John Hance (1837-09-07 - 1919-01-06,[1] 1919) is thought to be the first non-Native American resident of the Grand Canyon, US.

"Captain" John Hance was said to be one of the Grand Canyon's most colorful characters, and it had been declared by one early visitor that "To see the canyon only and not to see Captain John Hance, is to miss half the show."

Hance delighted in telling canyon stories to visitors, favoring the whopper of a tale over mere facts.

With a straight face, Hance told travelers how he had dug the canyon himself, piling the excavated earth down near Flagstaff (a dirt pile now known as the San Francisco Peaks).

Hance was the first person buried in what would become the Grand Canyon Pioneer Cemetery.