Vernon Lemens

Full Name: William Vernon McKinney Lemens
Date of birth: September 6, 1900
Date of death: June 29, 1993

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information
Legislation

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Note	Counties in District
S	12	Jan 14, 1941 - Jan 9, 1945	48th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ 47th 48th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾	Democrat	Waxahachie / Ellis	Senate President Pro Tempore (48th)	Ellis, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Somervell
S	12	Jan 12, 1937 - Jan 14, 1941	45th ⁽⁶⁾ 46th ⁽⁵⁾	Democrat	Rainbow / Somervell		Ellis, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Somervell
H	98	Jan 8, 1935 - Jan 12, 1937	44th	Democrat	Rainbow / Somervell		Bosque, Johnson, Somervell
H	98	Jan 10, 1933 - Jan 8, 1935	43rd ⁽⁷⁾	Democrat	Rainbow / Somervell		Bosque, Johnson, Somervell
H	98	Jan 13, 1931 - Jan 10, 1933	42nd	Democrat	Rainbow / Somervell		Bosque, Johnson, Somervell
H	98	Jan 8, 1929 - Jan 13, 1931	41st	Democrat	Rainbow / Somervell		Bosque, Johnson, Somervell

(1) 48th Legislature - Communication from Honorable Vernon Lemens to Lieutenant Governor John Lee Smith dated 4/26/1943, resigning from committee on textbook purchases due to military duties, 5/11/1943, p. 1176. Senate Journal.
(2) 48th Legislature - Senate President Pro Tempore, Regular Session, elected 1/12/1943. Senator Fred Mauritz elected 3/10/1943 to serve until the return of President Pro Tempore Lemens. Senate Journal.
(3) "John Lee Smith Succeeds Lemens as Senate Leader," 1/22/1943, p. 12. Mexia Weekly Herald.
(4) Served as President Pro Tempore in 1943 concurrently with military service as first lieutenant at Camp Hood. "Sen. Lemens Serves Both Tex., Nation," 1/13/1943, p. 1; "Second President Pro Tem of Tex. Senate Elected," 3/11/1943, p. 1; "[Promo]ted to Captain," 3/15/1943, p. 1. Waxahachie Daily Light.
(5) 46th Legislature - Roll Call of Senators, holdover Senators "who were Members of the Forty-fifth Legislature and whose terms of office continue for the duration of the Forty-sixth Legislature," 1/10/1939, pp. 1-2. Senate Journal.
(6) 45th Legislature - Oath of Office Administered to Senators-Elect, 1/12/1937, p. 2. Senate Journal.
(7) Name, postoffice, occupation, association membership, relationship to persons in state or county government. Resolution, 9/18/1933, pp. 45-48, and Questionnaire Authorized and Directed by Resolution Adopted by the House, 10/11/1933, pp. 588-601. House Journal.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 12
Jan 14, 1941 - Jan 9, 1945
Legislatures: 48th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ 47th 48th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾
Senate President Pro Tempore (48th)
(48th)
(48th)
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Waxahachie / Ellis
Counties in district: Ellis, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Somervell

Senate District 12
Jan 12, 1937 - Jan 14, 1941
Legislatures: 45th ⁽⁶⁾ 46th ⁽⁵⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Rainbow / Somervell
Counties in district: Ellis, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Somervell

House District 98
Jan 8, 1935 - Jan 12, 1937
Legislatures: 44th
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Rainbow / Somervell
Counties in district: Bosque, Johnson, Somervell

House District 98
Jan 10, 1933 - Jan 8, 1935
Legislatures: 43rd ⁽⁷⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Rainbow / Somervell
Counties in district: Bosque, Johnson, Somervell

House District 98
Jan 13, 1931 - Jan 10, 1933
Legislatures: 42nd
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Rainbow / Somervell
Counties in district: Bosque, Johnson, Somervell

House District 98
Jan 8, 1929 - Jan 13, 1931
Legislatures: 41st
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Rainbow / Somervell
Counties in district: Bosque, Johnson, Somervell

Biographical Information top

Selected newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

74th Legislature, R.S., HR 1059. Memorializing 35 members who died in the past two years. Resolutions - Memorial.

Biographical Sketches

Biographical sketch, "Lemens' Papers on Display at Heritage Society," 8/21/2008. Glen Rose Reporter.
Biographical sketch, "Who's Who and What's What in the Texas Legislature," by Ed Kilman, 2/8/1929, p. 18. Houston Post-Dispatch.

Military Service Notes

United States Army, Headquarters, Eighth Service Command and Judge Advocate General of Camp Swift. Texas National Guard, Judge Advocate General, Lieutenant Colonel. Obituary, Vernon Lemens, Lt. Col., Ret., 7/1/1993. Austin American-Statesman.
World War II service, Army Lieutenant, "Legislature Faces Problem of Absences: Men in Armed Forces Can't Get Leave to Attend Sessions," 1/1/1943. Dallas Morning News.
United States Army, Texas National Guard. "He volunteered for the Army during World War I in 1918. He joined the Student Army Training Corp and was able to complete his degree in 1921, majoring in physics . . . On April 6, 1942, Lemens was notified that he had been called for active duty in the Army. He worked stateside for the Army prosecuting war criminals and prisoners of war. Due to his military service, Lemens was unable to campaign for re-election and consequently lost his seat in the Senate. In the fall of 1945, Lemens separated from the Army and joined the Texas National Guard. He retired in 1960 from the Guard and never returned to politics." "Lemens' Papers on Display at Heritage Society," 8/21/2008. Glen Rose Reporter.
Pictured in uniform in 48th Senate composite photo and listed as Capt. Vernon Lemens. State Preservation Board.
United States Army. Photo and salute. With Honor and Gratitude: A Special Thank You to Our Texas Senate Members Who Served Our Country, 2017.

Other Resources

William Vernon McKinney Lemens, birth date 9/6/1900; permanent home address in Rainbow, Somervell County, Texas; farming; father J.H. Lemens; draft registration 9/12/1918 in Somervell County. FamilySearch United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
Senator Vernon Lemens, birth date 9/6/1900, death date 6/29/1993, burial in Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, Austin, Travis County. Find a Grave.

Photographs

Photograph. Capt. Vernon Lemens, 48th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Vernon Lemens, 47th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Vernon Lemens, 46th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Vernon Lemens, 45th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Vernon Lemens, 44th Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Vernon Lemens, 43rd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Vernon Lemens, 42nd Legislature, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Vernon Lemens, 41st Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

45th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
46th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
47th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
48th session composite photo of Senate members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GE.C1). State Preservation Board.
41st session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, east wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board.
42nd session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, east wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board.
43rd session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, east wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board.
44th session composite photo of House members (3rd floor back hall, east wall. 3W.C1). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

48th R.S. - 1943 Agricultural Affairs Banking Civil Jurisprudence Constitutional Amendments Criminal Jurisprudence Federal Relations Insurance Military Affairs Nominations of the Governor Privileges and Elections State Affairs State Departments and Institutions (Chair) Textbooks and The University of Texas, Investigation, Special and Interim Towns and City Corporations
47th R.S. - 1941 Agriculture Banking Criminal Jurisprudence (Chair) Enrolled Bills Finance Insurance Labor Military Affairs Nominations of Governor Public Debts, Claims and Accounts Public Health (Vice Chair) Towns and City Corporations
46th R.S. - 1939 Agriculture Counties and County Boundaries Finance Insurance (Vice Chair) Labor Local and Non-contested Bills, Special (SR 47) Military Affairs Public Debts, Claims and Accounts Public Health State Institutions and Departments (Chair) Towns and City Corporations
45th R.S. - 1937 Agricultural Affairs Contingent Expenses Counties and County Boundaries Criminal Jurisprudence Finance General Appropriations Bill Preparation, Special Insurance Internal Improvements (Chair) Interstate Cooperation (Vice Chair) Military Affairs (Chair) Nominations of the Governor Public Health State Institutions and Departments (Vice Chair) Towns and City Corporations
44th R.S. - 1935 Common Carriers Inspect Property at Milford, Texas, as Housing Facility for Dependent and Neglected Children, Special Insurance Judiciary Local Bills, Special Privileges, Suffrage, and Elections Racing Law Funds, Special
43rd R.S. - 1933 Contingent Expenses Education Insurance Privileges, Suffrage and Elections Public Health
42nd R.S. - 1931 Appropriations Criminal Jurisprudence Insurance (Vice Chair) Military Affairs State Affairs
41st R.S. - 1929 Criminal Jurisprudence Insurance Labor Military Affairs

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