Semicolons are brain-eating ameobas

I've never seen a novel's synopsis contain a semicolon, or at least a novel that I wanted to read. Ellipses, EM-dashes and colons are great. They'll reach out and grab' ya but there's something about the semis that I just don't like. Too ancient, too starchy and too stuffy, so I avoid' em like a leper colony infected with the plague. Now the time has to learn what's required when it comes to semicolons...OH LORDY-LORD...plus those other 50 million grammatical sins I've committed.The first one goes like this:

"One of the richest families in Alabama since statehood forty-six years ago and definitely the most secretive, McMillans own Hawthorne County, line the pockets of politicians in high places, provide sanctuary for hundreds of slaves, all while profiting from a treasonous war they despise."

I'm don't know if a semicolon is required to precede "all while." Or if a semicolon is required written this way:

"One of the richest families in Alabama since statehood forty-six years ago and definitely the most secretive, McMillans own Hawthorne County, line the pockets of politicians in high places, provide sanctuary for hundreds of slaves, at the same time profiting from a treasonous war they despise."

Does the prepositional phrase "at the same time" require a semicolon to precede it because "they despise" is tacked on at the end of the sentence?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.