Lemuel Milk (1820–1893) was an early settler to Eastern Illinois and, at one point, the largest landholder in the state.

Born in New York, Milk came to Illinois after purchasing a large tract of land in Iroquois County.

Milk trusted Howard's judgment and decided to purchase a half interest in the tract from the government.

He continued to expand his holdings until he owned over 25,000 acres (10,000 ha) over one hundred and fifty farms, making him the largest landowner in the state.

[2] Milk's most ambitious undertaking was to purchase and drain Beaver Lake in Newton County, Indiana.

However, this move was rejected by the state, who argued that they only sold the shoreline to the lake and not the entire property.

Milk, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the state also sold the land under the lake in the transaction.