Thomas Payne : A Timeline

Here's what I know about Thomas Payne, his children, and his connection with the Dixon family so far.

1876 - 22 March. His 1918 Draft Registration says that Thomas Payne was born in NJ on this date. (1) 1875, 1878, and 1881 are also possible birth years based on other sources. (2, 3, 4) It's a little hard to pin down, but I'm going to go with the date on the Draft Registration since he provided that information himself. The marriage record for Thomas Payne and Mary Eliz. Klein says that Thomas was born in Dover, New Jersey to Patrick Payne and Catherine Gaskin. (3)

1900 - Thomas Payne is boarding with the family of William A. and Mary E. (Klein) Dixon. Age 25, Single, Oyster Dredger. (5)  

1900 - 1905 Probable date range for marriage of Thomas Payne to unknown wife.  

1905 - A family group sheet from a distant cousin gives March 1905 as Andrew Payne’s date of birth. This is confirmed by the 1905 NJ State Census. Thomas Payne, 28; Mary M. Payne, 17; and Andrew Payne, 0 are listed in the same household in Union County, New Jersey. (6) [a calculated birth year for Thomas Payne gives 1877, which makes this a likely match for "our" Thomas Payne.]  

1909 - A family group sheet from a distant cousin gives December 1909 as Thomas Payne’s [the younger] date of birth. [unconfirmed, no source given]  

1915 - A family group sheet from a distant cousin references the 1915 NJ State Census. Thomas Payne and his sons, Thomas and Andrew, are living in Elizabeth, New Jersey. No wife is included in the household. Thomas Jr.'s birth date is Nov 1909, Andrew's birth date is March 1905. (7) [The Family Search database record gives the birth date for Thomas Sr. as Sept. 1877. I have only seen the transcribed entry, not the original.]  

1918 - Sept. 12. Thomas Payne registers for draft. Contact person is Mary Payne, 159 West Grand, Elizabeth, NJ. (1) This is the address given by Mary E. (Klein) Dixon in the U.S. Census two years later. In that census she calls herself a "widow" although her husband was still living at the time. (8) [William Dixon is still listed in the household with Mary E. in the 1915 NJ State Census. (9)]  

1920 - Thomas Payne is boarding with the Dixons, as is his 9-year old son, Thomas [estimated birth year 1911]. 159 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, NJ. (8)

• His age is given as 39, which would make his birth year 1881.
• The census indicates that he is married. He is working as a dock builder.
• Census info now gives his birth place as New Jersey and both his parents’  birthplace as Ireland.
• Mary Dickson (Dixon) is listed as head of household, boarding house mistress, widowed, age 52. Thomas, Wallace, and Hazel Dickson (Dixon), Mary's children, are also in residence. No sign of Andrew Payne.

1927 - April 20th marriage record (NYC) gives Thomas Payne’s age as 49, calculated birth year 1878.(10)

• Born in Dover, NJ to parents Patrick and Catherine (Gaskin) Payne.
• This marriage to Mary E. Klein Dixon is his second. 
• Both Mary E. and Thomas indicate that they are divorced.

1927 - May 23 : Mary E. (Klein) Payne's first husband, William A. Dixon, dies. His death certificate says he's married, to Elizabeth Kline, not divorced. (11) [The plot thickens?]  

1930 - Census records Thomas Payne's age as 59, giving a calculated birth year of 1871.(12)

• Born in NJ. Father born in NJ, mother born in Ireland.
• Gives age at first marriage as 22, calculated date for first marriage some time between 1897 and 1903. He is working as a dock builder.
• A brother, John Payne, age 40, is now living with Thomas and Mary E. Payne. Calculated birth year 1890. He and his father born NJ, mother born Ireland.

1931 - Elizabeth City Directory (13) lists Thomas Payne at 125 West Grand, same address listed on 1927 marriage record.

• Andrew P. Payne is in the same directory, with the same residence listed and “in U S Navy"

1935 - Elizabeth City Directory (14)

• Andrew P. rem to California
• Thomas Payne h 125 W Grand
• Thomas Jr in US Navy r 125 W Grand

1938 - Mary E. Klein Dixon Payne dies on October 3 in Elizabeth, NJ at the home of her daughter. The 1938 obituary for Mary E. (Klein Dixon) Payne, Thomas Payne’s second wife, lists her surviving children as well as three surviving stepchildren: (15)

• Andrew Payne of White Plains, NY
• Thomas Payne of White Plains, NY
• Mrs. Joseph Primiena of Elizabeth, NJ

Citations
(1) "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZJ6-D9V : 12 December 2014), Thomas Payne, 1917-1918; citing Elizabeth City no 3, New Jersey, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,712,099.

(2) 1900 U.S. Census, Union County, New Jersey, population schedule, Elizabeth, ED 102, sheet 7, dwelling 83, family 180, Thomas Payne.

(3)  Marriage record for Thomas Payne and Mary Eliz. Klein. No. 11913, 20 April 1927. New York City Department of Records and Information Services, Municipal Archives, 31 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007. Thomas Payne's place of birth is recorded as Dover, New Jersey. His age on this document if 49, giving a calculated birth year of 1878.

(4) "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch. Mary E Dickson, Elizabeth City Ward 10, Union, New Jersey, United States; citing sheet 10A, NARA microfilm publication T625. Thomas Payne's age is given as 39, giving a calculated birth year of 1881.

(5) 1900 U.S. Census, Union County, New Jersey, population schedule, 5th Ward, ED 102, Sheet Number 7, dwelling 83, family 180, William A. Dixon.

(6) "New Jersey State Census, 1905," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMHV-P13 : 8 November 2014), Andrew P Payne in household of Thomas Payne, , Union, New Jersey, United States; citing p. 14, line 44, Department of State, Trenton; FHL microfilm 1,688,625.

(7) "New Jersey State Census, 1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9W-WWXT : 8 October 2014), Thomas Payne in entry for Thomas Payne, 1915.

(8) "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch.Mary E Dickson, Elizabeth City Ward 10, Union, New Jersey, United States; citing sheet 10A, NARA microfilm publication T625.

(9) "New Jersey State Census, 1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9W-WW8H : accessed 15 February 2016), William Dixon, 1915.

(10)  Marriage record for Thomas Payne and Mary Eliz. Klein. No. 11913, 20 April 1927. New York City Department of Records and Information Services, Municipal Archives, 31 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007. 
(11)William Dixon, death certificate No. 611 (23 May 1927), New Jersey Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Trenton, New Jersey.

(12) "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4F1-D1T : accessed 15 February 2016), Thomas Payne, 1930. ED 61, sheet 7B; household 166. Citing The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. GS Film Number 2341121, digital folder 004951973, image number 00896.
(13) Elizabeth Directory 1931 (Newark, New Jersey: Price & Lee Co., 1931), 578-579, Andrew P Payne and Thomas Payne; digital image, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : downloaded 15 August 2016), Image 299 of 612.
(14) Elizabeth Directory 1935 (Newark, New Jersey: Price & Lee Co., 1935), 523, image 266 of 531, "Andrew P rem to California"; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : downloaded 15 August 2016).
(15) Mrs. Thomas Payne, obituary, Elizabeth Daily Journal, Elizabeth, New Jersey, 3 October 1938, microfilm image, Elizabeth Daily Journal 30 Sep. 1938 - 12 Nov. 1938, Elizabeth Public Library, Elizabeth, New Jersey.. Obituary for Mary Elizabeth [Klein Dixon] Payne.