Origin of the Lemen family

The Origin of the Lemen Family in the U.S.

(My mom and dad had this little piece of Lemen family history mounted in a small frame next to their front door:)

Thomas Lemen, like one or two of his kinsmen among the pioneer Lemens of Illinois, had the gift of poetry so naturally that he could compose very good verse extemporaneously. He was of a very practical turn of mind, and he regarded the art of making poetry as rather a trivial occupation, but sometimes, for the gratification of his friends, he would extemporize a few verses and let them write them down if they wished; but he himself would scarcely ever trouble to write it himself.

The following verses, entitled, "Our Three Homes," were composed by Thomas and written and preserved by some of the early Lemens in Virginia, a copy of which was sent to Rev. James Lemen, Jr. of Illinois, in 1840, by a William Lemen from Richmond, Va. The poem is as follows:

OUR THREE HOMES.
Our fathers bold, the facts agree,
Were quite at home on land and sea;
They lived on Scotland's rugged height,
And fought with Cromwell for the right.

Their second home was Erin's Isle,
Forgetting not their craft the while
Of making ships with skillful hand,
That sailed to many a distant land.

And then in seventeen and eight,
They sought again a new estate;
And made America their home,
From which their children will not roam.

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