Freeman L Paine

PAINE

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/15/2010 at 13:28:24

Freeman L Paine, who now lives retired in Boone in the enjoymet of a well earned rest, was for many years a conductor of the Nothwestern Railroad Company and has made his residence in Boone sine 1880. He owns a handsome home at 1219 Story street, where he is surrounded with all of the comforts of life. He was born September 20, 1842, near Erie, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Eddy Brown and Sally (Holmes) Paine, the father born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1796, and the mother of Albany, New York. When a young man the father went to Albion, New York, where he was married to Sally Holmes, and there he engaged in farming and dairying for a time. About 1848 he removed to Belvidere, Illinois, where he continued along that line of business. He as prominent in Belvidere and for many years was connected with the Baptist church, of which he was a deacon for four decades. He died there in 1868, but his wife passed away in Waverly, Iowa, while on a visit to her daughter Mrs James Moss, her death occurring in 1858, when she was quite a young woman. In their family were the following children: Frank, Harry F and Ezra H all of whom died in Belvidere, Albert E who died in San Francisco, Freeman L the only member of the family of eight now surviving, Anna M who died when quite young, Marietta deceased, and Adelia, who married James Moss and passed away in Waverly, Iowa.
Freeman L Paine passed his boyhood and young manhood in Belvidere, attending the public schools of that city. At the age of twenty-one he removed to Chicago, Illinois, finding employment with the Illinois Central Railraod on a passenger train. He soon demonstrated his ability and was promoted to the postion of passenger conductor. About 1880 he was a conductor of a freight for a few months, but subsequently became a passenger conductor of the Northwestern, a position which he held until about five years ago, when he retired on a pension. Many were the celebrated personages whom he carried on his train, among them being President Authur, President Cleveland, and his young bride and also President McKinley. With him have traveled many noted men of all walks of life, including MacKay, the millionaire, and Senator Clark, of Montana fame. Mr Paine has made his home in Boone since 1880 and is numbered among the city's most respected residents.
On January 29, 1873, our subject was married, at Paxton, Ford county, Illinois, to Miss Augusta Dudley Carlisle, of that city. She was born in Yonkers, New York, January 29, 1853, and when less than a year old removed with her parents to Bloomington, Illinois. When she was eight years of age the family located in Toledo, Ohio, where she attended the Ursuline Convent until the age of seventeen. Her father, Thomas Carlisle, died when she was only twelve years of age, at which time he was superintendent of military roads in Kentucky, where his death occurred. Afterward his widow and children located in Paxton, Illinois, and there Mrs Paine began teaching school at the age of seventeen. She is one of the organizers and first regent of De Shon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Boone, having five Revolutionary ancestors. Her father was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1819, and was a son of Rev Thoms Carlisle, rector of St Peter's church of that place. The latter's wife was Eleanor Forrester, a daughter of Simon and Rachel (Hawthorne) Forrester. Mrs Paine is also a member of the Connecticut Society of Mayflower Descendents, her direct ancestor being Elder William Brewster. Her five Revolutionary ancestors were Captian Daniel De Shon, General Gurdon Saltonstall and his son Major Saltonstall, Captain Simon Forrester and Captain Daniel Hawthorne. The mother of Mrs Paine before her marriage was Miss Augusta Coit De Shon, who was born in New London, Connecticut, and comes of an old and distinguished French family. The first Amercan ancestor, Daniel De Shon, came form France shortly after the relocation of the Edict of Nantes, settling in Rhode Island. His children became pioneers of Connecticut. Mr Paine is also of Revolutionary stock of his mohter's side, being descended from Captain Ezra Holmes. He is a relative of Thomas Paine and is descended from Roger Williams through the latter's daughter Mercy.
Mr Paine was reared in the Baptist church and his wife aheres to the Protestant Episcopal denomination. She has always deeply interested herself in religious work and gives much of her time and thought to that object. Mr Paine participates in many movements which are undertaken for the betterment of the city and is intersted in measures which have for their purpose general development. He has always been a republican and is thoroughly in sympathy with the aims and purposes of that organization.

1914 Boone County History Book