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VICE PRES. GLORIA RAWLS PASSES AWAY IN JANUARY
It is with great sadness that we inform our members of Hemphill Historical Society of the death of our Society's Vice
President since 2001, Mrs. Gloria Arthur Rawls of Brilliant, Alabama who suddenly passed away on January 6, 2005 at age
61. Gloria was born May 18, 1943 in Haleyville, Alabama to Mr. &. Mrs. Robert Morris Arthur. She married Harold Rawls
on 20 August 1961.
Gloria is survived by her husband, her son James Brett, a daughter Mrs. DeAnna Rawls Cullum, her mother Mrs. Margie
Arthur and a sister Mrs. Carolyn Dodd. An infant son, a daughter LaNita and her father preceded her death. The funeral
service was held 10 Jan.. at the Ninth Avenue Church of Christ in Haleyville and burial was in Bethel Cemetery.
Our Society is going to miss her sunny presence and smile at our reunions. Her Hemphill line was John (1715-1792 of No.
Ireland) thru James (1749 NI-1836 TN). A tribute to Gloria can be found on - http://gloria-rawls.memory-of.com
PLEASE NOTE:
Our Hemphill Historical Society now has an official web site- It is www.hemphillhistoricalsociety.org
Mr. Harold Rawls has created this web site and will keep it updated with material. Our "hats go off to him" for a job well
done- THANKS!
OUR TRIP TO AFRICA
By Ruth Hemphill
his geography got a little mixed up as we ended up in Africa. Now the last time I checked Northern Ireland and
Southern Africa on the map, they were not even on the same continent!
On November 17th, we departed on a 17 hour flight to Johannesburg with a one hour stop in Cape Verde (we were
not allowed off the plane). Arriving in Johannesburg we boarded another flight to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and stayed
at the Victoria Falls Hotel. We ate our breakfast on the patio and could see the spray from the falls. You had to eat
quickly as mongooses, monkeys, and baboons wanted to share your breakfast. The next day we toured the Falls
which were very beautiful but because of lack of rain was not completely covered. That evening we were on a cruise
on the Zambezi River where we saw our first elephants and hippos in the wild. How exciting!
The following morning we traveled by car to our first camp which was Chobe. Here we met a couple from New York and
we soon became friends. At Chobe Camp, Botswana, we were very spoiled - air conditioned adobe cottages, excellent
food, and a staff that saw to your every need. Thousands of miles from home in Africa and living in luxury! We met
another couple from New Jersey and the six of us went on our first safari together. It was great! We saw so many
elephants, hippos, impalas, wart hogs, kudus, crocodiles, and other animals. After two nights at Chobe, we boarded a
12-passenger plane and flew to Camp Stanley where we saw our first giraffes, zebras, pukus, wildebeests, and
hyenas. We stayed in tents (no air conditioning) and had a visitor by our deck - a wild elephant decided to welcome
us! We had a picnic lunch out in the wild with a man who does research on elephants and had three well-behaved
elephant friends with him.
From Stanley Camp, we boarded a 5 passenger plane and flew to Chiefs Camp where air conditioning was still
unheard of! It was a balmy 103 degrees in our tent in the afternoon. Out safari treks were very successful here (four
hours in the morning and four hours in the after- noon) and you soon forgot about the heat. We saw all of the "Big
Five" here which consists of lions, leopards, elephants, cape buffalos, and the very elusive rhino. The animals here
were plentiful and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of them. Our last afternoon, we had a rain shower and a beautiful
rainbow. The sunsets in Africa are absolutely gorgeous.
Livingstone, Zambia. From there, we flew to Johannesburg and said a
tearful goodbye to our New York and New Jersey friends. We boarded
our flight to Atlanta on a very stormy night. The lightning was bright
and beautiful - it was as if Africa was putting on one last spectacular
show for us. After 21 hours on a plane, the imprint of my bottom will
forever be imbedded in the seat on South African Airlines plane!
It was a trip I was a little reluctant to go on but am so glad Ray talked
me into it - as it was awesome! Who knows - we may actually find our
way to Ireland yet!!
Editor's note - To the right is a wonderful picture of our Pres. Ray
and wife Ruth standing by their "new elephant friend" taken in
Botswana, Africa while on a safari in November.
1840 HEMPHILL LETTER
(Letter was in the estate file of Wm. M. Hemphill in St. Clair Co., Illinois. Andrew McQuiston is a brother of William M.
Hemphill's mother, Jennet McQuiston, thus his uncle. Andrew is also the husband of William's half-sister Sarah
"Sallie" Hemphill, thus his half brother-in-law. William M. Hemphill is the great-great grandfather of Carolyn Dorf, our
Society's Secretary who sent this article which is a follow-up on an article "Another Hemphill Connection" on p.3 of
October 2004 issue of Newsletter.) NOTE: Letter copied as originally written, mistakes and all sent in by
Carolyn Dorf.
Indiana Monroe County Febuary 22th 1840
Ever respected uncle I take up my pen to write you a few lines to let you know something of my surcumstances and
situation since I saw you. I shall not detain to menchance all the particulars as I suppose you know them before this
time beter than I could write them. I wrote to you last spring stating the crosses and troubles that I met with, the
situation of my health at that time was very bad and was still worse for some time. I was under under the doctor
about 5 weeks. My complaint he said was the enlarged spleen my melt he said was 4 or 5 times as big as it ought to
hav been. I went through a very sevear course of medison. I have grate reason to be thankful to him who is the giver
of all our mercies. I have reason to believe the angels ? was about me and my health renewed like the eagles, as
renewal is thy will. My health is good at present. I am as weighter as I ever was. My family is well at present. I supose
you heard of the Deth of my little Daughter Martha Jane. She was buried in my absence last July. I hope when these
few lines comes to hand they will find you enjoing good health & shall let you know that I looked so long for a letter
from you, but received none. I shall state to you as I dun before concerning the money that you left with me. I
received your letter about two weeks before Marthas deth. The terms you selected out was entered. I know not what
to do. If I had a had another hundred Dollars I might hav entered a very good place. My opinion and the opinion of
others that without a nuf to enter both timber and farm sufficient to make a farm it might be as well to withdraw. I lent
one half of the money to Cusin John and Robert Gibson and Alexander McQuier to pay up the meeten house the
other I made no private use of. I would have sent it to you last spring if an opportunity had aford. I saw Mr. James
Strong yesterday he said he could cary 50$ to you as he could pay it to you if I would replace it to Mayor Mofit as he
was owing it to Mofit. I went this morning and dun so. I got his receipt for the money. The other 50 is bearing 10
percent intrest. If you don't need the money perhaps I shall keep it and pay the intrest if you will trust me with it. I
shall not detain any further on this subject. I want you as soon as this comes to hand to wright to me and let me know
how all comes out. I must tell you how that when I was home last fall I rented my place for this year. Owing to my
circumstances in health it has reduced my prospect very much in this world. The things of this world are as nothing
they are as a sheav that passeth soon away. if we could but press forever to that grate mark wherewith we are called
to make our calling and election. I have my place and two mares and wagon clear of det this is my circurnstance.
NOW I shall draw your attention for a few moments on a subject of grate importance. In viewing my lost and lonely
situation I hav brought to view the subject of selecting me a partner while in this world. I hav been inabled to perform
it with success. I and Pegy Brown was joined hand and hand in the Marey Contract on the 13' of the same instant. I
expect to stay hear this summer. Pegy joins with me in sending our respects to you and Sara and family. Also to
John McClurkin and family also Hug(h) Nellson ? (or Wellson) and family also to Mary and her husband we are
acquainted with and with our friends and acquaintance I add no more but remain yours. Wm. M. Hemphill
which when put in place Dec. 6, 1884, was the largest piece of cast aluminum in the world at that time. The North
side has the names of the joint commission that oversaw the construction. Another side has the date that the
cornerstone was laid, 4 July 1848 and the most important side, the East side, has the words "Laus Deo" Latin for
"Thanks Be To God." The monument is 555 feet and 5.125 inches high and from the observation area you can
see the original plan of the city's architect, Pierre Enfant, which was to have a city laid out in a perfect cross. Every
existing state at the time of dedication 102 years ago has a piece of stone from their state in the walls. There are
896 steps and 50 landings with memorial carvings submitted by many groups, many of which contain biblical
quotations. The cornerstone has a very big vault in it and contains about 50 newspapers that had articles about
George Washington, a Holy Bible, many letters from the existing states' governors, a copy of the Decla-r- ation of
Independence, a copy of the Constitution of the United States, and many other items.
- From the Pike Press, Pittsfield, IL, De. 8, 2004
THE WIT AND KISDOM OF PRES.RONALD REAGAN - The nine terrifying words in the
English language - "I'm from the government and I'm here to help!"
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears
a very close resemblance to the first!"
"I'm afraid I can't use a mule, I have several hundred up on Capitol Hill!" (Said on refusing
a gift of a mule.)
"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born!"
- From Old Towne Gazette, July 2004, p. 10
Contributed by Ray Hemphill
DONATIONS
of Gloria Rawls which are much appreciated by our Society.
NEXT REUNION IN 2006
your plans early!
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2007 REUNION - Scheduled for ????????
NEED VOLUNTEERS!!!!
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she took me to lunch to meet her friend that she formerly taught with in same school. This friend happens to be
Patricia Hemphill Pomaro who is the daughter of a former Hemphill member, Aloysius Leroy Hemphill, who
passed away in 2002. (Obit. in Oct. 2002, p.2 Newsletter) Both my daughter Brenda and Pat now teach in
different schools. Pat retired from public school teaching and now teaches part time in a private Muslin School
which she has found extremely interesting. She brought her Hemphill family scrap book of pictures with her to
lunch and we had an interesting session viewing old Hemphill family pictures.
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