Lillian James

Notes:

Called Lillie. Fay Payne Yeager has a photograph of Thomas B and his second wife Lillie with their first child, little Clyde Marion, taken in an Indian Territory studio in about 1900. Lillie has an Indian appearance but was listed as "white" on the 1910 census. Additionally, she was not listed as a citizen of The Five Civilized Tribes.

Later correspondence from her only surving child, Marguerite Ray, however, indicates she may indeed have been Native American. Marguerite wrote both Bessie (Gentry) Payne and Lois Payne in 1950, stating "I had my proof of heirship papers filled out in Duncan and took them by Muskogee to the Indian Agency." She also refers to help she received from Baron McClendon in this process. However, Marguerite may have been filing for benefits based solely on her father's enrollment in the Chickasaw tribe by marriage to his first wife, and not on her mother, Lillian.

This is Lillie's census listing at the time of the 1910 census, shortly before she died:

Oklahoma, Stephens County, Parks Township, District 240 215-215
Payne, Luellie Head F W 32 Wd 3/3 Texas Kentucky Missouri
Payne, Maryan (Clyde) Son M W 10 S Oklahoma Missouri
Texas Payne, John P(aul) Son M W 9 S Oklahoma Missouri
Texas Payne, Margrit Daughter F W 6 S Oklahoma Missouri Texas
Payne, Walter Brother in Law M W 42 Wd Missouri Missouri Missouri Rancher
Payne, Carl Nephew M W 13 S Oklahoma Missouri Texas
Payne, John E. Nephew M W 5 S Oklahoma Missouri Texas

DUNCAN WEEKLY BANNER Obituaries and Death Notices

November 25, 1910

The Banner, in common with the many friends of the relatives, is grieved at the announcement of the death, on Tuesday evening at 7 o'clock, of Mrs. Lillian Payne at the family home east of Duncan. She was sick only a few hours, acute conjestion being the cause of her death. Five (sic) children, the youngest five years of age, survive her. She was the wife of T. B. Payne, brother of W.W. Payne, who died about two years ago. Interment was in the Marlow cemetery yesterday afternoon.

The inscription on her headstone reads:
Honored beloved and We??
Here Mother lies
They who knew her best will
Bless her Name
and keep her memory dear
While life shall last

She MIGHT have been the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth JAMES, who were listed on the 1900 Indian Territory, Chickasaw Nation, census as follows:

JAMES, Edward Feb 1858 Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky
JAMES, Elizabeth Jan 1860 Texas Missouri Missouri Mother of 11 children, 10 surviving

9 children were listed in the home with the James family. Perhaps Lillie, who married Thomas Bunker Payne in 1899, was the 10th child, the only one not living at home. I was unable to find this family in 1880 to confirm they might have had a three year old daughter named Lillian.

Lillian married Thomas Bunker Payne about Feb 1899 in Indian Territory. Thomas (son of Thomas Hamilton Payne and Martha Jane Marshall) was born on 24 Nov 1864 in Shelby County, Missouri; died on 11 Oct 1906 in Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma; was buried in Marlow Cemetery, Marlow, Stephens County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

At the time of the 1920 census, he was a lodger in the home of M.J. Ross, in the King Township of Duncan. He was listed as single, a Farmer, and as "Working Out,"

Marloy (sic) Boy Dies Yesterday At Stillwater

Duncan Banner Fri. April 18, 1924 Pg. 8 Transcribed by C. R. Strong 11-29-2003

Clyde Payne, of Marlow, died at Stillwater Monday, according to word received by his uncle, W. W. Payne, of this city, last night. No. particulars concerning the death were given. He was attending A & M college. The body will arrive in Marlow and burial will be there Wednesday at 3 o'clock. Deceased was 26-years old and a son of Tom Payne, pioneer citizen of Stephens county. He was a brother of Carl Payne who was killed in a grade crossing crash near Minco (Oklahoma) several months ago. He is survived by a wife, formerly Miss Willie (Billie) Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hall of this city.

Marlow Review
Thurs. April 17, 1924

Marlow Man Died At Stillwater Monday
Local Post of American Legion Gives Military Funeral

Clyde Payne of this city died Monday at Stillwater where he was attending the A & M College. The body arrived in this city Wednesday and was laid to rest in the City Cemetery at 10:30 o'clock that morning.

Deceased was 26 years old and a son of Tom Payne, pioneer citizen of Stephens County, and a nephew of Mrs. W. H. Payne of this city. He is a brother of Carl Payne who was killed in a grad crossing accident near Minco several months ago. He is survived by his wife and child. Mrs. Payne was formerly Miss Willie Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hall of Duncan.

Mr. Payne was a veteran of the World War serving in the United States Navy. Funeral services at Marlow were in charge of the local post of the American Legion. A firing squad from Duncan assisted the local post in conduction the last sad rites and paying their respect to one of their number who had served his country well and honorably.

(Courtesy of Lynell Gentry Cordell)

NOTE Headstone in Marlow Cemetery, Sect 11 Blks 78 & 85 (Lot 7), states b. 9-13-1899 d. 4-13-1924, and reads "At Rest."

According to Fay (Payne) Yeager, her half-uncle Clyde Marion Payne was hooked on drugs, probably heroin or cocaine. This may have been due to World War I wounds. According to Fay, he had kicked the habit and was attending Oklahoma A & M in Stillwater. When he became ill, he made his wife (Bill) promise to not allow use of drugs. His death was supposedly a bad one. Both Fay and Lois PAYNE mentioned Clyde's wife as "BILL". Both commented how they competed to sit in her lap. Bill was glad to accomadate them, however she required them to "sit still and not wiggle."

Clyde married Willie Hall after 1920. Willie was born before 1904. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

1920 - Living in the Parks Township of Stephens County, with Paul listed as 18 and his wife Grace A. as 17. He was shown as a Farmer. They lived next to Paul's half brother, Thomas H Payne. Their son, Paul Jr. was born in July of that year, five months after the census was taken.

Duncan Daily Banner
Sunday, July 23, 1922 - Pg. 1
Family of Five Killed When Train Strikes Auto
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Payne, Two Children and Niece Killed

El Reno, July 22---(Associated Press) ---A family of four was killed when a Rock Island passenger train struck the auto in which they were riding this afternoon, at a crossing one mile south of Union City.
The dead are:
PAUL PAYNE --25 farmer, Duncan
HIS WIFE,
TWO CHILDREN--a girl 4 years old and a boy 2 years old.
LILLIAN DECK--13, the only daughter of R. A. Deck of El Reno.
The gasoline tank of the automobile exploded and set fire to the wreckage. The bodies of all except Payne were badly burned. Payne, who was driving, was thrown clear of the wreckage and killed instantly. The Payne Family had been visiting in El Reno and was returning to their home in Duncan when the tragedy occurred.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Payne and two babies of this city and Miss Lillian Deck of El Reno, about 13 years old, a niece of Mr. and Mrs. Payne, were instantly killed Saturday afternoon when the automobile in which they were riding was struck by Rock Island northbound passenger train No. 24, a short distance south of Union City, a few miles south of El Reno.Miss Deck had been a guest of the Payne family in Duncan for some time and (---faded print---) party was on the way to her home in El Reno when the accident happened. Miss Deck's father is a Rock Island conductor and has a passenger run. The tragedy happened at the same dangerous crossing that about two months ago occurred a similar smash and which took the lives of four occupants of an automobile. At this place the road and railroad track parallel for some distance before reaching the crossing. At the crossing the auto road takes a sudden turn and dip to cross the railroad. It is impossible to see a train at this place because of the high embankments. Mr. Payne is a nephew of W. W. Payne and Mrs. Payne is a niece of Mrs. Mack Vandergriff, of this city.
The bodies of the victims were brought as far as Marlow where met by relatives with conveyances and brought to Duncan for burial.

The Marlow Review
Thursday, July 27, 1922
FAMILY KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Paul Payne, Wife and Two Small Children Killed Near El Reno Saturday--Were Buried Here Monday
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Payne and two small children, 1 year and 3 months of age, and Lillian Deck, 13 year old daughter of Conductor and Mrs. Deck of El Reno, were instantly killed Saturday afternoon when the auto in which they were riding was struck by a train at a crossing south of Union City. Mr. Payne was thrown clear of the car and killed instantly while Mrs. Payne, the children and Miss Deck were burned to death when the gasoline tank on the car exploded and consumed the car.
The remains of the Payne family were brought here for funeral services and burial Monday afternoon.
The services were conducted by Rev. E. L. Kirtley and the Idlett Click Post of the American Legion.
Paul Payne was born in Marlow, some twenty-one years ago and was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Payne, well known pioneers of this locality. He grew to manhood here but later moved to Duncan from which place he moved to his farm on Wild Horse after marrying a Duncan girl. It was on this farm that he was residing at the time he met his death. The deceased served in the late war and was an active member of the American Legion. The deceased family leave a large number of relatives and many friends who are deeply grieved over such a sad demise.

The Marlow Review
Thursday, July 27, 1922 - Pg. 1

FAMILY KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Paul Payne, Wife and Two Small Children Killed Near El Reno Saturday--Were Buried Here Monday

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Payne and two small children, 1 year and 3 months of age, and Lillian Deck, 13 year old daughter of Conductor and Mrs. Deck of El Reno, were instantly killed Saturday afternoon when the auto in which they were riding was struck by a train at a crossing south of Union City. Mr. Payne was thrown clear of the car and killed instantly while Mrs. Payne, the children and Miss Deck were burned to death when the gasoline tank on the car exploded and consumed the car. The remains of the Payne family were brought here for funeral services and burial Monday afternoon. The services were conducted by Rev. E. L. Kirtley and the Idlett Click Post of the American Legion. Paul Payne was born in Marlow, some twenty-one years ago and was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Payne, well known pioneers of this locality. He grew to manhood here but later moved to Duncan from which place he moved to his farm on Wild Horse after marrying a Duncan girl. It was on this farm that he was residing at the time he met his death. The deceased served in the late war and was an active member of the American Legion. The deceased family leave a large number of relatives and many friends who are deeply grieved over such a sad demise.

(All articles above are courtesty of Lyn Cordell)

Paul J. Payne was buried, with his namesake son, on 24 Jul 1922, in Section 9, Block 15, Plot 2, Marlow Cemetery, Oklahoma.

Paul married Grace A. Creel on 1 Oct 1919 in Stephens County, Oklahoma. Grace was born about 1902 in Cruce, Stephens County, Indian Territory; died on 22 Jul 1922 in Union City, Canadian County, Oklahoma; was buried in Marlow Cemetery, Marlow, Stephens County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married second a Mr. RAY.

Family/Spouse: Frank Atkins. Frank was born about 1906. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Tom Ray. Tom was born before 1906. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Not to be confused with his second cousin of approximately the same age, Paul James Payne, the son of Harry Carl Payne.

It was recorded that P.J., as he was called, died at the age of 2 years and 7 days.

Notes:

She is recorded as having died at the age of eight months and six days by Ken Harvey. Lyn Cordell reports the funeral home records actually show her age as 8 months and four days old.