Edwin Lance
There was little to encourage a man lacking grit and stability to undertake to hew a farm from the seemingly interminable wilderness in Wayne county upwards of a century ago when the ancestors of Edwin Lance first made their advent here. It was his grandparents Henry and Betzie Lance, who first established themselves here. The former was a native of Pennsylvania and it is supposed that his wife was also a native of the old Keystone state. They made the laborious journey across the mountains in a covered wagon, bringing what few household effects they had with them. When they reached Chestnut Ridge in the northeastern part of Milton township, Wayne county, they were delighted with the prospect, and here they purchased one hundred and sixty acres, clearing a small place for a log cabin, which later gave way to a more modern and commodious dwelling. In a few years the place was cleared and yielding bounteous crops and here the old pioneer couple spent the remainder of their days. Henry Lance was a man of much influence in his township, prominent in politics, and he was a member of the Presbyterian church. The maternal grandparents of Edwin Lance were Daniel and Julia Johnson. They also came to this county from New York state in a very early day and bought eighty acres of timber land, without any improvements whatever. It was also swampy, but this hardy woodsman cleared and drained the land, making a good home, and lived there until his death. The town of Sterling is now on a part of this land.
William J. Lance, son of Henry Lance and wife and father of Edwin Lance, was born in Milton township, Wayne county,and he came to this county with his parents when a child and received his education in the primitive schools of this township. He began farming early in life and continued the same the rest of his days. He first bought eighty acres east of his father's place; in time this was sold and by three different purchases he finally had a farm of seventy-two acres where his son, Edwin Lance, of this review, now lives. Here William J. Lance prospered and lived until within a few years of his death. He married Clara Johnson, a native of the same locality in Wayne county, from which he came.
Edwin Lance was born on the farm where he now lives, about three-fourths of a mile southwest of Sterling, in 1865. He received a fairly good education in the common schools. He naturally took to farming and has followed this vocation all his life, making comfortable living and laying by a competency to insure his old age free from want. He carries on general farming and stock raising. He purchased his place from his father and he has improved the same and so rotated his crops as to retain the original fertility of the soil. He has a good house and barn and his farm is well improved in every respect.
Mr. Lance was married in 1887 to Sarah Swagler, daughter of a well known family, and this union has resulted in the birth of the following children; Flossie May, Clara Anna and William Clayton.
Mr. and Mrs. Lance are members of the Baptist church, and their two daughters are United Brethren. In politics Mr. Lance votes with the Democrats. He is always interested in whatever promotes the general good of his community, but he does not find much time to mingle in politics. Mrs. Lance belongs to the Ladies of the Maccabees.
From The History of Wayne County, Ohio, B. E. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, 1910