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Marvin Walter Payne

Male 1881 - 1948  (66 years)


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  • Name Marvin Walter Payne  [1
    Born 17 Jan 1881  Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 4 Jan 1948  Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Marlow, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • Kenneth Harvey wrote the following brief biography of Marvin Walter Payne: Marvin was named after the Methodist Bishop Marvin whom his mother particularly respected.

      Marvin was about twelve years old when his photograph was taken in a family group with his parents. This photograph survives and is in the collection of Lewis Adair Payne (1997).

      As a teenager he was out on the trail cattle herding with his father when he became very ill. Totally incapacitated he was left to lie in agony on the bedrolls in the accompanying chuck wagon. They were miles from anywhere. He later believed that the severe bouncing and bucking of the wagon as it slowly and labourously moved across the untamed countryside saved his life. Much later on it was proved that he had in fact survived a burst appendix; not a very common occurance. Most die from it. He was to say in later years that "I left my appendix on the Western Trail and the cattle walked over it."

      He worked as a cowboy and attended high school part-time until he was twenty.

      There is another photograph, this time of his high school graduation in from Quanah High School in May 1901. This shows him holding his sheepskin diploma-no "mere paper" at that time! The photograph shows five girls dressed like bridesmaids and one boy with a flower in his button hole, all students surrounding a man who is presumably the school principal. Marvin, the solitary boy (young adult), is at the rear (apparently education was not a very macho activity among the youth of the town). His younger sister Effie stands to his immediate right. Marvin read an essay to the assembled parents on "Closing Events of the Nineteenth Century." His sister Effie read an essay on "Duty." One of the other girls present was a Payne double first cousin, Lula Pearl McClanahan (daughter of Fred Lafayette McClanahan and Calla Payne). She read an essay on "Courage." Other graduating students were Bettie Carter, Cora B. Matlock, and a Miss Johnson. A long term correspondence with Miss Gabie E. Betts, later Burton (1871-?) begins after Marvin graduates from Quanah High School. Miss Gabie, as she refers to herself, used to live in Quanah where she taught in the elementary School. She was known as one of the best primary school teachers in the Panhandle. She later moved to teach at Clarendon College. She addresses Marvin in very affectionate terms--indeed as her son. The letters were saved by Grace after Marvin's death, and passed down to Mary Ann Mounts Payne.

      Marvin graduated in 1903 from the Metropolitan Business School.

      Marvin married Grace Gentry in 1907 and the young couple lived with her parents for some years in Oklahoma until they moved back to Quanah, Texas. He then worked there in a lumber company from about 1912.

      On his father's death in 1916 the family farm was mortgaged and the family divided the proceeds. Marvin fell heir to the mortgage and immediately rented it out to help pay off the mortgage . He now worked as a book-keeper for a wholesale company in Chickasha, circa. 1920, and then moved back to Duncan where he was involved in a restaurant. He didn't stay long at that and he was to become the manager of the Chickasha Cotton Oil Mill in 1921. He then lost this job when the mill was sold during the depression. The family returned to live on the farm, four miles S.W. of Marlow, on Hell Creek. Unfortunately times were very difficult and he could not keep up the payments. The family property was repossessed by the mortgage company. The local official delivering the eviction notice, in about 1937, was a friend and he was to say "Marvin I hate to do this to you." The poor man's only response was "You have to, its your job." Marvin put the papers on the kitchen table in the house and never looked at them. The whole tragic experience hit him very hard indeed and really robbed him of all subsequent motivation. They now put the family furniture in storage but could not even keep up these payments; consequently it too was all lost. To add insult to injury, some years later oil was discovered ont he farm and today (1997) there is a sign which says; "Chevron USA Inc, W.M. Payne Lease Sec 35-2N-8W."

      Grace's mother was unable to keep up payment on her own home mortgage, and sold the residence to her daughter and Marvin for a dollar. The families moved in with Mary on Spruce road. It was not long, however, before Marvin was unable to keep up those payments, and that house was lost as well. It was a bitter time. At some point the family returned to the old Marlow farmstead which they had been forced to leave, paying rent to live there. Marvin eventually went to work with a cattle auction company.

      According to Fay Payne Yeager, Thomas R. Marshall (Vice President of the United States) was a cousin of Martha Jane Marshall Payne. He stayed in the home of Marvin and Grace (Gentry) Payne while on a speaking tour of Oklahoma. He said he remembered attending family reunions with Martha when he was younger.

      M. W. Payne, Long Resident Here Dies

      Duncan Banner Monday Jan. 5, 1947 Pg. 1 Transcribed by C. R. Strong 11-29-2003

      Marvin Walter Payne, 1106 Oak, died at 10 o'clock Sunday night in a local hospital after a lengthy illness. He was a retired accountant.
      The funeral service will be held at the Beeson Grantham Funeral Home chapel at 3:30 p. m. Tuesday, with the Rev. John A Callan (sic), pastor of the First Methodist Church, and the Rev. Thurmond George, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiating.
      Born in Gainesville, Tex., Pay ne came to Duncan in 1904 and had been a resident here for more than 40 years.
      Surviving are the widow; three sons, Chad In Berlin, Germany, Lewis Adair of Stillwater, and Marvin W. jr., Duncan; one daughter, Mrs. Bob Thompson, Pampa, Tex;, one brother, Aubry (sic) H., Muleshoe, Tex; and five grandchildren.
      Pallbearers are Rich Edwards, Bill Boydston, J. B. McLendon, Leroy Tucker, Oscar Young, J. D. Walker, Leonard Bumpas, and H. C. Allen.

      Marvin Payne is Buried in Marlow From an unidentified Duncan, OK newspaper, dated 1948

      Death took a longtime resident of Stephens County this week after he had been ill for many years. Marvin Walter Payne died in a Duncan Hospital Sunday night. He had lived in Duncan and vicinity most of the time since 1904 and will be remembered as the manager of the Duncan Cotton Oil Mill, a position which he held for many years. Payne was born in Gainsville, Texas. When he was a child, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Payne, moved to Quannah, Texas, where they owned one of the big ranches in that part of the country. Payne was reared and educated in Quannah. He came to Duncan as a young man. He married Grace Ellen Gentry of Arthur in 1907.

      He was in Chickasha for many years where he was connected with the Chickasha Cotton Oil Mill. In the early thirties he became ill and moved back to the old homeplace northwest of Duncan. He is survived by his widow and his four children, Chad who is now stationed with the Army in Berlin, Germany; Lewis Adair, Stillwater; Marvin W. Jr., Duncan, and Mrs Bob Thompson, Pampa, Texas. Funeral Services were held at the Beeson-Grantham Funeral chapel on Tuesday afternoon with the Rev. John A Callan of the First Methodist Church and the Rev. Thurmond George of the First Baptist Church officiating. He was buried in the Marlow Cemetery.

      NOTE No Headstone in Marlow Cemetery, but known to be in Sect 10 Blk 10 (Lot 5?), Believed to be b.1-17-1881 d. 1-4-1948
    • (Research):World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
      Name: Marvin Walter Payne
      City: Chickasha
      County: Grady
      State: Oklahoma
      Birth Date: 17 Jan 1881
      Race: White
      Roll: 1851777
      DraftBoard: 1
      Age: 37
      Occupation: Book keeper
      Employer: J.D. Turner & Co., Chickasha, Grady Co. OK
      Nearest relative: Grace Payne, Chickasha, Grady Co. OK
      Height/Build: ------
      Color of Eyes/Hair: Brown/Brown

      Census Information:

      1930 census Stephens Co. OK King Twp., ED 69-7
      Sheet 13B 511 So. 8th (?)
      217/233
      Payne, Marvin W., MW 49 M 26 TX MO MO
      Payne, Grace, wife FW 41 M 18 TX TN WV
      Payne, Chadwick, son MW 22 S OK TX TX
      Payne, Mary, dau. FW 17 S OK TX TX
      Payne, Lewis, son MW 16 OK TX TX
      Payne, Marvin, Jr., son MW 4 9/12 S OK TX TX

      They owned their home, with a value of $2000, and owned a radio as well.

      (Courtesy of Lynell Cordell)
    Person ID I5781  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 17 Aug 2014 

    Father Samuel Marshall Payne,   b. 11 Mar 1849, Hannibal, Marion County, Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Jun 1916, Marlow, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 67 years) 
    Mother Olivia McClanahan,   b. Abt 1844, Schuyler County, Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Apr 1910, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 66 years) 
    Married 20 Aug 1873  Schuyler County, Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    • !MARRIAGE LIC. Schuyler Co. MO.Paage 58,Book C, 1871-92 (MCCL Doc. 13)
    Family ID F1086  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Grace Ellen Gentry,   b. 3 Nov 1888, Decatur, Wise County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 16 Dec 1966, Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years) 
    Married 22 Jan 1907  Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Children 
     1. Claude Chadwick Payne,   b. 18 Feb 1908, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Dec 1955, Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 47 years)
     2. Mary Olive Payne,   b. 19 Sep 1912, Marlow, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 May 1992, Longview, Gregg County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
     3. Lewis Adair Payne,   b. 15 Mar 1914, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Aug 1998, Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 84 years)
     4. Robert Anthony Payne,   b. Abt 1922, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Abt 1922, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 0 years)
     5. Marvin Walter "Snort" Payne, Jr.,   b. 13 Jun 1925, Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Jul 1979, Anadarko, Caddo County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 54 years)
    Last Modified 9 Dec 2006 
    Family ID F1112  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 17 Jan 1881 - Gainesville, Cooke County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 22 Jan 1907 - Stephens County, Oklahoma Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 4 Jan 1948 - Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Marlow, Stephens County, Oklahoma Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Payne, Samuel Marshall Family
    Payne, Samuel Marshall Family
    Samuel Marshall Payne and Olivia McClanahan were married in 1873 in Missori, eventually moving to Texas. Ken Harvey writes that "In 1893 a Payne family group studio photograph was taken, probably in Quanah, Texas. It shows left to right; Samuel Marshall Payne (44) seated, Effie Mae (10) standing, C. Frank (18) seated, Aubrey Hamilton (16) standing rear, Samuel E. (14) standing forground, Marvin Walter (12) standing rear and Olivia McClanahan Payne (49) seated." Note that 14 year old Samuel E. Payne, standing in the front row, looks much younger than his actual age. He was born with a form of dwarfism, and never grew taller in stature than is pictured. He died within 10 years of the picture being taken.
    PAYNE FAMILY REUNION - 1927
Home of Aunt Annie (O'Neill) Sparks - 
303 Hickory, Duncan, Oklahoma
    PAYNE FAMILY REUNION - 1927 Home of Aunt Annie (O'Neill) Sparks - 303 Hickory, Duncan, Oklahoma
    This 1927 Payne Reunion photo is of 41 people. On September 21-23, 1999, Charles R. Strong along with his mother, Anna Laura "Rooney" (Payne) Strong and two aunts ? Dora Fay (Payne) Pierce-Yeager and Lois Marie (Payne) Hanna reviewed the picture. The late Lewis Adair Payne had already prepared his own list identifying all persons. Both list had errors. Mary Gwendolyn ?Marilynn? (Payne) Wade of Marlow later helped Charles Strong reconcile the two lists and correct some errors. One reason for differences in the two lists was due to the existence of two pictures, which were almost, but not exactly, identical. This photo slightly differs from Aunt Annie?s version.

    . NOTE-The list below is numbered left to right - top to bottom. The first number is sequential in total, and the
    second number is position within the row.

    TOP ROW
    1 1 Paul Puckett, Boy living with Hattie (Brown) Payne.
    2 2 Mabel Lyles
    3 3 Baby is Mary Gwendolyn ?Marilynn? (Payne) Wade.
    4 4 Joseph Ray ?Jodey? Payne Jr.
    5 5 Virginia (Payne) Hardin - d. of Walter W., # 22 below
    6 6 Vera (Payne) Roberts-Young, -d. of Walter W. #22 and mother of #30 below
    7 7 Mary Ethyl (Payne) Benton-Madison-Parker. d. of W. W. # 22
    8 8 Claude Chadwick Payne
    9 9 Ruth Hazel Witherspoon-d. of Mable (Gentry) Witherspoon, d. of John Price Gentry.
    10 10 Florence Scott d. of # 23 Lou Payne Scott & niece of W.W. Payne
    11 11 Marvin Walter Payne Sr. Father of #'s 8, 28, 37, & 38
    12 12 Gracie (Gentry) Payne Wife of # 11 Marvin W. Payne
    13 13 Rene Gentry - s. of Frank Melton and Ada (Jones) Gentry, and nephew of Gracie #12
    14 14 Edna (Surginer) Payne, First wife of John Earl (Dukie) Payne
    15 15 John Earl, (Dukie) Payne
    16 16 Caroline "Carrie" (Cover) Payne
    17 17 Harry Carl Payne,Sr.

    MIDDLE ROW
    18 1 William "Billy" West - Grandson of # 23, Louise (Payne) Scott
    19 2 Joseph Ray Payne, s. of Wm. Henry H. Payne
    20 3 C. Frank Payne, Brother to # 11, Marvin W. Payne Sr.
    21 4 Annie (O'Neill) Sparks, Wife of #26
    22 5 Walter Winkle Payne
    23 6 Louise "Lula" (Payne) Scott
    24 7 Hattie (Brown) Payne
    25 8 Orville Scott
    26 9 James Rufus Sparks f. of # 33, Mary Pat (Sparks) Kubic

    BOTTOM ROW
    27 1 Anna Laura "Rooney" (Payne) Strong
    28 2 Mary Olive (Payne) Thompson
    29 3 Mary Ethyl (Benton) Jones
    30 4 Clifford "Bosco" Roberts
    31 5 Virginia Payne, sister to # 4 above, and d. of Joseph R. & g.d. Wm. H. H. Payne ?
    32 6 Dora Fay (Payne) Pierce - Yeager
    33 7 Mary Pat (Sparks) Kubik
    34 8 Francis Hardin, d. of Virginia Payne Hardin, # 5 above, (in lap of Mary Pat)
    35 9 Thelma (Gentry) Callaway - d. of Edgar J. Gentry & g.d. of Wm. M. Gentry
    36 10 Lois Marie (Payne) Hanna
    37 11 Lewis Adair Payne
    38 12 Marvin Walter "Snort" Payne Jr. in Lewis' lap.
    39 13 Willie Lee "Billy" Payne ?
    40 14 Paul James Payne
    41 15 Jean Bruce (Benton) Turner

  • Sources 
    1. [S182] Marlow Oklahoma Cemetery Tombstone.

    2. [S250] Ancestral File, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints [database online], (Ancestral File (found at www.familysearch.org) is a collection of genealogical information taken from Pedigree Charts and Family Group Records submitted to the Family History Department since 1978. The information has not been verified against any official records. Since the information in Ancestral File is contributed, it is the responsibility of those who use the file to verify its accuracy.).

    3. [S315] Rainey, Juanita (sparklestree@aol.com) "Juanita's Family Tree" Ver. Jun 23 22:39:06 2003; http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=gentry536.