My Genealogy Hound

W. G. Payne, merchant, of Covington, Tenn., was born in Sumner County, of that State, November 11, 1844, son of E. L. and S. B. Payne. The former was a Virginian by birth, born in 1814. He moved to Sumner County about 1824, and remained there until his career ended, July 25, 1872. He was a farmer and stock raiser by occupation, and for some time was engaged in merchandising, The mother’s maiden name was McAllister. She was born in Smith County, Tenn., about 1825, and died February, 1863. Our subject had good educational advantages in youth, and attended Enon College, also the Rural Academy, in Sumner County. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate Army—Company K, Second Tennessee Infantry, under Col. W. B. Bate, ex-governor of the State. He remained until the close of the war, taking part in many of the hardest-fought battles without receiving any serious wounds, and without being captured. He was a brave soldier and rendered valuable service in the Confederate Army. In 1867 Mr. Payne came to Covington and entered a store as salesman, where he remained sometime, after which he traveled a while for a wholesale house at Louisville In 1874 he began merchandising at Covington, a business he has followed most of the time since. He is a good business manager, and one of the prominent merchants of Covington. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the I. O. O. F. September, 1885, he married Ella Utley, a native of Tennessee, born in 1859, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Her mother’s maiden name was Bransford, and her father was a Methodist Episcopal preacher and resided in Nashville.