The full biographical sketch as printed, transcribed from the public-domain book. Spelling and wording are the original author’s; a few scanning errors may remain.
JOHN PAYTON.
John Payton, who has resided in Appanoose county for more than two- thirds of a century, is the oldest living settler within its borders and is familiar with its annals from pioneer times to the present. He is now living retired in Centerville, where for many years he worked at the plaster- er's trade. His birth occurred in Shelby county, Missouri, on the 23d of October, 1835, his parents being John and Emily (Townsend) Payton. The father was a native of Lexington, Kentucky, while the mother was bora in Tennessee in 1805. John Payton, Sr., accompanied his parents on their removal to Tennessee as a young man and there began farming. He was married in that state and a few years later removed to Shelby county, Mis- souri, where he met death by accident in 1837, being thrown from a horse. His widow was thus left with the care of five small children. In the spring of 1844 she sold the farm in Missouri and came to Appanoose county, Iowa, here entering one hundred and sixty acres of land. At the end of six years, in 1850, she disposed of the place and took up her abode in Center- ville, where she continued to reside until called to her final rest in 1863.
John Payton was a lad of nine years when he came to this county with his widowed mother, Centerville at that time containing but four houses. He attended school there and when twelve years of age carried the mail on horseback from Centerville to Ottumwa — a distance of forty miles. He carried mail for three years and worked at any other employment that he could find. On the 14th of February, 1862, at Centerville, Iowa, he enlisted for service in the Union army as a member of Company D, Sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Captain Waldron. He participated in twenty-seven of the principal engagements of the war, including those of Shiloh, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg, Mission Ridge and Lookout Moun- tain. He was wounded at Atlanta, Georgia, on the 28th of July, 1864, and on the 10th of June, 1865, was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, re- ceiving his honorable discharge at Davenport, Iowa, on the 25th of August, 1865. Mr. Payton was a loyal and valiant soldier, always found in the thickest of the fight and never faltering in the performance of any task
JOHN PAYTON
assigned him. After returning to Centerville he learned the plasterer's trade, working at that occupation throughout the remainder of his active business career. During the past few years, however, he has lived retired, spending the evening of life in well earned rest. He owns an attractive home in Centerville and receives a pension of thirty dollars per month.
On the 4th of March, 1858, Mr. Pay ton was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Jane Swearengin, a daughter of Samuel S. and Temperance Ann (Pearson) Swearengin, both of whom were natives of Maryland. They came west in the early '40s, locating on a farm in Davis county, Iowa. In 1852 Mr. Swearengin established his home in Appanoose county and built a flour and feed mill on the Chariton river in Sharon township, here continuing to reside until he passed away in 1857. A few years later his wife died at the home of her son Greorge in Centerville, this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Payton were born the following children : Isaac, who is deceased; Josephine, who is the widow of Greorge Halden, a merchant of Centerville, Iowa, and now resides in Spokane, Washington; Albert, who conducts an opera house in Centerville ; Ella, the wife of Rev. Stevens, of Spokane, Washington; George, who is at this writing a candidate for the ofBce of sheriff in Appanoose county; and Claud, in New York city. The wife and mother was called to her final rest in 1901 and since that time Mr. Payton has had a family living with him, to look after the household.
In politics Mr. Payton is a stanch republican, having ever supported the party which was the defense of the Union during the dark days of the Civil war. He attends the services of the Methodi5t church and his life has been upright and honorable in its various relations. He has now passed the seventy-seventh milestone on life's journey and enjoys the distinction of being the oldest living settler in the county.
Source: Past and Present of Appanoose County, Iowa. See the original pages at the Internet Archive.
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