For all my readers who are fans of Lemp history, I made an interesting discovery in my research of the founder of the dynasty, Adam Lemp. When he purchased the property for the brewery on the Levee in 1844, the seller of the property, James Clemens (yes, that James Clemens), also financed Adam’s loan of $8,000 at 7.5% interest. The guarantor for the loan, who would have seized and auctioned the property if Adam had defaulted, was prominent local lawyer and politician Beverley Allen. His wife was Penelope Pope Allen, whose brother was John Pope. Yes, that John Pope, who captured Island No. 10 in the Mississippi River, but was ultimately soundly defeated by James Longstreet, under the command of Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee at the Second Battle of Bull Run. As famous as William J. Lemp Sr, and his children are today, I would have to say his father Adam actually had closer connections to many famous American historical figures by one or two degrees than his descendants.

As is common in the large family plots of prominent St. Louis families, there are many surnames represented. Jedediah means “friend of God” in Hebrew.