SAMUEL PAYNE, a prominent and enterprising citizen of Perry Township,
and a representative of a brave old pioneer family of Tippecanoe County,
was born in Dorchester County, Maryland, September 4, 1821. His
parents, JAMES and ELIZABETH (RASSUM) PAYNE, were also natives of
Maryland, the father being of Scotch parentage. In 1826 the PAYNE
family left their native state for Pickaway County, Ohio, remaining
there until 1833, when they immigrated to Tippecanoe County, Indiana,
and settled at Wyandotte, Sheffield Township, when the surrounding
country was almost in a state of nature. Wild animals roamed through
the forest, and game of all kinds was abundant at the time of their
settlement. JAMES PAYNE made his home in this county until 1855, when
he removed to Grundy County, Missouri, living there until his death in
the year 1881. His wife died several years before her husband, and is
buried in Howard County, Indiana. They had born to them twelve
children, eight of whom still survive--ELKANAH, SOPHIA, JAMES, SAMUEL,
CHARLES, GEORGE, MARY ANN, and EBENEZER. LEVEN, ELIZABETH, EDWARD, and
DANIEL are deceased. SAMUEL PAYNE, the subject of this sketch, is the
only member of his father's family living in this county. He was
educated under the instruction of his mother, who was a lady of
education, and he being a lad of studious habits, acquired a good
education. He was reared to the vocation of a farmer, which he has made
the principal occupation of his life. He was first married December 25,
1842, to MISS EMILY JANE GREENHALL, who was born in Ross County, Ohio, a
daughter of THOMAS GREENHALL, and after his marriage he located in
Sheffield Township. In 1844 he removed to Rossville, Clinton County,
where he taught school for a year. In 1854 he settled on the farm in
Perry Township, where he has since made his home. MRS. EMILY J. PAYNE
died in 1874, leaving a family of six children--A. T., a physician at
Rushville, Indiana; DARCY, engaged in farming in Cass County; WILLIAM,
attorney at law at Ashland, Kansas; ROWENA, wife of WILLIAM CLEVER, of
Perry Township; HARRIET, wife of ALFRED PATTON of Frankfort, Clinton
County; LUELLA, wife of THOMAS FORRA, of Frankfort, Indiana. MR. PAYNE
was a second time married in 1875, to MRS. LEAH (WHETZEL) HEADRICK, a
native of Clinton County, Indiana, and a daughter of JAMES and LYDIA
(BUCK) WHETZEL. By her first marriage she had two children--ELEANOR,
who died at the age of twenty-four years, and ALLIES R., who died aged
fifteen months. MR. PAYNE was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in
1862, in the Twenty-second Indiana Battery, in which he served three
years, and was wounded in a skirmish at Stone Mountain. He is a great
reader, and is one of the best informed men in his township. His
lecture on Church History has attracted a good deal of notice. In his
political views he is a Republican. In religion he is a Methodist.
Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana,
1888
pp. 627-628.
Adina Dyer
"Yesterday's gone, tomorrow may never come, but we have this moment
today."