The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1920-12-17
Ante -be|Ium Property
Being Rtjuvenated
Payne Place South of Grenada Now
Owned by Mr.. Borden of Chicago.
Big Things in Progress-Memory
of Darkeys and Things Long ago

There is much history and more
or less romance connected with many
ante-bellum southern homes, and OF
course the more luxuriant naturally
attracted the most attention and
have fingered longer in the minds OF
the older ones as we'll as the gen era
ton that came on just after the Civil
War. The old plantation darkey, the
old nanny" negro, who meant al
most as much to the children of the
slave owner as if she were of their
own race and blood. The orchards,
the meadows and a thousand other
minds of those of the present day
ton which is difficult of interpreta-
ton. Castles may crumble and pass
away; mansions decay and fall but
the old before the Civil War planta-
ton, the home, and the darkeys will
be radiant in the minds of not only
Southerners but Northerners as well
for centuries to come. Poets have
sung of that period, artists have re-
duced those days to canvas but still
the richest and best of that day have
been beclouded by postwar prob
lens and passions. Truth crushed
to earth will rise again. Happily
that brotherly love and affection,
which should exist between and
among the citizenship of this broad
land, is seeing with the eye of truth
and justice all of which is aiding in
resurrecting and enthroning that
which should be perpetuated in the
life and history of the South. The
South, the leader in laying deep and
lasting the foundations of this gov
errment; the South which has stood
aloof frepf the influx of undesirable !
foreign immigration; the South which +
has been a haven and a refuge for
the sons of Ethiopia, and has gone
forward in spite of conditions that
would have discouraged and caused !
to fail any other people-it is but ,
natural that reverence and venera-
ton for the past should direct its
eye of destiny as to the. future. So .
it is that the face of the old citizen
sparkles as he relates what he knows
about this old plantation and the
family that made it name in thenow
mellow days preceding the time when
the two sections were at each others
throats about Issues that were an
memorable legacy of the acts of the
founders of the government
One of these old homes is now in
the writer's mind-the payne
place." five miles south Of Grenada.
This plantation was regarded as one
of the most palatial ante-bellum I
homes in Grenada county. The OWL
er, A. NJ. Payne, was a man of cul-
ture and SO also were those of his
household. The residence was locat-
ed on a slope overlooking a beauti- ]
full valley which extends to Bogue ]
river. The high hills eastward, and ]
east of Bogue river, serve as beau {
tiful background and heighten the /
luxury and the grandeur Of sur {
rounding scenery. Mr.. Payne chose !
wisely in locating the home. 1t was i
built after the pattern of the big
homes of that period. The thought '
of economy in lumber and material
as well as plans for many of what j
are called modern conveniences rare i
ly entered into the plans of home I
being erected in that day. There I
were plenty of servants and archi- r
lecture had not made sufficient ad-
to try to impress itself upon C
many outside of the great cities. r
This property has changed hands a
several times since the days of the S
Payne family. Something like 35 v
years ago, a Mr.. Wilder who first t
had to do with the oil mill and the t
compress in Grenada, became its n
owner and occupant. Then Maj. is
Simpson, a New York bachelor be- a
came its owner and after his death, is
The property was divided between is
Mrs. DR.. Dove, Maj. Simpsons Sis tt
,er, and other heirs. Altogether there ''
vas about 1000 acres in the tract
md it was one of the prettiest farms "
n Grenada County. q
This year, Mr.. John Borden, a N
epsuted many times millionaire, Of 81
hic1ego, purchased about $500 acres n
Z then original Payne place which in c'
|udes The handsome and historic old lo
which, by the way, was in HI
good state Of preservation. Mr.. Al
orden has big plans for this proper al
.. He has had the residence over m
auled and greatly improved and Il
uuipped with water, sewerage and tt
aths an well a. electric lights. In, ct
hort it is now . thoroughly modern v,
ONE and its magnffigence has BEEN
realty added to. Figuratively, it tt
as visited that foutain which the h,
lorida explorer, Ponce DeLeond, set ce
he world wild about in the early W
avs of American history. Newness, W
majesty and beauty have been as tn
Ieverly and artistically added to the sc
Id mansion as pearls SWUNG about w
be neck of fair and lovely maiden. til
md what is really more inspiring, to
lore consoling, more maje&tic than be
well ordered country hon@e7 m
But Mr.. Borden has not pnfined y