David I. Payne, M. D., Rapides Parish, Louisiana Submitted by Mike Miller ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** David I. Payne, M. D. Since graduating from medical college in 1910, Doctor Payne has been a busy physician in Louisiana, and since 1921 has had his home and offices in Alexandria. He is one of the very proficient men of his profession in that city. He was born in Grant Parish; Louisiana, December 2, 1879, son of J. S. and Martha (Weaver) Payne, his father a native of North Carolina and reared in Georgia, while his mother was born and reared in Alabama, in which state they were married. In 1871 the family moved to Louisiana, settling at Montgomery in Grant Parish. J. S. Payne, during the war between the states, was employed by the Confederate government at Selma, Alabama. He was a mechanic, and for many years conducted a blacksmith shop at Montgomery. He was also a minister of the Baptist Church, and preached regularly until his death, though not for compensation. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and a democrat. Of the thirteen children of these parents, eleven are now living. David I. Payne. being one of a large family, and his parents in only moderate circumstances, had to depend on his own efforts after getting the advantages of home and country schools. His experience was that of a practical farmer until he was twenty years of age. For seven years he taught school, and in that way was able to complete a liberal education, first at Baylor University at Waco. Texas, and in 1910 he graduated from the medical department of the University of Tennessee. For nine years Doctor Payne practiced medicine at Verda, Louisiana. His professional career had to he abandoned for two years while he was recovering from influenza. Then in 1921 he located at Alexandria, and has a large general practice in and around the city. During 1921 he did postgraduate Work in Chicago, and in 1923 spent ten weeks in schools and clinics at New Orleans. Doctor Payne married in 1912 Miss Ida Hutchinson, a native of Grant Parish and daughter of C. J. Hutchinson, who was a pioneer farmer in that section of the state. Doctor and Mrs. Payne had five children, four now living: Charles Jonathan, attending the Pineville High School; William, also in school; Mary Helen; and Ruth Carey, who was born in 1924. The family are members of the Pineville Baptist Church. Doctor Payne is a past master of the Masonic fraternity and past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias. He is a democrat and is a member in good standing of the Rapides Parish and the Louisiana State Medical societies. A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 251, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.