The New York herald., 1920-12-30
A. ]. HEMPHILL DIES,
NOTED AS FINANCIER
Chairman of Guaranty Trust
Identified With Many
Large Corporations.

Alexander ]. Hemphill, chairman of the
board OF directors Of the Guaranty Trust
Company of New York. died yesterday
morning In his home. 13 East Sixty
ninth street His health had not been
good for year and during the last week
his heart had been weakened by severe
attack Of indigestion. He was down
town and in his office. however. as re-
Gently as December 20 and on that day
did some Christmas shopping.
When Mrs. Hemphill went to his room
at 6 o'clock yesterday morning she
thought he was asleep and withdrew so
as not to disturb him. When his at
tending physician called two hours later.
1t was found he was dead.
Funeral services will be held at l
o'clock Sunday afternoon in All Souls
Unitarian Church, 104 East Twentieth
street, the Rev. DR.. William l.. Sullli-
van officiating. Interment viii be In
Freehold, N. J.. and at the convenience
Of the family.
Alexander Julian Hemphill was born
in Philadelphia on August 23. 1856, the
son OF William Kerr Hemphill and
Sarah Jane McCune Hemphill. He was
graduated from the Central High School
of Philadelphia in 1875 and studied with
private tutors in preparation for q col
leSlate course, but before entering COL
lege was offered a position in the ac-
counting department of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company and accepted it. His
promotions were frequent until 1888,
when he was appointed secretary of the
Norfolk and Western Railroad Company.
he was the youngest railroad secretary
IN the United States at that time.
Comes to New York.
In 1895 when the general offices of
the railroad were moved from Phila-
delphia to New York he came to this
city. He continued with the Norfolk
and Western until 1905, when he accept
ed the vice-presidency of the Guaranty
Trust Company Of New York, assuming
his new duties on January 25 of that
year. He became a director of the COM
pany on April s, 1908, and on December
8, 1903, its president. In 1915 Mr.
Hemphill was elected chairman of the
board Of directors
Among the corporations of which he
was director are the American Surety
Company Of New York. Audit Company
of New York. Autosales Corporation,
California Railway and Power Company,
Curran & Bullitt, Inc, Electric
Bond and Share Company. Fidelity and
Casualty Company, Guaranty Company
Company. Guaranty Trust Company of
New York. Hares Motors Inc, Hastings
Square Hotel Company, Hudson ana
Manhattan Railroad Company, Inter
borough Consolidated Corporation, Inter-
borough Rapid Transit Company.
In 1914 Mr.. Hemphill became treas
urer OF the Commission for Relief in
Belgium, and subsequently was ap-
pointed by President Wilson as chair
man Of an advisory committee, which
was formed to cooperate with the COM
mission. During the war and since ne
had been very active in a great num-
ber Of relief organizations. including
the Refugees Relief Fund, the War Re-
lief Clearing House for France and Her
Allies, and similar organizations He
served as treasurer of the Food For
France Fund, the Fatherless Children
OF France Fund Interraclal Council, the
National Security League, the National
Amerlcanization Committee and the
Catherine Breshkovsky's Russian Or
phans Relief He was also a member
OF the executive committee OF the Amer
lean Committee for Armenian and
Syrian Relief.
In recognition OF his service abroad
he received the order OF Chevalier of
the Legion of Honor from the French
Government, ana the rank OF Com
mander OF the Order of the Crown and
the Grand Cross order of Leopold II.
from Albert King of the Belgians.
Member OF Many Clubs.
Mr.. Hemphill was president of the
Automobile Club OF America and a
member OF the following clubs and or,
ganizations: Down Town Association.
Century Association. Metropolitan Clun.
Pennsylvania Society. Chamber of Com
merce. Rittenhouse Club, Recess Club.
Rumson Club Union League CLUB.
Guaranty Club. American Institute Of
Banking. Bookkeepers Beneficial Asso-
citation. Economic Club of New York.
Bankers Club OF America. American
Academy OF Political and Social Science,
Rocky Mountain Club. Italy American
Society. Unitarian League Committee
and Hudson River and Erie Waterway
Association.
on April 90. 1850. Mr.. HemphilI mar
ried Miss Jeanette Cadmus OF Phila-
delphia. He leaves a wife and four
Mrs. Jeanette H. Bolte OF
Pelham Heights. Clifford Hemphiu OF
Hemphill. Noyes & Co. Albert w.
Hemphill of the engineering firm OF
Hemphill & Wells and Meredith Hemp
hill, who is q student at Williams Col