William B. Payne, Jr.

1894-1948
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.

 

Reprinted with permission by Britt Thompson

If you have any information on Malakoff history please contact Britt, he is the correspondent for Malakoff News Looking Back Column


Biographies, Henderson Co. TX

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