Son of James Semple of Dreghorn. The Semple family came from a place in Scotland that was 12 miles south of Glasgow and 40 miles from Edinburgh in the southern part of Renfrew shire. There’s a loch there known as Lochwanoch , and it is fed by several streams. The outlet of the lake constitutes the river Blackheart, and it flows into the River Griff near the junction with the Clyde. at one time the Semples had access to all of this land. Was a lawyer by profession, and in Virginia he set up a law practice with Obadiah Marriott. John fell in love with Elizabeth Walker, his partner’s step-granddaughter. He built the orignial Rosemount between 1761 and 1764. When he died he had not been married long, the house had not been finished very long. His youngest son was about 12 monthe old, and he left a great debt. He had gone security for the sheriff of the county who was in tax trouble. This man owed taxes for two years and was unable to pay. About the time he died the tax collectors called for the money, and, in order to pay it, Rosemount had to be sold. The estate was put up for sale, and Elizabeth Walker Semple’s grandmother bought the place and gave it back to her granddaughter so that she would have a home in which to raise her five children.
The children were raised Anglicans, then became Episcopal following the Revolutionary War. They attended St. Clement’s Church (known as Old Appletree Church)