JOHNSON H. LANE

FROM: The History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin, and Williamson Counties, Illinois (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887).  P. 714-715.

          Johnson H. Lane, superintendent of schools of Hamilton County, Ill., is a native of the county, born December 13, 1858. He is the son of John W. and Theresa (Mitchell) Lane, both natives of the county. The grandfather, Lewis Lane, a native of North Carolina, came to Illinois in the fall of 1818, and located four miles east of McLeansboro, then White County. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and a lieutenant in the Black Hawk war. He was the first sheriff of the county, and a prominent officer of early militia companies of the State. He was a true Jackson Democrat, and a Methodist in religion. He died in 1876. He married Mary Prince, who died, leaving three children. Joel P., our subject's father, both deceased and Eliza, wife of Lewis Prince, of this county.  He afterward married Jane Myers. Their two daughters Sarah and Bettie married and went to Arkansas. John W. was a farmer until his death. He was a Democrat, a Methodist and a Mason. He died in July, 1865. He first married Eliza Shirley and had seven children: Mary, wife of Joseph Wright; Martha, wife of James Mangis, of east Tennessee; George W., of this county, and Moses S., of Posey County, Ind., are the four now living. By his second marriage with our subjects mother, there were five children, four of whom are living: John W., Jr., of Missouri; Alice E., wife of A. L. Baker, of Fulton County; our subject and James M., of Knox County, Ill. Stephen D. is the one deceased. Our subject's grandfather, Ichabod Mitchell, a native of Virginia, came here about 1820. He was a well-known pioneer, a justice, and a member of the county court for several years. He was a Democrat, and a Baptist in religion. He died in 1874, in his eighty-sixth year. Our subject was reared to manhood on the farm, and besides a good preliminary education, he attended Hamilton College, McLeansboro. He began teaching in 1876 and continued ten years. He was principal of the McLeansboro schools from 1883 to 1886, when he was elected to his present position, which he has efficiently filled. He is an unswerving Democrat and as such was elected to this office. In 1879 he began reading raw, and was admitted to practice in 1881. The same year he entered the senior year in the law school of Washington University and graduated in 1882. He has practiced somewhat irregularly ever since, first as partner of Judge Stelle and now of I. H. Webb. May 13, 1885, he married Carrie Harvey, of this county. He is a Knight of Pythias, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.