Andrew Jackson Lance

As printed in 1910

ANIAREW JACKSON LANCE.

It was early in the nineteenth century that Peter Lance landed in Connecticut as a recently-arrived immigrant from Germany. Later he caught the western fever and, determining to better his fortunes beyond the Alleghanies, he joined the rush to Ohio and finally pulled up in the county of Jefferson, when that section was still wild and but sparsely settled. He engaged in farming and met with fair success, being able to leave a small estate at his death. He married Mary, daughter of John Johnson, by whom he had a number of children, most of whom grew up and did well in after life. James, one of his sons, came to Wayne county in company with four brothers, three of whom settled in Milton and one in Chippewa township. James engaged in farming and prospered, being an extensive land owner at the time of his death in 1866. He was married twice and became the father of seventeen children. He married Mary Johnson, who died in 1875, after becoming the mother of thirteen children.

Andrew Jackson Lance, who was one of the “baker's dozen," was born in Wayne county, Ohio, October 29, 1846, and grew up as a member of that historic band known as the “pioneer children.” The only schools of the famous early days in Milton township were of the log cabin variety, with luncheon seats, greased paper windows and immense gaping fire places. Mr. Lance as a boy took special interest in spelling and still proudly recalls his victories at the many spelling bees held under the roof of the old school house. He became known as the crack speller of the whole neighborhood, as a result of his “spelling down” both teachers and pupils, in fact all comers, when the lineup took place to test the skill in the old Webster speller, with its long lists of words. In 1888 Mr. Lance came to Canaan township and bought sixty-five acres of land, which at present lies within the corporate limits of Creston. He always followed farming and is regarded as a careful and painstaking agriculturist. Of late years he has given especial attention to onion raising and found it profitable. He has greatly improved his farm by erecting a commodious residence and up-to-date barn and other outbuildings, suitable for a progressive farmer in this age of advanced agriculture. Though a Democrat, Mr. Lance has tried to avoid office-holding and to keep out of the struggles of practical politics, notwithstanding which he was drafted to serve two terms as trustee of Milton township. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Royal Arcanum.

On May 20, 1875, Mr. Lance married Katie Kostenbader, a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio with her parents at the age of six years. By this union there are two children: Burr, the only son, assisted his father on the farm, and Bonnie, the daughter, is the wife of Lee H. Crunder and they have four children, namely: Anna, born in 1898; Reba, born March p 1901; Dale, born September 22, 1903; bay, born June 21, 1906. Mr. Lance is a very pleasant and jovial man to meet.

As printed in History of Wayne County, Ohio (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.