hemphill, M. D., for eighteen years has been the only physician and surgeon at Plymouth, Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, and his successful practice here has endeared him to the people of the little town and surrounding country.

Dr. Hemphill is of Irish descent. His great-grandfather Hemphill was born on the "Emerald Isle," came to America in early life, and for some years made his home in Ohio. About the year 1834 or 1835, when D. C., the Doctor's father, was four years of age, the family moved from Ohio to Will county, Illinois. In the latter place D. C. Hemphill was reared and passed his life as a farmer, and he died there in 1902, at the age of seventy-two years. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and reared their family in that faith. Before her marriage she was Miss Hannah Russell, and had come with her family from her native state, New York, to Illinois, their settlement being in Will county, where she was married, and where she died in 1883, at the age of forty-eight years. Of their six sons and three daughters all are living except one son. Two of the sons. Dr. Wilber J., a dentist, and B. C, engaged in a grain and coal business, are residents of Dexter, Iowa. Charles I., is a farmer of Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, and P. W., of Joliet Illinois, is employed in the mail service. Two of the daughters are married, Mrs. Burgess Carr and Mrs. Jennings, the latter being a resident of Marshall, Minnesota. Miss Kittie E. Hemphill lives with her sister, Mrs. Carr.

Russell J. Hemphill, the subject of this sketch, was born in Will county, Illinois, February 26, 1862, and was reared in his native county, receiving his early education there. He pursued his medical studies at the Northwestern Medical College, Chicago, where he graduated with the class of 1892, and immediately following his graduation he came to Cerro Gordo county, Iowa, and opened an office at Plymouth, where he has since conducted a successful practice. His comfortable and attractive home here was built in 1905, at a cost of four thousand dollars and he has recently, in 1910, erected on Main street the concrete office building which he occupies. He has membership in the Cerro Gordo County. Iowa State and American Medical Associations.

Dr. Hemphill married, in Will county, Illinois, Miss Helen Corbin, and to them have been given four children, all born in Cerro Gordo county: Corbin Russell, Irma, Arthur and Arnold.

Like his parents before him, Dr. Hemphill is a Methodist. He is fraternally identified with the I. O. 0. P., Oak Lodge, No. 168, of Plymouth, and also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and Brotherhood of American Yeomen. Mrs. Hemphill belongs to the Rebekahs and the Royal Neighbors.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2014