Mary Mitchell Payne
Although there isn’t a lot known about Mary Mitchell Payne’s history, one thing is for sure, she was a believer of education. When she died, her will stated that she left money for both Washington and Scott county schools, Washington County Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
Payne was born July 28, 1895, in Gibson Township to Samuel and Rosina Mitchell. She had two brothers, Warner and Leland and one sister, Nellie Blunt.
She grew up in that area, graduating from Little York High School. She attended some college and eventually became a school teacher. She taught school in rural schools both in Washington and Scott counties.
Loran Payne was born May 5, 1889, also in Washington County. He had five sisters: Leafa, Martha, Maud, Lucretia and Dollyne; and three brothers: Cassius, Claude and Hershel.
Mary and Loran met through their families and enjoyed a 13-year courtship before marrying and moving to Kokomo, IN, where they owned a Studebaker dealership. When the couple sold the dealership, Loran was employed for the rest of his working year at Delco Remy in Kokomo.
Barbara Baynes and her husband, Frederick, are relatives of the Paynes. Barbara said she can remember going to visit them at their Kokomo home in 1964 and they didn’t have a television. Barbara said she thought it was so strange they didn’t have one, but came to find out that they wanted to make sure the television was going to work, that it wasn’t a waste of money before they purchased one. She said they were very thorough, conscious people.
“Hence the 13-year courtship,” she said.
Barbara said the couple was very conservative and she can remember another time she and her husband stopped for a visit and Loran told them Mary had fallen off a ladder while painting the eves on the house.
When they went inside, Barbara asked Mary if she was OK and Mary said she was fine, it was the whole can of paint she dropped that she was upset about.
Mary’s nephew, Kenny Mitchell, said he remembers his aunt as a stern lady.
“She was an ex-school teacher, so I didn’t get away with much,” he said.
Mary died December 25, 1980, 14 years after her husband. Their only survivors were nieces and nephews on both sides
