Wichita eagle., 1889-04-26
DAVID PAYNE.
From the Kansas Chief.


Now that Oklahoma is an accomplish
ed fact, tangible thing OF the present,
inquiries are being made for the history
of Dave Payne, the original Oklahoma
boomer. Even Judge Atkins of the
State Historical society, Is able to give
but a meagre account of him. AS Payne
was of course, originally of Doniphan
| county, as far as his Kansas history is
| concerned, we can give some light on
the subject.
David L. Payne was born in Jonesboro.
Grant county, Indiana, about the year
1887. He and an older brother came to
Kansas in 1858, locating in Burr Oak
township in this county, in what is
known as the Upper Bottom.
Dave did not spread around or
make any noise during the earlier years
of his residence tn this county. When
the war broke out, he was among the
earliest to enlist. becoming member OF
Company F., 10th Kansas infantry, of
which John J. Boyd, lately deceased in
Atchison, was captain, and of which, in
few months, Nathan Price, became
captain, and Cy. Leland was first lieu
tenant. During his army service, the
streak of ambition which he afterwards
developed lay dormant, as he never rose
above the rank of a private; but from
all accounts we can get. he was good
soldier, and did not lack in grit. The
term of enlistment of the regiment ex-
pired in the fall of 1864, just in the heat
of the election excitement, when Lane,
Carney, and Gen. Ewing were looking
out for members of legislature
who would support them for
United States senator. A number of the
10th Kansas boys became candidates,
and were all for Ewing. Dave Payne
became candidate in the second dis
trict Of this county, composed of Wolf
River and Burr-Oak townships, and was
elected. He ran as Republican, but
we believe he had originally been Dem
ocrat in Indiana. He took frequent re-
lapses of this kind, and was sometimes
Republican Democrat. His election to
the legislature awakened his ambition,
and from that time on he was a rustler,
and was always latter something" At
the session of 1S67-the famous Pomeroy
and Ross session-he was sergeant-at-
arms of the state senate, still Republi-
can. Immediately after the adjourn
ment of the legislature, he was ap-
pointed postmaster at Fort Leaven-
worth, perhaps through Gen
eral Ewing's influence, pursuant
to some arrangement made during
the senatorial fight. About this time
President johnson Johnsonized, and
afforded Dave Payne his first oppor
tunity for a Democratic relapse. He
became a johnson man. Having got
into paying office, he became very
1,,,f
months for him to fall sadly short in his
was one of his bondsmen, who had to
chip in and pay the deficit. To partially
reimburse himself, Carney took deed
to Payne's quarter section In Burr-Oak,
and Payne became landless. Gov.
Carney owned the land up to within
few years ago. Payne had to give up
the postoffice, and in the summer
of 1867, he became captain of COM
pany or battalion of the state troops
organized to protect the western settle
ments from Indian depredatlons; Gov
ernor Crawford having resigned his Of
flee to take chief command.
After coming out of this Indian SER
vice Payne moved to southern Kansas,
about Wichita, at the same time that j.
NJ. Steele went there. He was elected
to the legislature of 1872 from that coun-
ty as Democrat-or at least as sort of
Democrat. When the Democrats got
control of the lower house of congress,
about 1875, Payne went on to Washing
ton and got the position of doorkeeper,
or assistant doorkeeper. He was
at Washington off ard on in some
subordinate position for several years.
He was still there, in 1878, as we remem-
ber from the fact that the new silver
dollars were first coined in that year and
the first ones seen in this county were a
few that he sent here as a present to
friends. Soon after he returned west
and went into the Oklahoma business.
Dave Payne was strange compound.
He was generous and whole-souled and
at any time would divide what he had
with a friend. However, he seldom
had anything, but he was just as
generous with the money of his friends
as he was with his own. He never
hesitated to use a friend and to bor-
row money of him as long as he could
get it. And he didn't bother himself
about paying it back. Wesuppose there
is scarcely a friend or intimate aequaint-
ance that he ever had but who has some
thing to remember him by. in the way
of unpaid borrowed money or other debt.
He died suddenly one morning at the
breakfast table, just as he had begun
eating. This was sad, as he was man
of fine physique and excellent digestion,
and no man could better enjoy a good
meal.
Requiescat in pace. [Them's Latin
words.