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Nine years later the legislature granted him the
exclusive right to sell machines for carding and
spinning wool and cotton, which Lemmon may
have helped invent or modify. He styled himself
"merchant" in 1788, when he owned a warehouse
in Baltimore City, and when he purchased a share
in a 30-ton sloop while he was living in Salisbury.
Since both he and his wife had land in or adjoining
Salisbury, Lemmon was active in the develop-
ment of that town, subdividing his land into small
lots, filling marshy areas, and clearing a canal,
presumably to provide access to the Wicomico
River. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: 4th
Convention, Harford County, 1775; Lower House,
Baltimore County, 1781 (elected to the 2nd ses-
sion of the 1780-1781 Assembly). LOCAL OF-
FICES Committee of Observation, Harford County,
1775; Committee of Correspondence, Harford
County, 1775; justice, Baltimore County, 1777-
at least 1780, 1782-1786. MILITARY SERVICE.
captain, Baltimore County Militia, by January 31,
1777, commissioned February 4, 1777, served un-
til at least February 1782. STANDS ON PUBLIC/PRI-
VATE ISSUES signed Bush Declaration, Harford
County, March 22, 1775. Lemmon protested the
alleged misuse of funds collected in Harford County
for the relief of Boston in 1775, and wrote, "we
should ... be scrupulously erect in the discharge
of our duty." Aquila Hall (1727-1779), then
treasurer of the Harford County Committee of
Observation, resigned and apologized to the com-
mittee for "striking" Dr. Lemmon. In 1779 Lem-
mon was involved in a broadside debate with Lu-
ther Martin (1748-1826) after Lemmon accused
Martin of Tory sympathies. When Lemmon pro-
tested to the governor after not being reappointed
a justice of Baltimore County for the year 1787,
the governor cited Lemmon's indictment and fine
of £15.0.0 in 1781 for directing a wagoner carrying
private flour to Baltimore to pass it as public flour
"contrary to Law and your duty as a Magistrate"
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PERSONAL PROPERTY:
12 slaves, Somerset County, 1798; mortgaged 6
slaves in a bond of $750. (X) to Peter Levering of
Baltimore City, 1815. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION:
probably none. SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND
BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: purchased
200 acres in Baltimore County in 1779, but was
charged with only half of a 511-acre tract in Bal-
timore County co-owned with Jacob Lemmon in
1783; purchased a lot and warehouse in Baltimore
City from Richard Lemmon, a merchant of Ire-
land, Baltimore City, and Edenton, North Car-
olina, in 1787; patented 33 acres in Cecil County,
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1789; purchased 137 acres in Worcester County
shortly after moving to Somerset County and sold
the Baltimore City lot; through marriage to Nancy
Nelms acquired an interest in at least 700 acres
in Somerset and Worcester counties, including
land at the head of the Wicomico River that be-
came part of the town of Salisbury and to which
he added a purchase of ca. 30 acres, 1793; sold
with wife Nancy 517 acres in Somerset County,
1795; patented 249 acres in Worcester County,
1794-1800; sold with wife Nancy over 390 acres
in Worcester County and 2 lots in Salisbury, 1806;
continued to develop the Salisbury land that lay
on the main road into town and sold 6 lots in
1807-1808, 5 lots in 1810-1812, and 2 lots in
1814, 1815; obtained certificates of survey on 45
acres in Somerset and Worcester counties, 1810-
1816; sold 19 acres in Worcester County, 1810,
1814. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: Will probated on
March 4, 1817, in Somerset County. PERSONAL
PROPERTY: TEV, $2,167.92 as calculated before
loss on sales (including 8 slaves, a still, part of an
electrical machine, and a library of 13 volumes
of medical books and over 65 volumes of other
books); FB, $634.47 as calculated. LAND, at least
250 acres in Worcester and Somerset counties,
plus lots in Salisbury.
LETHRBURY (LEATHERBURY), PERE-
GRINE (1752-1801). BORN: on August 1, 1752,
in St. Paul's Parish, Kent County; only son. NA-
TIVE: second generation. RESIDED, in Chester-
town, Kent County. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER:
Jonathan Leatherbury (?-1772) of Kent County,
farmer, son of Thomas Leatherbury (?-1745) of
Kent County, Delaware. MOTHER: Mary. SISTER
OR HALF SISTER: Sarah, who married (first name
unknown) Pines. MARRIED probably never; called
before the vestry of Chester Parish, Kent County,
for cohabiting with Margaret Amery, March 1780;
refused to appear. CHILDREN. NATURAL DAUGH-
TER: Mary (by Margaret Amery). PRIVATE CA-
REER. EDUCATION: literate. SOCIAL STATUS AND
ACTIVITIES: Esq., by 1778; secretary of Washing-
ton College, in office, 1784. OCCUPATIONAL PRO-
FILE: lawyer, admitted to the Kent County Court
in February 1775. PUBLIC CAREER. LEGISLATIVE
SERVICE: Conventions, Kent County, 6th-8th,
1775-1776 (Manufactories 8); Lower House, Kent
County, 1777 (Elections 1, 2), 1777-1778 (Elec-
tions 2, 3), 1778-1779 (Elections 2, 3), 1779-
1780 (Elections 1; Laws to Expire 1), 1780-1781,
1783, 1784, 1785, 1789 (elected, but did not at-
tend), 1790. MILITARY SERVICE: major, Thir-
532
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