Henry C Payne

PAYNE

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/14/2010 at 21:55:49

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 our subject all are now deceased. The mother was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, I 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 eh farm now owned by our subject from a Mr Kinney, paying four dollars per 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 that place and continued its operation until he retired from active labor, leaving it the cultivation of his son. He purchased the interests of the other heirs and still owns the old homestead, consisting of 148 acres, upon which he has made most of the improvements. His fine residence was destroyed by fire in 1907 but has since been rebuilt and is up to date in all its appointments. Thoroughly understanding his chosen occupation, he met with 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 June 3, 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 vies 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 enter 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 ling residence ninths county he has became widely and favorably known and has a host of warm friends.

1914 Boone County History Book