John William Payne (politician)

John William Payne, also known as J. W. Payne (January 1, 1877 – February 13, 1933), was a long-term sheriff of Natchitoches Parish in northwestern Louisiana. Payne, who became sheriff in 1914,^[1] was still serving at the time of his death at the age of fifty-six.

On his death, The Natchitoches Times wrote: "He was recognized as an officer fearless and efficient, who knew not the meaning of defeat. . . . The entire state has cause to feel that it has suffered tremendous loss."^[2] The newspaper continued: "Law-enforcement authorities of Louisiana are mourning the death of one of their outstanding members. ... His efforts meant much to the welfare of the people. His repeated re-election testified to the esteem in which he was held by his constituents. He was constantly striving to protect property and lives of the citizens from the lawless element and was always vigorous in his efforts to bring criminals to justice ..."^[3]

Family background

Payne was the eldest son of William Edward Payne (1830-1884), a native of Dublin, Ireland, and William Payne's second wife, the former Marie Elisa Blanchard (1846-1915). He was born and reared at the plantation known as Evergreen Lodge on Cane River Lake a mile north of Natchitoches,^[2] the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, founded in 1714 as the first permanent settlement in the future U.S. state of Louisiana.

Payne was married three times. By the former Rose Dietrich of Natchitoches, whom he wed on October 4, 1898, Payne had three sons, William Michael "Bill" Payne, John Payne, and Edward Blanchard Payne. After Rose's death, Payne married the former Nettie Gillen, a native of Campti in Natchitoches Parish. They had a daughter, Mary Joy Payne. After Nettie's death, Payne wed the former Ola Goodrich, a native of Center in East Texas, who survived him. The first marriage was in a Roman Catholic Church in Natchitoches, but Payne's obituary does not specifically state that he was Catholic though there was at the time a substantial Catholic population in Natchitoches.^[2] And the original Paynes, who came to the United States from France, were mostly Catholic.

Sheriff Payne died at his home in Natchitoches of cardiovascular disease and the lingering effects of influenza contracted five months earlier. In addition to his children and third wife, Ola, he was survived by a half-sister, Emily Payne Watson, daughter of William Payne's first marriage to the former Theresa Long, and three sisters, all from Natchitoches: Mrs. Elisa P. Williams, Mrs. W. C. Jones, and Mrs. Alicia Evelena Payne Cunningham (1874-1961), the wife of Charles Milton Cunningham, the publisher of The Natchitoches Times and from 1915 to 1922 a member of the Louisiana State Senate. After her husband's death, Evelena or "Miss Lena", as she became known, continued to publish the newspaper. Sheriff Payne had a brother, Edward O. Payne of Natchitoches.^[2]

Payne is interred at the historic American Cemetery in Natchitoches.^[2] He was succeeded as sheriff by his son, William "Bill" Payne.^[4][5]

References