A couple of weeks before the Christmas holiday, Morrison-Talbott Library in Waterloo received an early gift to bolster its genealogy section.

Tim Ogle of the O’Fallon Historical Society delivered a collection of Lemen family documents to the library on Dec. 16. 

Included in the delivery was an album of Lemen family photographs – some from the 1800s – a book of Lemen family history and genealogy, an 1856 diary belonging to Robert W. Lemen and a copy of “Pilgrim’s Progress” circa 1826  belonging to his father Robert Lemen.   

The donation adds to the existing Lemen collection at the library, which chronicles the descendents of James Lemen Sr., founder of the New Design settlement in 1793 south of Waterloo.

New Design is regarded as the first “truly American” settlement in Illinois.

This latest addition to the library’s collection almost didn’t happen.

Robert Lemen of St. Louis, a direct descendant of James Lemen Sr., was contacted in 2001 by attorneys handling his late uncle Richard Lemen’s estate in Moline regarding items of family history which had not been claimed.

Robert told the Republic-Times he thought his brother Thomas should keep his uncle’s collection to “carry on the Lemen name” since Thomas had sons and Robert only had a daughter. 

The sons did not take much interest in the family history, so when Thomas died in 2011, the documented Lemen family history was mostly forgotten until recently. 

Robert had donated a different collection of Lemen artifacts to local genealogist Janet Flynn some years ago with plans to take the items to the Illinois State Library in Springfield. 

Unfortunately, Flynn’s health deteriorated before the delivery could be made and the Lemen books were given to Morrison-Talbott Library.

When Robert remembered there was more to the collection, he tried unsuccessfully to locate the items until they were discovered earlier this year in O’Fallon, Mo.

He had contacted his former sister-in-law’s current husband, who eventually found boxes containing the things Robert had described.

After retrieving the items, Robert tried to contact Flynn but instead spoke with Monroe County Genealogy Society President Jan Wenk, who put him in touch with Ogle.

“He was very excited” to learn of the recent discovery, Robert said of Ogle.

Ogle has a keen interest in New Design and the Lemen family. He is a descendent of Captain Joseph Ogle, James Lemen Sr.’s father-in-law.

He was also part of a team which recently restored buried Lemen family gravestones near the Lemen Monument south of Waterloo.

In addition to the physical artifacts Ogle delivered, he reported the pages of most of the books had been digitally archived by members of the O’Fallon Historical Society.

Ogle said it took society president Brian Keller and member Whitney Wisnasky-Bettorf four hours of non-stop work to digitize the collection. 

“They did it because the Lemen family is also prominent in O’Fallon and St. Clair County,” Ogle said, adding the organization wanted to document the items before they were delivered to Waterloo.

The content will help jumpstart a library project which aims to create a digital archive of the library’s genealogical materials.

Morrison-Talbott Library Adult Services Coordinator Sherri Tjemmes said the library will be revamping its website and using grant funding to scan genealogical records in the library’s possession. 

Much of the library’s genealogical section is kept in binders or boxes.

The project to digitize the collection is slated for 2023, according to Tjemmes. 

She added the digital archive will not only make it easier for patrons to perform family research, but will help preserve the older materials.

For more about the library’s genealogy section, visit Morrison-Talbott Library at 215 Park Street in Waterloo or call 618-939-6232.