John D. Lanford, the son of William L. and Sarah Mitchell Lanford, was born in Gowensville on Nov. 4, 1880. He studied in the public elementary and high schools of the area and attended the University of South Carolina.

After completing law school and being admitted to the Bar in 1909, he began the practice of law in the city of Greer.

On Dec. 27, 1910, he married a local girl from Wellford, Ethel Ballenger, daughter of Peyton and Emily Wall Ballenger, and started a family of six children.

In 1914, he moved his law practice to the city of Greenville, where he practiced alone for two years before forming a partnership with Attorney James Richardson in 1916. The partnership operated until 1919.

After the partnership ended in 1919, Lanford moved his practice back to Greer, where he continued to practice alone until his retirement.

John D. Lanford was not only a successful attorney, but an active participant in community, church and civic affairs in the city of Greer and Greenville County.

While he defended a number of high profile cases during his active practice years, many considered him to be a good lawyer “for the common man.”

The Lanfords were parents of two boys, Luke and Hugh Lanford, and four girls, Ruth Jerman, Helen Lanford, Kathryne Benton and Lucille Speegle.

Ethel died on Feb. 17, 1974, at 85 years of age. John D. lived to become a centenarian, and died six months later on May 4, 1981.