Peter and Rebecca Hempy, the parents of the subject of this sketch, were natives of Maryland, whence they emigrated to Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio, in the year 1808. The father, although he resided on a farm, was a millwright by trade. He died in the year 1840 and the mother about ten years afterward.

Samuel was born during the residence of his parents on a farm near Lancaster, on the first day of January, 1817. He remained on the farm until he was old enough to tend the saw- and grist-mill of his father, when he was thus employed until he was about twenty-one years of age, at which time his father sold the mills (Which are located on Hock-hocking river, west of Lancaster, and removed in 1838, to a farm in the northwestern part of Fairfield county. He there commenced the erection of a mill, but shortly afterward Samuel rented his father's farm for about two years, during which he married Catharine, daughter of Jacob and Susan Feasel, of Fairfield county, who was born December 24, 1823. He lived for two years more on another farm which he rented in the same county, when he purchased a farm in Mercer county, Ohio, to which he removed, and which he occupied something over two years, when he returned to Franklin county and rented, of Henry Dildine, a farm about a mile west of where he now lives. This place he occupied about four years, when, in 1851, he bought the farm on which he now resides. Soon after the death of his wife, which occurred August 24, 1853, he sold the farm and bought a small place, but about a year afterward he bought back the farm, and has continued to occupy it until the present.

August 13, 1855, he married Elizabeth Deal, daughter of Elias and Rebecca Deal, of Violet township, Fairfield county, Ohio, who was born December 7, 1838.

By his first wife Mr. Hempy has had six children, as follows: Infant son, born July 4, 1841, who died soon afterward; William Henry, born August 5, 1842, who died in the army at Nashville, July 16, 1862; Samantha Jane, born December 12, 1844, who died August 24, 1845; Oliver P., born September 7, 1846, who died April 3, 1864; Sarah Ann, born October 2, 1848, who married G. W. Burman, and died in Hardin county, Ohio, December 28, 1867; and Minerva J., born October 1, 1851, who is the wife of William Ororark, and resides in Hardin county.

The children of the second marriage are as follows: John C. F., born September 10, 1856; Mary C., born February 22, 1858, who is the wife of Uriah Francisco, and resides on a portion of the farm; George L. born April 22, 1859; Samuel A., born December 31, 1860; Ida B., born October 3, 1862; Lilly F., born February 22, 1865, who died March 9th, of the same year; Frank E., born February 9, 1866, Maggie Luella, born March 15, 1868, Olive Rebecca, born March 28, 1870; and Nora May, born August 3, 1874.

Mr. Hempy has followed the business of milling, with more or less regularity, until within the last two years. He run [sic.] a mill in Hardin county two years, and has been engaged in milling in the vicinity in which he lives for over twenty years.