THOMAS B. PAYNE was born in Maury County, Tenn., February 2, 1843, a son of Cornelius and Lousia A. (Walton) Payne, natives of Virginia. Cornelius Payne was married in his native State, where he was engaged in merchandising for many years. About 1817 or 1818 he moved to Tennessee, where he engaged in teaching in connection with farming until 1850, when he moved to Logan County, Ky., where he farmed about five years. In 1855 he removed to Hopkins County, and bought a farm near Nebo, where he remained about fourteen years. He then sold out and bought another farm in the same neighborhood upon he which resided until his death in September, 1876, in his eighty-eighth year. He and wife were life long members of the Primitive Baptist Church, of which he was a regularly ordained minister for more than half of a century. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a veteran of the war of 1812. Thomas B. was employed on his father's farm until he attained his majority, and then farmed the home place on shares until 1869, when he engaged in general merchandising at Providence, Webster Co., Ky., where he has since been in business. He carries a stock of about $8,000, and is doing a flourishing business, with yearly sales of about $20,000. When he opened his store at Providence he also engaged in the hotel and livery business there; still carries on the latter business but gave up the hotel in June, 1884. In 1877 he erected a large tobacco stemmery at Providence, and has since been extensively engaged in the tobacco trade in connection with his other business. He is also engaged in farming to some extent. He was married, February 24, 1864, to Miss Isabella E. Herrin, a native of Webster County, Ky., and daughter of Jackson Herrin, one of the earliest pioneers of what is now Webster County. Seven children have been born to them, four of whom—two sons and two daughters—are living. Mr. Payne is a Democrat.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Pages 1044-1045.