Company History

Hemphill Brothers, Inc. was founded in 1949 by James Wylie Hemphill and his brothers William Harold Hemphill, Samuel Waldo Hemphill, and Thomas Wendell Hemphill. James Wylie’s son, Wylie M. Hemphill, took over as company president in the mid-1950s and later worked alongside his son, Thomas W. Hemphill, for decades. Today, Tom’s sons Luke, Wesley, Timothy, and Joshua manage the business, the first time in three generations that Hemphill brothers have run the company.

Hemphill Brothers, Inc. has produced the below minerals at the following locations.

  • Lewiston Limestone, limestone quarry near Lewiston, ID (closed)

  • Northport Limestone, limestone quarry in Northport, WA (still operating)

  • Makynen Limestone, limestone quarry near Northport, WA (closed)

  • Baring Granite, granite operation in Baring, WA (closed)

  • Basin Silica, quartz quarry in Basin, MT (closed)

  • Hawthorne Silica, quartz quarry near Hawthorne, NV (closed)

  • Oliver Silica, quartz quarry in Oliver, BC (closed)

  • Quartz Mountain Silica, quartzite quarry near Mt. Spokane, WA (closed)

  • Denison Silica, quartz quarry near Denison, WA (closed)

  • Burgdorf Silica, quartz quarry in Burgdorf, ID (closed)

  • Colfax Silica, multiple quartz operations near Colfax, CA (closed)

  • Kingman Feldspar, feldspathic sand operation near Kingman, AZ (closed)

  • Kingman Weeks Silica, quartz quarry near Kingman, AZ (closed)

  • Lane Mountain Company, silica sand operation in Valley, WA (still operating)

In addition, James Wylie Hemphill was instrumental in supporting John Adam Jack in the founding of the limestone business J. A. Jack & Sons, which is still operating in Seattle, WA under new ownership. Hemphill Brothers, Inc. and J. A. Jack & Sons, Inc. worked in partnership, sharing employees and resources for many decades until parting ways in 2014.

Today, the Hemphill family is proud to be in its fourth generation of ownership. Owners Tom, Joan, Luke, Wes, Tim, and Josh look forward to continuing the family legacy and exploring new opportunities in raw minerals.

Below are historic photos from our various operations.