James Lemen Sr. (November 10, 1760 – January 8, 1823) was an American church founder and an influential leader of theanti-slavery movement in Indiana Territory in the early nineteenth century.
Born nearHarper's Ferry, Virginia (now inWest Virginia) or inLexington, Virginia, in colonial times. He served a two-year enlistment in theAmerican Revolutionary War.[1] He graduated fromWashington and Lee University in 1776. He married Catherine Ogle, from the family whose name is perpetuated in that ofOgle County, Illinois.
Lemen was a leader of theanti-slavery movement in Indiana Territory, and influenced theIllinois' first "Free State" Constitution, which was framed in 1818 and preserved in 1824.[citation needed]
He and his family moved to Illinois in the spring of 1786 by way theOhio River. He founded the town of New Design the same year (near present-day Waterloo in Monroe County). He was one of the founders of the firstBaptist church in Illinois.[2]
He died inNew Design, Illinois on January 8, 1823, at the age of 62.
In an alleged letter to Lemen's son, dated March 2, 1857,Abraham Lincoln praises Lemen senior's anti-slavery work. Lemen, as Jefferson's agent in Illinois, founded the anti-slavery churches, which in Lincoln's view, "set in motion the forces which finally made Illinois a free state."[3] In Appendix II of "The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln" this letter is listed as a forgery.[4] It is unclear why such a letter would be forged, as Lemen was an established and influential leader in the anti-slavery movement.[5]
Historians dispute as unsubstantiated the claim of a "Jefferson-Lemen Secret Anti-Slavery Compact."[6] During his life, Thomas Jefferson was known for being very diligent about keeping a copy of all of his written correspondence that he sent to others and also, "A careful examination of Jefferson's account book for the time period covering 2 May 1784, when Jefferson and Lemen supposedly met, through 31 December 1785 reveals no corresponding transaction.....'"[5] whereby it is claimed that Thomas Jefferson secretly asked Lemen to move toIllinois (thenIndiana Territory), and to take up the anti-slavery cause there.[7]
Lemen's son Rev. James Lemen Jr. (1787–1870) was a nationally known preacher and politician. Lemen graduated fromColumbia University in 1806.[citation needed] He served as a Representative for Illinois for over 20 years and was offered the position of a Senator from the Governor of Illinois, but he declined the offer.[citation needed]
His great-great-grandsonWilliam Rainey Harper was the founder and first president of theUniversity of Chicago. His great-granddaughter Mary Reed was married to Illinois Representative and Speaker of the HouseJoseph Gurney Cannon.[citation needed]
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