HENDERSON CO. TX - Biography - William B. Payne, Jr., 
*****************************************
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
Archives by: Britt Thompson
 RBTNYU81@aol.com

Copyright. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
*****************************************
William B. Payne, Jr. was born on November 11, 1894, in Malakoff.
He was the son of William B. Payne, Sr. and Maud Amanda (Finney)
Payne. His grandfather was Captain William K. Payne;-
a signer of the Texas Ordinance of Secession; commander of
Company E, 13th Texas Cavalry; and namesake of the town of Payne
Springs, Texas.

William B. Payne, Jr. lived his entire life in Malakoff.
"Son" as he was known, was educated in the Malakoff
schools. From an early age, he wanted to be a pharmacist. He
started working at Flagg's Drug Store in Malakoff in 1907 as
a fountain boy, when he was only 13 years old. In 1914,
"Son" became the manager of Flagg's Drug Store. He
diligently pursued the study of pharmacy and became a registered
pharmacist in 1915 after successfully completing the State
Pharmaceutical Board examination, shortly after reaching the
required age of 21 years. "Son" remained with Flagg's
Drug Store until 1931, when he left to start his own business,
Payne's Drugstore, which he owned until his death. In
addition to working as a pharmacist in Malakoff, "Son"
had the Dallas Morning News paper route, which he maintained for
over 40 years.

A member of the Malakoff Masonic Lodge and the Karem Temple in
Waco, "Son" Payne was a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner.
He joined the Methodist church as a young man, during the
pastorate of Reverend W. C. Escoe.  A stockholder in the
Citizens State Bank of Malakoff, "Son" was also a
member of the Board of Trustees of the Malakoff Schools, where he
served as board secretary for a number of years.

In 1921, "Son" married Miss Ida Mae Grey, a music
teacher, of Coolidge, Texas. They had one child, William Bartley
Payne. Ida Mae Payne died two years later in March of 1923. On
September 26, 1927, "Son" married Margaret Knotts, the
niece of Dan and "Dodge" Gentry of Malakoff.
"Son" and Margaret had one daughter, Patricia Ann.

William B. "Son" Payne, Jr. died at Baylor Hospital in
Dallas on February 9, 1948, at the age of 53 from a massive heart
attack, which he suffered early in the morning shortly after he
had returned home, having just completed his paper route. His
funeral was held at the Methodist Church and was conducted by
Reverend John Wesley Hardt, pastor of the Pleasant Retreat
Methodist Church in Tyler and former pastor of the Methodist
Church of Malakoff and Reverend Joel Haley, pastor of the First
Baptist Church of Malakoff. "Son" was interred in the
Malakoff City Cemetery in the Payne family plot. He was survived
by his wife, Margaret; his two children, Billy and Patsy; his
mother, Mrs. Maud Amanda Payne; his sister Mrs. Lena Overton; and
two brothers, Howard Tillman Payne of Garland and Robert Maurice
Payne of Midland.