Wesley Leonard Lance was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Republican Party

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

, who served as a member of both the New Jersey General Assembly

New Jersey General Assembly

The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...

 and the New Jersey Senate

New Jersey Senate

The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

.

Lance grew up in Glen Gardner, New Jersey

Glen Gardner, New Jersey

Glen Gardner is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. At the time of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 1,704....

, and attended Lafayette College

Lafayette College

Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...

 and Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...

. He was first elected to the Assembly in 1937, and to the Senate in 1941. Lance was a delegate to the 1947 constitutional convention

Constitutional convention (political meeting)

A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...

 that established the current New Jersey State Constitution

New Jersey State Constitution

The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the State of New Jersey. In addition to three British Royal Charters issued for East Jersey, West Jersey and united New Jersey while they were still colonies, the state has been governed by three constitutions...

, and to the 1966 convention that established the current New Jersey Legislature

New Jersey Legislature

The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...

 with 40 senators and 80 assemblymembers. He served in the Senate from 1942 to 1943, succeeding Arthur F. Foran

Arthur F. Foran

Arthur Francis Foran was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey. He served in the New Jersey Senate where he was Senate President.-Biography:...

, and stepped down to enter the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

. He was reelected to the Senate in 1954 and served until 1962. He was Senate President during the 1959 term.

Wesley Lance was a practicing lawyer for 70 years, including 64 years as the municipal attorney of Lebanon Township, New Jersey

Lebanon Township, New Jersey

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,816 people, 1,963 households, and 1,556 families residing in the township. The population density was 183.5 people per square mile . There were 2,020 housing units at an average density of 63.7 per square mile...

. One of his sons, Leonard Lance

Leonard Lance

Leonard Lance is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served in the New Jersey Senate and the New Jersey General Assembly....

, served in the Assembly from 1991 to 2002, in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2009, and in the House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 beginning in 2009. James Lance, Leonard's twin brother, is an attorney practicing in Clinton, New Jersey

Clinton, New Jersey

Clinton is a Town in Hunterdon County, New Jersey on the South Branch of the Raritan River. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,719....

.

Wesley Lance died at age 98 and his memorial service was held on August 30, 2007 at the Spruce Run Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church. His children were raised in their mother's Roman Catholic faith.