Payne, Wilbur J. (photographer)

PAYNE

Posted By: Gloria Payne (email)
Date: 8/5/2007 at 17:47:48

The following was researched and compiled by the contributor, Gloria Sander Kirkpatrick Payne, from the sources listed in the biography.
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Payne Quality Photo or Payne Commercial Photo, Waukon, Allamakee co. Iowa

FOUNDER: WILBUR JAY PAYNE

The name of the photographer for this establishment which was founded in 1903 in Waukon, Iowa is WILBUR JAY PAYNE, b. February 24, 1891 and died in 1952. He was born in McGregor, Clayton co. Iowa, to George Payne, b. July 1871 in Wisconsin and Anna M. Payne, b. December 1871 in Giard, Clayton co. Iowa and died December 19, 1901; buried in Oakdale Cemetery, Oelwein, Fayette co., Iowa.

WILBUR JAY PAYNE is first listed as 9 years old in the U. S. Federal Census, 1900 living in Jefferson Township, Fayette, Iowa, Oelwein City, Iowa with his immediate family. He also has a brother, Leo Payne, who was born in 1897. His Dad, George Payne is a Sewing Machine Agent in McGregor, Iowa and his mother Anna M. Payne is a wife and housekeeper. His parents have been employed all year in 1900 and 0 months unemployed. The family has two boarders living with them according to the 1900 Census: William L. Cotter, age 24 and Frank Runquist, age 21. George Payne's parents were both born in New York and Anna A. Payne's parents, her Mom was born in Germany and her Dad was born in New York. (I do not have a maiden name for her yet.)

In my research in the Allamakee County Historical Museum, I have found advertisements for the Payne Quality Photo or Payne Commercial Photos in the Waukon Standard Newspaper in the years of 1903, 1906 (the third anniversary of the business), 1910, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918. On file are numerous photos taken by Payne Quality Photo, Waukon, Iowa of Allamakee, Winnesheik, and Clayton county landmarks, schools, churches, rivers, towns, and villages and community life.

The Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925: WILBUR J. PAYNE is listed in the 1915 Census, his residence is Allamakee County, Waukon, and Iowa and he is a photographer. He can read, and write and he has had 1 year of high school, 8 years of common school, and 2 years of grammer school. He is deaf and he is married in 1915 to a MARIE A. (No maiden name yet for her, but her Dad was born in Alscace-Lorraine, France, and his mother was born in Iowa.) In 1915 WILBUR JAY PAYNE does not own a home or farm. He is renting, but in 1914, he made $850.00 a year in the photographer business he had established.

By June 5, 1917 when WILBUR JAY PAYNE had to register for the draft for W. W. I, his draft card states that he is 26 years old, and he has a wife and children: Alice M. Payne born 1916, and Eleanor M. Payne born 1917. He has a third daughter, Ruth G. Payne, born in 1919. He has brown eyes, brown hair, and a medium build according to his draft card. He is employed and working in Waukon, Iowa in 1917 as a photographer.

By 1920, WILBUR JAY PAYNE has moved his family to Mendon township, McGregor, Iowa, Clayton County, Iowa and he owns his own home and he has one more child, a girl, named Ruth G. Payne, age 1 in 1920. He is NO LONGER A PHOTOGRAPHER, but he is earning his living by being a traveling agent for the Curtis Publishing Company, McGregor, Iowa. According the the 1920 U. S. Census, he is earning a wage and a salary from this company.

By 1930, a 4th girl child is born to the family by the name of K. Norma Payne born in 1925 and WILBUR JAY PAYNE is now a soliciter for a newspaper. He is living in Algona, Kossuth County, Iowa, a county seat town in northwest Iowa, and he owns his home worth $3,000 according to the 1930 U. S. Federal Census. WILBUR JAY PAYNE is 39 years old.

MR. WILBUR JAY PAYNE, 1891-1952, and his wife MARIE A. PAYNE are both buried at the Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Algona, Kossuth County, Iowa, Section 6, Irvington Township in Kossuth County, Iowa. They are life-long Catholic church members.

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Notes:
I would appreciate any other information from any of the descendents of this family. I feel we may be related, and we need to compare family trees.