Hemphill, Theron Joseph Taylor

Theron Joseph Taylor 'T.J.' Hemphill (October 9, 1902 - March 23, 1955) owned an operated a chain of bookstores in Austin, Texas. Born on a farm near Era, Cooke County, Texas, Hemphill attended Oak Cliff High School in Dallas before entering Southern Methodist University (SMU). He only attended SMU for one year, before entering the University of Texas in Austin, where he eventually earned a Master's degree in Business Administration. He opened the first Hemphill's Book Store in 1933 across from the University of Texas Law Building, and at the time of his death owned four bookstores around Austin. Over the course of the subsequent twenty-plus years, Hemphill became popular among students at the University of Texas and could count friends across the state and the southwest. Hemphill acquired the Texas Book Store, one of his main competitors, in August 1953. He married his wife Gensie with whom he had one daughter, named Holly. Genie owned and operated Hemphill's Book Stores until at least 1964, and references to the store appear as late as 1978.