Robert Jemison, Jr. left the imprint of a major builder on Birmingham.
Jemison, the descendant of pioneer business entrepreneurs, was educated at The University of Alabama and the University of the South (Sewanee). Jemison began his business career in 1899 as a hardware store clerk, laying the foundation for his subsequent career in real estate. In 1901, he married Virginia Earle Walker. Jemison launched the Jemison Real Estate and Insurance Company in 1903. In less than a decade, his real estate developments had made a major mark on the city: Ensley Highlands, Earle Place, Central Park, Mountain Terrace, and Bush Hills. In 1907, he served as president of the National Alumni Association for The University of Alabama. In 1910, he developed the Tutwiler Hotel. In 1916, he was elected the first chairman of the Birmingham chapter of the American Red Cross. The 1920s marked a time of civic involvement for Jemison. He began many years of service as a trustee for the University of the South and Alabama hospitals, as well as serving as president of the National Association of Real Estate Boards. Jemison was responsible for the development of the Mountain Brook area, thought by many to be too far from the business district to be successful. His contribution to the area was commended with the City of Mountain Brook dedicating Jemison Park in his honor. In 1971, he was elected one of the ten greatest men of Birmingham in a centennial poll by the city’s Chamber of Commerce.
