Lemuel Moss was born in Boone County Kentucky, December 27, 1829, to Rev. Demas and Esther Moss. He received his higher education from the University of Rochester, receiving his AB in 1858, an honorary DD in 1868, an honorary LLD in 1883. He also received a degree from the Rochester Theological Seminary in 1860.

Dr. Moss was a printer by trade but served as Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Worcester, Massachusetts from 1860 to 64 and the same position in Woodbury, New Jersey from 1864 to 66. Also, from 1864 to 65 he served as Secretary of the U.S. Christian Committee. In 1865, Moss began his career in formal education as he became Professor of Theology at the University of Lewisburg (now Bucknell), where he remained until 1868. In 1874, Dr. Moss accepted the post of President of the University of Chicago, which he left the following year to become President of Indiana University. He maintained this position until 1884 when he resigned amidst a scandal involving himself and a female professor at the university. He later resurrected his career as Lecturer of Christian Sociology at Bucknell University from 1898 until his death in 1904.

Dr. Moss was involved in a number of organizations, including the American Baptist Historical Society, serving as its president from 1895-1900 and vice president from 1900-02; the American Baptist Missionary Union of which he served as vice president from 1883-84; the National Council on Education, 1880- 84; served as president of the Department of Higher Education from 1883-84.

Moss married Harriet Bingham of Cincinnati, Ohio on December 24, 1851. They had three children: Charles Henry, Harriet Payne, and Mary Helen.