The state journal., 1884-02-02
A SURPRISED COMMUNITY.
A Groom who for Thirty-five Years
was Supposed to be a Woman.

WHEELING, West Va, Feb. l.
This afternoon, in the little brick
church in Martinsburg, West Va.
used by the Southern Methodist con
gregatlon of that town, two people
were married by the Rev. John Lean.
street, formerly Chaplain of Jet
Stuart's Confederate regiment of cav
airy. There wa nothing peculiar
about the ceremony ex .ept that both
the parties to the contract have been
known for 35 years as respectable
women in that vicinity. The groom,
it such term can be applied in this
case, has been known for 10 years in
Martinsburg as lady of correct
habits. modest demeanor, and marked
intelligence and refinement. His, CT
her, name is Jane Catherine Payne.
During the 10 years referred to she
has kept little store in the village of
Rest, about 13 miles from Martins
burg and s miles from Winchester,
on the Winchester pike. There is
no better family in that section than
the Paynes. The mother was left a
widow in comfortable circumstances
some years ago and married again,
but subsequently separated from htr
husband. She now lives Oh one of
the best farms in Frederick county,
Va. She has brought up seven child
rem, four of whom are married to
prosperous farmers in the neighbor
hood. Another lives at this time
with her mother, and still ano her
conducts fourishing school for
young ladies near her mothers home.
The remaining one is Jane Catherine,
who from childhood has evinced re-
markable business talent and who has,
from the time she attained years Of
maturity, been engaged in commercial
pursuits.
No one in that vicinity is more ia
vorably known. Living quietly and
attending closely to business, the
neighbors gradually came to look
upon the proprietress of the little
store as an old maid. Judge there
fore of their astonishment when last
Tuesday Jane Catherine appeared in
Martinsburg and boldly announced
her conversion from the gentler to
the sterner sex. She purchased and
arrayed herself in suit of masculine
habiliments, including silk hat and
a pair of red topped boots, and then
declared her intention to marry Mrs.
Annie Hinton, lady who for years
had been her assistant in the town of
Rest In explanation Jane stated
that there never had been any occa-
sion to doubt her tomininity until
about fortnight ago, when she wss
led to visit DIR. Mcclure and DR..
Love, at Winchester. These gentle,
men performed a simple and painless
operation, and announced to their
patient that there could be no doubt
as to her perfect masculinity, and that
the ignoramus who superintended her
advent into the world deserved to be
prosecuted for the dense stupidity
which brought about the subsequent
wearing of petticoats instead Of
trousers.
Armed with this information Jane
lost no time in carrying out the pro
gramme before mentioned. The
license issued for the ceremony was
made out in the name of J. G. Payne
instead of Jane Catherine Payne, it
being her intention to have her fem
inine changed to John ss soon as an
act of the Legislature can be procured
for the purpose. Of course the COM
munity in which this startling meta
morphose occurred is considerably
stirred up over the event, but there
is no doubt as to the facts stated, and
no one questions the sincerity OF tho
parties to the matrimonial contract.
There are no more reputable physi
clans in the Valley of Virginia than
the medical gentlemen referred to.
DIR. Mcclure is widely known as
skillful surgeon, and DIR. Lane is the
son-in-law of Charles James Faulk.
ner snd is highly esteemed physi-
clan and gentleman.
The parties who were TO day joined
together in matrimoDy, have not only
been associated together in business,
but have lived together for years in
the closest social intimacy, working.
eating, and sleeping together without
the slightest suspicion that they be-
longed to opposite sexes. AS these
people, thus strangely brought TO
gether, stood at the altar to day, the