| Sources |
- [S75] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume II, 1955-1973, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 15 Feb 1966.
Marion Sylvan Lane obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 3 Jan 2016.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 3 Jan 2016.
Upland Chronicles: Trent Lane was a scientist and Senior Olympian
Trent M. Lane set 17 world records at the Senior Olympics. He sent a homemade equilateral triangle to Mars. He racked up 21 patents for scientific instruments and processes, and he flew his own plane – even after celebrating his 100th birthday.
Lane, a Sevier County native, was born March 28, 1910, near Sevierville in Lane Hollow, one of seven children of James H. and Olive Sandra "Ollie" Hill Lane. His siblings were Mildred (Connatser), Sylvan, Ina Elizabeth, Lloyd, Ita Grace (Yingst) and Eugene.
Lane graduated from Sevier County High School, where he played football, and Carson-Newman College. While a college student he competed in track and field. As a young man he played the guitar and taught grades one through eight in a one-room schoolhouse.
A physics professor he met at Carson-Newman recommended Lane study for his doctorate at a school in Germany. On the way to Germany, he made a stop in Louisiana and met a young waitress, Elizabeth Anna Lambert, who was working at a restaurant on a highway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. They married and in the ensuing years had five children: Barrie, Eric, Carson, Mark and Ruth (Vanderford). Sadly, Barrie was struck by a car and killed at age 7 in 1953. Trent and Elizabeth's marriage ended in divorce.
During World War II, Lane flew his Luscombe two-seater airplane in the Civil Air Patrol. He later stated that he had an indirect, unknowing role in the research that developed the hydrogen bomb.
For most of his life, Lane was a physical chemist with ESSO, forerunner of ExxonMobil. After retirement he was a financial analyst. Then he returned to the classroom, not as a teacher but as a student of physics at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
He submitted his doctoral thesis when he was 92. It was titled "The Beginning, Development and Destiny of the Universe."
"After 100 billion years or so," he wrote in his dissertation, "the matter in the universe would just fall apart."
Lane farmed and mowed his 25-acre farm, including the runway for his private aircraft located next to his house, until a few weeks before his death.
Beginning at age 95, he competed in Senior Masters USA Track and Field and Senior Olympics Field events – discus, shot-put, javelin, weight and weight pentathlon – winning more than 200 gold medals in his age group and holding 17 world records that still stand.
Lane had abandoned athletics for some 75 years after graduating from Carson-Newman until his daughter convinced him to enter state competition in Baton Rouge in 2003. He later participated in the Senior Olympics in Pittsburgh.
Although he had only four days of training since his college days, Lane was in good shape. His javelin throw of 21.13 meters in 2003 is the best of his age group by a wide margin. Rather than engaging in any organized workout program, Lane remained vigorous for decades in the activities on his farm; cutting wood, raising hay, and mowing acres of grass.
Although he was extremely active throughout his life, his longevity could have been attributed to hereditary factors as well. His father lived to the age of 100, and his grandfather, Moses Lane, was 92 when he died. One of his uncles, George Washington Lane lived to 95, his aunt, Ida Lane Moore made it to 95, another aunt, Mattie Lane Whitehead, was 98 when she died, and his uncle John M. Lane outlived them all, living to the age of 105.
Lane often repeated stories to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren about growing up in Sevier County "in the Lane Hollow," which was named for his family, and walking five miles to school. He loved to tell tales about his grandfather Moses, who fought in the Civil War. Known as Mosie, his grandfather served in both the Confederate and Union armies.
Moses was first conscripted into the Confederate forces, which he served a short duration. He then enlisted in the Third Tennessee Cavalry, Company B. He was engaged in the Siege of Knoxville, the battle at Nashville, and through the Georgia campaign. After the war, he married Mary Elizabeth Atchley, and together they raised seven children on their farm.
Throughout his life, Lane traveled to Sevierville to attend the reunions for his Sevier County High School graduating class of 1930.
At the time of his death, Lane had lived in Baker, Louisiana, a town of about 13,000, 10 miles northeast of Baton Rouge. After he had been living in Baker for 75 years, The Advocate (Baton Rouge) noted that he was known locally as a "centurion icon."
"He was very well-coordinated and had an unusually strong upper body capability," his daughter Ruth Vanderford said. "His death", she added, "was probably due to a lifetime of hard work. He had an incredible stamina. From no flight to supersonic, he's seen television and the Internet."
Trent Lane died Oct. 20, 2011, at his home in Baker at age 101. He is buried in Isidore Catholic Church Cemetery, next to his son Barrie. Both father and son are buried in stainless steel vaults infused with nitrogen.
Carroll McMahan is special projects facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and serves as Sevier County historian.
The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments, contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or ron@ronraderproperties.com.
- [S112] Census, 1930.
Name: Trent Lane
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1930
Event Place: District 04, Sevier, Tennessee
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Birthplace: Tennessee
Birth Year (Estimated): 1910
Immigration Year:
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
District: 0004
Household ID: 112
Sheet Number and Letter: 6B
Line Number: 80
Affiliate Publication Number: T626, roll 2271
GS Film number: 2342005
Digital Folder Number: 4547919
Image Number: 00647
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head James H Lane M 48 Tennessee
Wife Ollie H Lane F 42 Tennessee
Daughter Mildred K Lane F 21 Tennessee
Son Trent Lane M 20 Tennessee
Son Sylvan Lane M 18 Tennessee
Daughter Ina E Lane F 16 Tennessee
Son Lloyd H Lane M 12 Tennessee
Daughter Ita G Lane F 10 Tennessee
Son Eugene Lane M 6 Tennessee
- [S23] Atchley Funeral Home, (http://www.atchleyfuneralhome.com/), 27 May 2013.
Ina Elizabeth Lane obituary
- [S142] Newspaper Article, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), 24 Oct 2011.
Trent Lane , born in Lane Hollow, Sevier County, Tenn., and a 75-year resident of Baker, passed away at home Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. He was born March 28, 1910, son of the late James H. and Olive Sandra Hill Lane . He was married to and divorced from Elizabeth Anna Lambert of Garyville. He was predeceased by a son, Barrie Lloyd; brothers, Sylvan, who was of Sevierville, Tenn., Eugene, who was of Nashville, Tenn., and Lloyd, who was of Elizabethton, Tenn.; sister, Mildred Lane Connatser, who was of Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; and great-grandson, Christian Lane , who was of Clinton. Surviving are his sons, Eric and wife Chantana, of Chattanooga, Tenn., Carson and wife Martha, of Lafayette, and Mark and wife Royann, of Clinton; daughter, Ruth Vanderford, of Lemon Grove, Calif.; sisters, Ita Grace Yingst and Ina Lane , both of Pigeon Forge; grandchildren, Carmen Kifer, of Gunpowder, Md., Vivian Smith, of Locust Grove, Ga., Sherill Renfroe, of Baker, Mike Lane , of Centreville, Miss., Karen Ammons, of Baton Rouge, Luke Gorman, of Grapevine, Texas, Sandra Ingersoll, of Redding, Calif., Robin Fuller, of Las Vegas, Miracle Lane and Madonna Lane , both of Clinton, Melissa Lane , of Hammond and Richard Lane , of Baton Rouge; great-grandchildren, Alisha and Hunter Kifer, Brandon Ourso, Cristal, Morgan and Taylor Renfroe, Daniel and Adam Dickenson, Channa York, Grace Padilla, Ben and Jed Fuller, Shelby Messina, Tristan Winders, J'sun Ehardt, Tyler Lane , Channing Lane , Andy Fletcher and Cassie Lane . He was 101‰ and a local centenarian icon. He played guitar and taught in a one-room school house (grades 1 through 8) as a young man in the hills of Sevier County. He graduated from Sevier County High School, Sevierville, Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tenn., and LSU, Baton Rouge. He flew his Luscombe two-seater airplane in the Civil Air Patrol, a wing of the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He was a retired physical chemist with ESSO, forerunner of ExxonMobil. After retirement, he was a financial analyst then a physics student at LSU. He submitted his doctorate thesis in 2002. He farmed and mowed his 25 acre farm including the runway next to his house until a few weeks before his death. Beginning at age 95, he competed in Senior Masters, USA Track & Field and Senior Olympics field events - discus, shot put, javelin, weight and weight pentathlon - winning more than 200 gold medals in his age group(s) and holding 17 world records that still stand. The family wishes to thank Dr. Charles Thompson (CIS), Lane Regional Medical Center, Lane Home Health and Generations Hospice for their compassion and care. Visitation will be at Baker Funeral Home, Baker, on Tuesday, Oct. 25, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visitation resumes Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. until a celebration of life (and some "Mr. Trent " stories) at 10 a.m. Interment in St. Isidore Catholic Church Cemetery, next to his son, Barrie. Reception will be at St. Isidore Hall following burial. Condolences and "Mr. Trent " stories can be sent to truth0601@att.net.
- [S142] Newspaper Article, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), 24 Oct 2011.
Senior Olympian, scientist Lane , of Baker, dies at 101
Trent Lane , of Baker, was known by many as a "centenarian icon" before his death Thursday at 101 years of age.
He set 17 world records at the Senior Olympics, sent a homemade equilateral triangle to Mars and racked up 21 patents for scientific instruments and processes.
His daughter, Ruth Vanderford, said Saturday her father was 93 when he began competing in the Senior Olympics, USA Track and Field and the Senior Masters in events such as the discus, shot put, javelin, weight and weight pentathlon.
"He was very well-coordinated and had unusually strong upper-body capability," Vanderford said. His death, she added, was due "probably from a lifetime of hard work. He had incredible stamina."
Lane was born March 28, 1910, in Lane Hollow, Tenn., lived in Baker for 75 years, and "had seen it all," Vanderford said.
"From no flight to supersonic; he's seen television and the Internet," she said.
Lane , whose extensive background comes with a laundry list of accomplishments, also played guitar and taught in a one-room schoolhouse as a young man in Sevier County, Tenn.
After graduating from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., and LSU, Lane flew his Luscombe two-seater airplane in the Civil Air Patrol, a part of the U.S. Army Air Force, during World War II.
He was a retired physical chemist with Esso, a fore-runner of ExxonMobil.
After Lane retired, he was a financial analyst, then a physics student at LSU. He submitted his doctoral thesis in 2002.
"He was very sharp until the end," Vanderford said. "He was a most unusual man. Plus, his grandfather was in the Civil War."
- [S147] Find a Grave, (Memorial: 79180058).
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