|
KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: PAYNE, Charles K.
******************************************************************
Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
SSpradling@aol.com
September 21, 1999
******************************************************************
History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative
Citizens
W.S. Laidley
Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL.
1911
p. 357
CHARLES K. PAYNE, president of the Payne Shoe Company, Charleston, West
Vir-ginia, 'vas horn in Cues County, Virginia, No-vember 27, I8~9, a son of
Charles Henry and Kezia (Kinzer) Payne. He was reared on a fa~ in his native
county until he was thir-teen years of age. at which time he accepted a
positi~)n as clerk with his brother-in-law, Capt. T. A. Roberts, in a general
store at Blacksburg, CHARLES K. PAYNE, president of the Payne Shoe Company,
Charleston, West Vir-ginia, 'vas horn in Cues County, Virginia, No-vember 27,
I8~9, a son of Charles Henry and Kezia (Kinzer) Payne. He was reared on a
fa~ in his native county until he was thir-teen years of age. at which time
he accepted a positi~)n as clerk with his brother-in-law, Capt. T. - \.
Roberts, in a general store at Blacks-hnrg, \{irginia. Later he attended the
Vir-ginia \gricultural and Mechanical College at ~lackshurg. After several
years at this col-(ege. he again on his own responsibility began (us
indnstrial life as one of the firm of Black v Pi~ lie at Blacksburg.
Virginia. This part-ier~hip \\ as continued for seven years and was Ii ll)p'
and profitable combination.
~fi Payne sold his interest to his partner, ~i ~ Black, in 1889, and coming
to I~ harleston. associated himself with Arnold, \hney & Company, and
established the whole-sale business of Payne Shoe Company which commands a
large wholesale trade throughout this region, extending into Ohio and
Kentucky. Flie large six-story building now occupied by
22
the company was built and completed in 1910. This firm employs from ten to
fifteen salesmen, and has had a successful and prosperous bu~i-ness from the
beginning.
Mr. Payne was not only the organizer of this large business, but has been
president of the company since its organization. He has also been a director
of the Charleston National Bank for eighteen years, and is a director in the
firm of Noyes, Thomas & Company, one of the largest wholesale dry goods
houses in this section. He has taken an active part in the development of the
city of Charleston, having erected quite a number of substantial business
blocks, besides his handsome residence property on Kanawha Street. Mr. Payne
is a Mason of many years standing, and has occupied a prominent position in
that fraternity. He has been trustee of the Masonic Temple for the past
fifteen years. Mr. Payne is also Past Potentate of Beni-Kedem Temple, Past
Eminent Commander of Kanawba Commandery and Past Master of Kanawba Lodge. He
has been an extensive traveller, having visited most of the principal
countries on the globe, and last winter returned from an extensive trip to
South America, visiting all the principal republics and capitals of that
country
Mr. Payne was married in 1883, at Blacksburg, Virginia, to Miss Emma
Edmondson, formerly of Memphis, Tenn. She as well as Mr. Payne are both
members of the First Presbyterian church, of Charleston, and are both active
workers, Mr. Payne being Chairman of the Board of Deacons. Mr. and Mrs.
Payne are the parents of two living children-Henry E. and Marguerite. Henry
E: is associated with his father as vice president of the Payne Shoe Company.
His daughter Marguerite has just finished her school life, having graduated
at Madam Lefebvre's school (Edgeworth), at Baltimore. Henry E. Payne married
Miss Lucy Couch, (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George S. Couch; of this city.
|
