He was born on a farm in Crook Township, Hamilton County, December 13, 1858, son of John W. and Teresa (Mitchell) Lane, and grandson of Lewis Lane, who came from Tennessee and was one of the pioneers of Hamilton County, Illinois.  Lewis Lane was elected and served as the first sheriff of the county, and was a farmer of occupation.  He died in 1876, when about eighty-five years of age.  He and his wife reared two sons, Joel P. and John W., and one daughter, Eliza.  John W. Lane was born in Tennessee and was young when brought to Illinois.  He followed the vocation of farming and died about 1866, aged fifty-seven years.  He was a Methodist and reared his family in that faith.  He was twice married.  His first wife was a Miss Shirley, by whom he had several children.  His second wife, Teresa Mitchell, was born in Hamilton County, daughter of Ichabod and Mary (Lane) Mitchell.  Her father came from Tennessee, was a Hamilton County farmer, and died when about eight-five years of age at the homestead where he first settled.

Johnson Hill Lane was one of a family of five children.  He was about eight years old when his father died, and three years later his mother passed away, and from that age he has been an important sense the master of his own destiny.  He grew up on a farm, attended country schools, and at the age of seventeen had qualified for work as a teacher.  He taught in rural districts for four years, and by teaching was enabled to attend Hamilton College at McLeansboro.  He studied law under the late Judge T. B. Stelle of McLeansboro, and was admitted to the bar before the Illinois Supreme Court in 1881.  In 1882 he graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan.  On returning to McLeansboro he resumed teaching, and was connect with the schools of that city four years, for three years of that time being superintendent.  In 1886 he was elected county superintendent of schools of Hamilton County and served efficiently for eight years.

Mr. Lane then gave his full time to the practice of law in partnership with the late Judge Isaac H. Webb.  He was elected state's attorney in 1904, and held that office three consecutive terms, a total of twelve years.  His record in the office was that of a vigorous prosecutor, and he won the reputation of being one of the most forceful state's attorneys of Illinois.  Mr. Lane has been a stockholder in the First National Bank of McLeansboro since its organization, and is now vice president of that institution.

For many years he has been a prominent figure in the democratic party in his section of the state.  He was a delegate to the national conventions of 1908, 1912, 1916 and 1924.  He is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias, and the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. Lane married, in 1885, Miss Carrie Harvey, a native of McLeansboro, and daughter of Felix A. and Lurina C. (Inman) Harvey.  Her people came from the South and were early settlers in Gallatin County, Illinois.  Mr. and Mrs. Lane have one daughter, Hazel, wife of Dr. Douglas A. Lehman, who is a prominent and successful physician and surgeon of Harrisburg, Illinois, specializing in the treatment of the eye, ear, nose and throat.

In addition to his faithful attention to the practice of his profession, his loyalty to his clients and his devotion to his constituents when a public officer, Mr. Lane has not neglected the home duties.  He idolizes his daughter and granddaughter, Jane, and they are a source of great pleasure to him.

From Felty's Legacy of Kin, Vol. I, p. 345.
Pub: Times-Leader, January 25, 1934

Judge Johnson H. Lane was born 13 Dec 1858, Crook twp., Ham. Co.; d. 21 Jan 1934, home in McLeansboro; son of John W. & Theresa Mitchell Lane; grson of Lewis Lane, 1st sheriff of Ham. Co.; 1 of 5 children; father d. about 1866; mother d. about 1869; teacher & graduate of Univ. of Michigan Law School.  Married Carrie Harvey, 1885, native of McLeansboro, dau of Felix A. & Lurina C. Inman Harvey; 1 dau: Hazel, Mrs. Dr. Dougals A., Lehman of Harrisburg; 1 grdau.: Jane Lehman, Mrs. B. W. Moore of Harrisburg.  Leaves 2 bros.: Moses W. Lane of Long Beach, Calif., and John Lane of Yates City.  Interred IOOF, McLeansboro.