Lewis, thanks for the site. My husband's PAYNE family came from John Payne, NC, this is where I stalled out, have you seen HOW MANY John Paynes there are--everywhere! Son, John Payne, b. NC, md GA, moved with grown family to Sabine Co. TX 1830, just in time for TX history. I have taken the distaff side back to Benjamin Rush (not the signer of the Declaration of Independence) in the VA colony. I'm looking for family that's more recent, children of William Emmet Payne (1856-1929), the siblings of my husband's father, Henry "Earl" Payne. They are last recorded in Trinity Co. TX 1910 census with their mother, Elizabeth Larkin Payne. Laura b. 12/1878; Annie b. 8/1884; Rush b. 1887 d. New Orleans c1917(had 8 girls); Henry Earl (our family) b. 7/1889 d. 12/55 CA; Dorothy (Dot) b. 1891; Rex b 3/1894 WW1 vet moved to MS; Pearl b. 9/1896; Tom b. 1/1899 said to have died Boulder CO on a military base; Johnny or Tommy b 1902. Marilyne Short Payne