Henry C. Payne

As printed in 1914

HENRY C. PAYNE.

After a useful and well spent life Henry C. Payne is practically living retired upon his valuable farm on section 2, Worth township, where he has now resided for sixty-three years. He was born in Clay county, Indiana, September 18, 1834, a son of George and Nancy (Stigler) Payne. The father, who was a native of Virginia, died in February, 1844, leaving a widow and five sons, of whom James Robert served in the Civil war. With the exception of our subject all are now deceased. The mother was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, in 1808, and passed away in 1892.

The first seventeen years of his life Henry C. Payne spent in his native state, and there he was educated in much the usual manner of boys of that day. In 1851, however, he accompanied his mother and stepfather, David Parker, on their removal to Boone county, Iowa, where Mr. Parker bought the farm now owned by our subject from a Mr. Kinney, paying four dollars an acre. At that time the place was entirely unimproved and in the work of development Mr. Payne bore his share. After the death of Mr. Parker in August, 1861, our subject took charge of the place and continued its operation until he retired from active labor, leaving it to the cultivation of his son. He purchased the interests of the other heirs and still owns the old homestead, consisting of one hundred and forty-eight acres, upon which he has made most of the improvements. His fine residence was destroyed by fire in 1907 hut has since been rebuilt and is up-to-date in all its appointments. Thoroughly understanding his chosen occupation, he met with

SfN success and became recognized as one of the most progressive farmers of his community.

In 1861 Mr. Payne married Miss Ellen Myers, who died on the 3d of June, 1907, at the age of sixty-seven years. She, too, was born in Clay county, Indiana, and accompanied her parents on their removal to this county in the spring of 1857. Her youngest brother was a soldier of the Civil war and other members of the family are still residents of Boone. To Mr. and Mrs. Payne were born ten children, of whom three sons and four daughters are still living: Mrs. Hattie Downs, of Waterloo, Iowa; Mrs. Emma Wane, a resident of Boone; Mrs. Mary Fallon, of Sioux City, Iowa; Miss Cora, now clerking in a store at Sioux City; Walter, who married Miss Hallie Hull, a daughter of the late George Hull, and is now operating the home farm; Edward, a farmer and stock buyer, who is married and resides in Worth township, Boone county: and Harry, who is also a farmer and stock buyer living near Luther. He, too, is married. There are four grandchildren.

In his religious views Mr. Payne is liberal and in politics is independent. He has served in several local offices but has never cared for official honors, preferring to devote his entire time and attention to his business affairs. Having met with success as a farmer he is now able to lay aside all business cares and spend his last days in ease and retirement During his long residence in this county he has become widely and favorably known and has a host of warm friends.

As printed in History of Boone County, Iowa (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.