Vernon Lemens
Full Name: William Vernon McKinney LemensDate of birth: September 6, 1900
Date of death: June 29, 1993
Terms of Service
| 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 | Democrat | Waxahachie / Ellis | Senate President Pro Tempore (48th) | Ellis, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Somervell |
| S | 12 | Jan 12, 1937 - Jan 14, 1941 | 46th (5) 45th (6) | 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 |
Terms of service footnotes
(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) Lawyer. Questionnaire on name, postoffice, occupation, association membership, and relationship to persons in state or county government. 10/11/1933, pp. 588-601. House Journal. ↩
Terms of Service
- Legislatures:
- 48th (1) (2) (3) (4) 47th
- Leadership role:
-
Senate President Pro Tempore (48th)
(47th)
- Party:
- Democrat
- Home City/County:
- Waxahachie / Ellis
- Counties in district:
- Ellis, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Somervell
- Legislatures:
- 44th
- Party:
- Democrat
- Home City/County:
- Rainbow / Somervell
- Counties in district:
- Bosque, Johnson, Somervell
- Legislatures:
- 43rd (7)
- Party:
- Democrat
- Home City/County:
- Rainbow / Somervell
- Counties in district:
- Bosque, Johnson, Somervell
- Legislatures:
- 42nd
- Party:
- Democrat
- Home City/County:
- Rainbow / Somervell
- Counties in district:
- Bosque, Johnson, Somervell
- Legislatures:
- 41st
- Party:
- Democrat
- Home City/County:
- Rainbow / Somervell
- Counties in district:
- Bosque, Johnson, Somervell
Terms of service notes
(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) Lawyer. Questionnaire on name, postoffice, occupation, association membership, and relationship to persons in state or county government. 10/11/1933, pp. 588-601. House Journal. ↩
Biographical Information
- 74th Legislature, R.S., HR 1059. Memorializing 35 members who died in the past two years. Resolutions - Memorial.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. Selected newspaper articles
- 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
- 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.
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