Thomas Payne

As printed in 1902

THOMAS PAYNE.

for aid, donned the blue uniform of the nation, and went forth to battle for the Union. He was a most loyal soldier, never shirking any duty, but ever faithfully defending the old flag. Certainly he deserves the recognition and gratitude of his country. In business affairs he has been very successful and has become one of the extensive land owners of the county, owning eleven hundred acres.

Mr. Payne was born in Clay county. Indiana, on the 5th of November, 1834, and is a son of Benjamin C. and Maria (Bryant ) Payne, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Maryland. The Payne family was founded in the Old Dominion at an early epoch in its history. The father of our subject was a soldier in the war of 1812 and throughout life carried on farming. He resided for many years in Maryland and Indiana, taking up his above in the latter state about 1830. There he made his home until the 5th of November, 1854. when he arrived in Boone county, Iowa, where he spent his remaining days. He reached an extreme old age, being eighty-nine years and eight months at the time of Ins demise. His wife died many years before, passing away in 1842. They were the parents of six children, of whom three are now living. The names of all are William B.. Maria, James R., Mary, Thomas and Carnelia.

Thomas Payne was born and reared in Indiana and acquired his education in the schools of Clay county, but his opportunities in that direction were somewhat limited. He began the mastery of the branches of English learning in a little log school house seated with slab seats, the boards resting upon wooden pegs. There was a stick chimney through which the smoke made its egress from an immense fireplace. Mr. Payne's training at farm work, however, was not limited for very early in life he began work in the fields and assisted his father in the labors of the home farm until a short time prior to his majority, when he came to Boone county. He purchased eighty- acres of prairie land and forty acres of timber land, investing capital which he had earned through various lines of labor. As his financial resources increased he here made other investments until he owned three hundred acres of land in connection with his brother. He then sold his interest but immediately afterward purchased other land. Later he removed to his present place of residence. Here he has a valuable farm of two hundred, acres and another farm in the county which he owns comprises four hundred and eighty-one acres, in fact he has become one of the extensive landholders of this portion of the state. His realty possessions comprise ten hundred and thirty-five acres of land. He has always carried 011 general farming and has traded quite extensively in stock, purchasing as much as any other man in this section. He makes a specialty of handling short horn and Hereford cattle and his excellent judgment concerning stock and his business ability have been most important elements in winning him success.

Mr. Payne has been three times married. At the age of thirty-three years he wedded Marian Morris, who died leaving no children, lie afterward wedded Laura Bell Parker and they bad three children — Ella Cora Lee. Nettie Bell and I'h..mas Edward.

Mr. Payne's present wife bore the maiden name of Laura Lee Ouinlan and was born in Putnam county, Indiana. She is a daughter of William Ouinlan of Harford, Maryland, who followed farming throughout life and died in 1879. He married Sereldah Sinclair, a daughter of Rev. J. P. Sinclair, a pioneer minister of Putnam county, Indiana. Her death occurred in 1899. Mrs. Payne is one of a family of six children, the others being John H.. deceased; America A., deceased; Susanna O., Sarah J. and James S.

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Payne watched with interests the progress of events in the south and aroused by a spirit of patriotism he enlisted in August, 1862, as a member of Company I). Thin Iowa Infantry, remaining in the service until honorably discharged after the close of the war in August. [865. His was a most creditable military record and his course ever commended him to the respect of his officers and the friendship of his comrades. lie participated in the battles of Ca] (Kan, Missouri, Little Rock, Arkansas, and the Red River campaign. He was also in the engagement of Bermuda Hundred and in all of the battles and skirmishes in which his regiment took part in Arkansas. Later the command came down the White river to Mississippi, thence proceeded t" Memphis and afterward returned tk> Vicksburg, where i:> Mi] it was consolidated. In April of that Aear Mr. Payne was transferred to the Sixteenth Army Corps Division train and the command proceeded to ( aire. lie indeed >aw M urn and was ne\ er ofi duty except for ten days, although he was ill at different times. In July, [864, he participated in the Tupelo raid, marching about one hundred and fifty miles from Memphis. He was also in Missouri and Kansas chasing Price and suppressing the guerrillas there. During this time the regiment made over thirty miles a day for about thirty class, pursuing Price for over nine hundred miles. Subsequentlv the command went to Nashville, from there to Eastport and then down to Cairo, and on the loth of February, 1865, they landed at New Orleans. The last charge of the rebellion was made at Fort Blakely by this regiment. Whether on the picket line or in the thickest of the tight, whether making long forced marches or resting in winter quarters. Mr. Payne was ever found loyal to the stars and stripes and shirked no duty which would promote the Union cause.

Mr. Payne has never aspired to office but ties with the Republican party, which etui..I as the defender of the Union in her hour of peril. His religious faith is rather that of the Methodist Episcopal church, although he is not a member of any organization. He has witnessed the growth of the county, having located here in pioneer days, when g Is were hauled by teams from

Keokuk and when wild game abounded, some of it furnishing meals for the frontier settlers. In the work of improvement and progress, Mr. Payne has ever borne his share. lie has led a very busy and useful life and all that he has he has made himself. Well may he be termed a self-made iran for he deserves all the credit and praise which that word implies. In business he 1- reliable, straightforward and energetic and in citizenship he is as true to-day to his country as when he followed tin starry banner over southern battlefields and fought to prevent the iin isii ill of the I '-in n

As printed in A Biographical record of Boone County, Iowa (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.