In the late 1960s, the city of Dubuque, Iowa, honored Hempstead by naming its second public high school after him.

Soon after, Stephen was enlisted in the Black Hawk War, where he served in the artillery company until the conflict was resolved.

[3] In 1837, Hempstead married a woman from Baltimore named Lavinia Moore Lackland, and together they had three sons and three daughters.

[5] He continued to head the Legislative Council until 1848, where Hempstead was elected as one of the three commissioners in charge of revising Iowa's laws.

[6] In 1850, Hempstead ran for governor under the democratic ticket with a strong emphasis on bringing African-American slaves to the Dubuque area.

He ran against Whig candidate James L. Thompson, and Hempstead ended up winning the election.

Fifty two new counties were also formed while Hempstead was in office, and the state of Iowa practiced financial conservation.

[9] When Hempstead's term as governor ended on December 9, 1854, he attempted to run for the United States congress, but lost due to his opinion over prohibition.