U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Payne, Genius (1844-1923) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Men of West Virginia, Volume II Biographical Publishing Company George Richmond, Pres.: C. R. Arnold, Sec'y and Treas. Chicago, Illinois, 1903 Pages 455-457 GENIUS PAYNE, president of the Salem Bank, at Salem, Harrison County. West Virginia, and one of the large land owners and oil producers of that county, was born November 25, 1844, on the West Fork River, three miles from Clarksburg, Harrison County, Virginia, now West Virginia. He is a son of Thomas T. and Henrietta (Smith) Payne, the former of whom was born April 8, 1814, in Fauquier County, Virginia, being a son of Turner and Lucy (Payne) Payne. The Paynes are old residents of Virginia, the family having been established there at an early day by four brothers from England. It has been an agricultural family. Turner Payne was a son of Thomas Payne, who died in Virginia. Turner Payne and his family removed to Western Virginia about 1840, remaining for a time in Taylor County and then settled in Harrison County on the Judge Lee place, on the West Fork River, now known as the Gore farm. Turner Payne and Lucy Payne had four children, namely: Francis B., who spent his life in Harrison County; Susan, who never married; Thomas T., who died August 19, 1899; and Sarah, — all are now deceased. The grandfather of our subject died in 1862, aged 82 years, his wife having died in 1850. Thomas T. Payne, the father of Genius Payne, lived to the age of 85 years. He was twice married. The mother of Genius Payne died in 1854, leaving four children, viz.: Amos, of Clarksburg; Olivia, wife of Jacob Romine, of West Milford; Lucy, widow of Scott Davidson, deceased, of West Milford; and Genius, of this sketch. The second marriage of Mr. Payne was to Elizabeth Thompson, and the two children of this union were: Maggie, wife of M. D. Stewart, of Clarksburg; and Nancy Bird, wife of R. A. Garrett, also of Clarksburg. Genius Payne was reared on a farm and was educated in the local schools. Until the age of 24 years he was occupied on his father's farm and in the neighborhood of Wilsonburg, within four miles of Clarksburg. When he started out for himself, it was as a farmer on rented land. This property he now owns and on a part of it there have been successful oil developments. His father owned 140 acres near Jarvisville; Mr. Payne has added to the original tract and now owns 450 acres. He was one of the early experimenters in oil and holds the record of being the first man to sell oil that was produced and marketed in Harrison County, the first transaction taking place September 13, 1897. The oil was run into market by way of the Eureka Pipe Line and was sold for 69 cents per barrel. Mr. Payne also owns tracts in different sections and valuable lands in Kansas. Since October 27, 1898, he has been president of the Salem Bank, and, since 1900, a resident of Salem. On January 14, 1869, Mr. Payne married Amanda C. Hammond, who was born on Lambert's Run, about six miles north of Clarksburg, and is the second member of a family of eight children born to Joseph and Susanna (Ash) Hammond, the others being: John, who lives near the old homestead; Margaret, who died aged 14 years; Joseph A., who lives two miles north of Clarksburg; Peter H., who resides at Los Angeles, California; Andrew Jackson, who is deceased; Etta, who is the wife of George Elliott; and D. W., who lives on the old homestead. Both the Hammonds and Ashes are old West Virginia families. Mrs. Payne's great-grandfather came from Germany and founded the family, and his son Peter was her grandfather. Joseph Hammond is of Irish and German descent and is a son of Robert Hammond, also an early settler. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hammond reside on the old homestead where Mrs. Payne was born. The five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Payne are: Alice H.; Truman H., a resident of Harrison County; Susan, wife of E. T. Young, of Salem; Thomas G., of Paola, Miami County, Kansas: and Emma J. Mr. Payne is a member of the Baptist Church, and Mrs. Payne a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. ------------------------------------------------------------------- From Death Certificate, Harrison County, WV #14619 FULL-NAME: Genius Payne BIRTH-DATE: November 25, 1844 BIRTH-PLACE: W.Va. DEATH-DATE: November 5, 1923 (at age 78y-11m-11d) DEATH-PLACE: Salem, Harrison County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Married OCCUPATION: Retired Farmer FATHER: Thomas T. Payne (born in Virginia) MOTHER: Henrietta Smith (born in Virginia) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: ?????? Dilitation of Heart INFORMANT: Amanda C. Payne (of Salem W.Va.) BURIAL: I.O.O.F. Cemetery ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Harrison County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/harrison/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------