Charles Smith Hempstead was born in Connecticut, studied law in St. Louis, and settled in Galena to practice law in the early 1830s.  His original home and office still stands at 611 S Bench Street, one of Galena's many beautiful brick mansions.

• 1840: formed a law partnership with Elihu Washburne.
• 1841: elected first Mayor of Galena
• 1852: Washburne elected to congress
• 1861: appointed Assistant Paymaster of the Army
• 1865: after the war, returned to practice law in Galena
• 1874: died in Galena