The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-28
\ WOMAN BECOMES A MAN.
The Great Virginia Sensation,
AT. Tabor, Fla.

w S''S Wv uCldllS VI DlO re-
markable occurrence. 1t sounds uore
like romance than fact, but we must re.
member that truth is frequently stranger
than fiction. Nor can the least doubt be
entertained: because we have the a...:
rance or a we'll known citizen Of Atlanta,
that the facts stated in the article con.
cerning Miss (beg PARDON Mrs. (pardon
u.s. Mr. Rebecca Payne, are absolutely
true, he having known her (him) and
her (his) family from childhood. A
special from Winchester, Va, SAYS:
Miss Elizabeth Rebecca Payne.
daughter OF the late Joseph Payne, seven
miles from Winchester, who has lived
for thirty eight years as lady, suddenly
aVowed herself to be, few days since, q
man, and startled James p. Reiley,
CLERK of the County Court here, by ap.
plying for license to marry Miss Hin.
ton, who had resided in the Payne family
as domestic. The lady who fred the
heart Of Dlr. Payne with such passion as
to compel him to throw off the habit Of
lifetime and declare his sex is prepos.
sessing and forty years of age. The
strange affair has caused decided sensa
tlon In the Shenandoah Valley and moth
ing else is talked about. Payne was
brought up as girl. No one ever ques.
toned his sex, and his avowal that he
was man took away the breath of the
community. Elizabeth Rebecca Payne
was one of family Of six daughters !;
was brought up as woman, and was sd.
mitted inio the best society in company
with other members Of the family. He
was always regarded Us O somewhat mas
cullne girl, but no one suspected he was
man. He was a most dashing and
graceful equestr:enne, and always chal-
lenged admiration az he frequently rode
into Winchesterwit his habit and some.
what long hair trailing in the wind. He
was one of the most widely know ladies
in the valley. In addition to good birth
and inherited acres he developed remar-
kable business talent for q woman when
reverses i'll the family fortunes rendered
1t necessary for some 'one to put q shoul-
der to the wheel.
His sisters were distinguished for their
culture and personal charms and several
Of them married prominent gentlemen.
Rebeccs Payne deToted himself 10 the
management Of Ii farm and 10 the super
vision OF store which he had established
at Rest, where he also held the appoint.
ment of Postmistress. He also dealt in
cattle and horses and became an expert
in that way. All his enterprises pros.
pered and he has acquired considerable
wealth. Determining to marry he threw
off his dresses snd applied for q license
from court at Winchester, but the aston.
ished clerk, who, like everybody else,
knew him as woman, declined to issue
q license for woman to marry woman.
Thn <>r -.
Berkeley County, w. Va, adjoining
Frederick County, in which Miss Payne
lives, so the latter proceeded to Martins.
burg, the county seat of Berkeley Coun.
ty, and procured a marriage license in
the name Of l.. R. Payne, and the mar.
riage was celebrated Thursday afternoon,
as above stated, the Rev. John Land
street, of the NJ. E. Church, South.
MartinsbnEs, officiating. A largo crowd
witnessed the marriage. the church being
thrown open to the public at the expense
of the groom. The groom, who put ON
male attire only few days before the
wedding, is good looking, tall and slim,
rather delicate looking, of fair complex
ion and with long curls. - 80"
Additional interesting details of the
groom are given in the Baltimore Ameri-
can in letter from Staunton. written by
former teacher of the girl rl.groop,. She
speaks in the highest terms of praise Of
Rebecca. She made friends everywhere
by her gentleness of manner and open
ness of heart. She was true Christian,
and circumspect in all her actions-re.
sPeetiui and attentive TO her instructors,
ambitious TO excel; aud that laudable
ambition carried her up to the highest
round of the ladder of knowledge. She
was famed for her muscular force and
was leader in all brave exploits. A
shadow Of sadness, however, seemed to
rest forever on her fixed and handsome
features, caused by some deep secret that
marred her youthful happiness. Years
after her graduation prosperous young
farmer fell in love with her and proposed
in this way: Becky, l have q farm
worth sso,0eo, and woald Ike e s!s::y
you but don't want to marry all your
sisters. They can't live with u.s."
She replied: "John, have as good
farm rs yours, but don't want you nor
your 100000. am already married to
my mother and sisters. We all have
enough to eat without my marrying"
John went aud got married to another
girl, and after awhile Becky bought his
farm for about half its value and added
it to the family estate.
The sequel of this strange, eventfnl
hist ,ry is told in the details given in the
letter from Winchester.
"A gentleman in California recently
found in his we'll, sixteen feet deep, q
mass of roots belonging to eucalyptus
tree, standing some fifty feet distant.
III a -aaan h. a 4 ernna kh1niiuh a hrick szall