Born in Seneca County, New York, on May 12, 1825, Brother Reuben Compton Lemmon moved to Seneca County, Ohio in 1837. Demonstrating early in life a capacity of untiring energy and the pursuit of high ideals, the meager educational facilities did little to satisfy his longing for knowledge and following studies at Norwalk and Granville, Ohio he went to Steuben County, New York to undertake the study of law. Upon returning to Ohio he continued the study of law at Tiffin and was admitted to the bar in 1850. He began the practice of law in Fulton County in 1852. He later formed a partnership and moved to Maumee City prior to locating in Toledo in March of 1853.
On September 1, 1855 he was made an Entered Apprentice in Toledo Lodge No. 144, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft on October 17, 1855 and raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on November 7, 1855. The following year he was elected Senior Warden of Toledo Lodge, serving four years in that office; in 1860 he was elected Worshipful Master, an office he held for three years.
In 1856 he joined Fort Meigs Chapter R. A. M., Toledo Council R. & S. M. and Toledo Commandery, Knights Templar. In 1875 he became a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, being advanced to the thirty-third degree, which was conferred upon him by the Supreme Council in Cleveland, Ohio in 1899.
In 1860 M. W. Brother Lemmon was appointed Junior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio. Following this he was appointed Grand Orator in 1862, served as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence in 1863, was elected Deputy Grand Master in 1877 and 1878 and elected Most Worshipful Grand Master in 1879 and 1880. Upon retiring from the office of Grand Master in 1881, he was appointed chairman of the Jurisprudence Committee and served continuously on this committee for some 25 years.
In 1875 and 1876 he was elected Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Ohio, R. A. M. In 1897 he was elected General Grand High Priest of The General Grand Chapter of the United States.
Judge Lemmon was twice married; his first wife, Amelia Armstrong, whom he wed in 1850, died in 1857, leaving one son. In 1859 he married Miss Theresa Rachael Tibbs. On the morning of September 6, 1905 M. W. Brother Lemmon passed away in Toledo at the age of 80 years. On the afternoon of September 8, 1905, The Grand Lodge of Ohio conducted funeral services for M. W. Brother Lemmon. His body was interred in Forest Cemetery, Section 22, Lot 15, Toledo, Ohio.