The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1884-02-28
WHAT Is IT? HECR SHE?
MAseuERADINo IN woMAh's CARe.
Concealing His SoH Under PettIcoats Unth
Love CompoIs an Astonishing Revo-
Iatlon - A Clergyman Com
pletes tho Work.
Winchester CVn.1 Spocial.I

Winchester (Va.) SpccalI
One OF the bost known ladies Of tho
Shenandoah Valley, Va, has turned QUITO
be man. Miss Elizabeth Rebecca Payno,
daughter Of tho lato Joseph Payne, soven
miles from Winchester, who has lived for
thirty-eight years as a lady, suddenly
avowed herself to be man few days
since, and startled JamesP. Riloy, Clerk
OF the County Court here, by applying for
license to marry Miss Hinton, woman
who had resided in the Payne family as
domestic
The lady who fired the heart Of Mr..
Payne with such passion rs to compel him
to throw Off the habit of lifetime and de-
clare his sex is prepossessing and forty
years of age. The strange affair has
caused most decided sensation in tho
Shenandoah Valley, and nothing else Is
talked about. Payne is said to have ap-
peared in this world as female, and was
brought up as such. No one ever qucs-
toned his sex. and his own ovowal Of
masculinity took away tho breath Of tho
community.
Elizabeth Rebecca Payne was ono Of a
family Of five OF six daughters. He was
brought up as woman, and was admitted
Into the bost society in company with the
ways regarded as n somewhat masculine
girl, but no one over suspected ho was n
man. He was most graceful and dash.
ing equestrienne, and always challenged
general admiration, as ho frequently rode
into Winchester with his habit and some.
what long hair trailing in the wind He
was one Of the most widely-known ladies
In the valley.
In addition to good birth and inherited
acres, he developed remarkable talent for
woman, when revcrScS in tho family fort
une rendered 1T necessary for some one to
put shoulder to the wheel. His sisters
were distinguished for their culture and
personal charms, and several of them mar
rled prominent gentlemen. Mr. Rebecca
Payne devoted himself to the management
Oh a farm and to the supervision of n
store which he had established at "Rest, -
where he also held the appointment Of
Post-mistress. He also dealt in cattle and
horses, and became an expert in that way.
All MS enterprises prospered, and he has
acquired considerable wealth.
Determining to marry, he threw off his
dresses and applied for license from the
Court at Winchester. But tho aStonished
Clerk, who, like ev erybody else, knew him
as woman, declined to issue q license for
woman to marry a woman, when PAYNE
proved his real sex by producing the Ger.
tifcato of DIR. p. w. Mcguire, of Win.
chester. License was still refused, on tho
ground that Virginia law compelled n mar
to have given names which show his seq
before he can act as man before the law.
Payne then determined to have his name
changed at the March term of tho Circuit
Court.
Tho affair is nine-days' wonder in the
Shenandoah, and has created more excite.
ment than any event which has drturbed
the social circles of the State for n hall
| century. No explanation has becn offered
as to why he masqucraded so long as a
woman. Rumor has it that Payne and his
sweetheart won't to West Virginia yeste~.
day and were married, but this lacks con.
| flrmation.