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.

Motoring Monday : 1933 Pontiac Coupe

The 1933 Pontiac Straight Eight Standard Coupe.
From a newspaper advertisement. Original source unknown.

The 1933 Pontiac Coupe was the Dixon family car between 1942 and 1945.(1)  My goodness, Gramps did like the sporty cars! This is another two-seater, but I believe it may have come with a rumble seat. The car Wallace B. Dixon purchased was likely well broken in since it had been on the road for nine years by the time he purchased it. Still, it's quite a looker!

Since this was the family car while my mother was in high school, I wonder if she ever got to drive it.

License and Registration (2)

The only registration that I have for this vehicle tells us that the car was a green Pontiac Coupe with an 8-cylinder engine. It also shows a new family address : 763 South Broad Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey.

1942 NJ Vehicle Registration for the
1933 Pontiac Coupe.

The driver's licenses for 1942 and 1943 have the same residence. Also, they have reduced my grandfather's height to a much more realistic 5'5" from the 5'7" of previous years.

Wallace B. Dixon's 1942 NJ Auto Driver's License.

Wallace B. Dixon's 1943 NJ Auto Driver's License.

But then, in 1944 and 1954...

Hello Miami!

For at least part of World War II the Wallace B. and Sophie (Karvoius) Dixon lived in Miami. Or at least I'm assuming Sophie was there as well. But perhaps not, with a daughter in her last years of high school.

I knew that my grandparents had spent a good bit of time in Florida, but I had assumed it had been for my Grandfather's health. He had contracted emphysema while working in a soap factory (or so I believe he told me) and I'm sure the warm winter air in Florida would have been beneficial for him.

This new evidence makes it look like he was working while in Miami, as an "inspector" of some sort. Since he had a long career with Standard Oil, I wonder if he worked for them in some capacity. More research is certainly required!

In any case, according to these documents, he was issued a Florida Driver's License on 13 March 1944, at which time he was living at 340 NE 17th Terrace, Miami, Dade County, Florida.  On 28 September 1944 he renewed that license for 1945.

1944 Florida Driver's License issued to Wallace B. Dixon.
Privately held by E. Ackermann, 2016.

1945 Florida Driver's License issued to Wallace B. Dixon.
Privately held by E. Ackermann, 2016.

 So now I have some Florida research to do. I know there are photos somewhere of the Dixons in Florida. Stay tuned!

Sources
(1) Wallace B. Dixon, handwritten note listing all the cars he owned and home addresses. Wallace B. Dixon Collection, privately held by his grandaughter, E. Ackermann, 2016.

(2) New Jersey driver's licenses from 1926, 1928, 1929, Wallace B. Dixon Collection; privately held by Elizabeth Ackermann, [address for private use], 2016. Inherited by his daughter, Mary E. Dixon Traina, and then by her daughter, E. Ackermann. 

Who are the Children of Thomas Payne?

The 1938 obituary (1) for Mary E. (Klein Dixon) Payne, Thomas Payne’s second wife, lists three surviving stepchildren:

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

Andrew and Thomas Payne were also listed as bearers at the funeral in newspaper clipping about Mary E. Payne's funeral.(2)

My grandfather, Wallace B. Dixon, told stories about his stepbrothers. I don’t recall that he ever mentioned a step-sister, but perhaps she never lived with her father in the Dixon home.

Thomas Payne, Sr. and his son, Thomas Payne, Jr., are listed on the 1920 U.S. Census as boarding with the Mary E. (Klein) Dixon at 159 West Grand Street, Elizabeth, NJ. Thomas Jr. is 9 years of age at the time. (3) 

Obituary for Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Payne.
Elizabeth Daily Journal, 3 October 1938. (1)

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Payne.
Elizabeth Daily Journal, 6 October 1938. (2)

Things to Do

• Look for Andrew and Thomas, Jr. in census records. Perhaps the sister will show up as well.
• Try looking at city directories, both in Elizabeth and in White Plains, NY to see if either of the Payne boys show up.
• Research Joseph Primiena of Elizabeth, NJ. Perhaps there will be information about his wife and her family somewhere. Check census records, city directories, etc.

 Citations

(1) "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. 

(2)  "Funeral of Mrs. Thomas Payne", Elizabeth Daily Journal, Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey, 6 October 1938, microfilm image, Elizabeth Daily Journal 30 Sep. 1938 - 12 Nov. 1938, Elizabeth Public Library, Elizabeth, New Jersey.. Article recounting details of funeral for Mary Elizabeth [Klein Dixon] Payne.

(3) "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4YG-CQK : accessed 15 February 2016), Mary E Dickson, Elizabeth City Ward 10, Union, New Jersey, United States; citing sheet 10A, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,070. 

Ralph E. Moore : Birth Record

Minnie Dixon's Second Son

Ralph E. Moore c. 1945

Ralph E. Moore was born on 13 February 1909 at the home of his parents at 30 Barker Street, West New Brighton, Staten Island, New York. The house was a short distance from the north shore of the island. Across the narrow channel of the Arthur Kill is Bayonne, New Jersey. It appears that the original house at that address has been replaced with a more modern duplex, but if you look at the street view in Google Maps there are plenty of older homes on the block that can give some flavor of the neighborhood in the early 20th century.

Ralph, who came to be know as "Bucky," was the second son born to Minnie (Dixon) and Milton Moore. Minnie was the first child of Mary Elizabeth (Klein) and William A. Dixon, and was a native of Elizabeth, New Jersey. Milton, son of William and Sarah Moore, had been born in West New Brighton. He was employed as a "marine engineer."

Transcription of Birth Record

Birth Certificate for Ralph E. Moore,
born 13 February 1909
Municipal Archives, New York City

The City of New York.
Department of Health.
State of New York.
Certificate and Record of Birth.
No. of Certificate, 436.

Name of Child: Ralph E. Moore
Sex: Male
Color: White
Date of Birth: Feb 13, 1909
Place of Birth, Street and No. : 30 Barker St., West Brighton
Father's Name: Milton Moore
Father's Residence: 30 Barker St.
Father's Birthplace: West New Brighton
Father's Age: 24
Father's Occupation: Marine Engineer
Mother's Name: Minnie E. Moore
Mother's Name before Marriage: Minne E. Dickson [Dixon]
Mother's Residence: 30 Barker St.
Mother's Birthplace: Elizabeth, N.J.
Mother's Age: 24
Number of previous Children: One
How many now living (in all): Two
Name and address of person making this report: F. C[?]ley, WNB
Date of Report: [blank]
[stamped received ? 5 1909]

Sources

Ralph E. Moore, birth certificate 436 (1909), Municipal Archives, New York City Department of Records and Information Services, New York, New York. 
Google, Google Map showing 30 Barker St., West New Brighton, Staten Island, New York. Copyright Google 2016. (https://goo.gl/maps/X1dcyxyjxMz : accessed and linked 2 September 2016).

Looking for the Payne Family

Thomas Payne.
Second husband of Mary E. (Klein)(Dixon)
Cropped from original photo.
Privately held by E. Ackermann, 2016.

Ah, Thomas Payne. My step-great-grandfather is present in so much of my research, and yet he and his family remain strangely elusive. I've been spending some time focusing on the Payne family in the hopes of tracking down some descendants since I think I might have some photos that could be of the Payne clan.

If you happen to be a descendant or relative of Thomas Payne, please, please, please, get in touch!

Boarder, Husband, Step-Father

I can recall my grandfather, Wallace B. Dixon, talking about his step-brothers, though I don't recall that he ever mentioned them by name. Some of his stories involved the making of "bathtub gin," but I'm a little fuzzy on those details. And I remember my mother telling me about the house her grandmother [Mary Elizabeth (Klein) (Dixon) Payne] and Mr. Payne lived in, and how grand a place it was. Other than that, my personal knowledge is scanty.

At least I know what Thomas Payne looked like. How lucky I am to have a great portrait of he and my great-grandmother. The photo above is cropped from that image.

The story of Thomas Payne and the Dixon family is, at least partially, told through U.S. Census records.

1900 (1) - Thomas Payne, single, age 25 [b. March 1875 in this record] is living with the family of William A. and Mary E. (Klein) Dixon and their five children at 10 Fifth Street, Elizabeth, NJ. Thomas is working as an oyster dredger. At this time William A. Dixon has given up oystering as a profession and is working in a carpenter shop. However, his fifteen-year-old son, Willie, is working as an oyster culler. I can't be positive, but it seems likely that it was oysters that brought the Dixons and Thomas Payne together.

1910 - The Dixon family is missing from the U.S. Census for Elizabeth, NJ. At least I haven't been able to locate them!

1920 (2) - Thomas Payne is once again a boarder, this time in a household headed by Mary E. "Dickson" [Dixon] at 159 West Grand Street, Elizabeth. Mary lists herself as a boarding mistress working at home and on her own account. She is also listed as a widow. William A. Dixon is not in the household. [He doesn't die until 1927!] Thomas's age is listed as 39, which would be impossible if he was 25 in the 1900 census. The census taker records him as married, working as a dock builder for a contracting business. Also boarding in the household is Thomas Payne, age 9. I presume this is "our" Thomas Payne's son. Also living in the household are Mary's children, Thomas, Wallace [my grandfather], and Hazel, as well as two male and one female boarders. It must have been a big house!

1930 (3) - Thomas Payne is now head of the household at 125 West Grand Street. Mary E. is his wife. His age is given as 59, which makes him 20 years older than he was in 1920.  Mary's age is 62. I won't get into her numerous age issues here. Living in the household is Mary's youngest daughter, Hazel, who is listed with the surname Payne. Thomas's brother, John, is also there, as well as Mary's 93 year old father, John Klein. A very multi-generational household!

My great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Klein) (Dixon) Payne dies on 3 October 1938 (4), and I loose track of Thomas after that. He's not in the 1940 U.S. Census for Elizabeth, NJ, so I assume he either died or moved elsewhere.

Questions, questions, and more questions!

• When did Thomas go off and get married the first time? Who was his wife, and did they have any other children? My grandfather spoke of stepbrothers, plural, so Thomas must have had more than one son.
• When did William A. Dixon leave the picture and why?
• Where did Thomas Payne go after my grandmother died?
• What became of Thomas Payne's children?

Citations

(1) 1900 U.S. Census, Union County, New Jersey, population schedule, 5th Ward, enumeration district (ED) 102, Sheet Number 7, dwelling 83, family 180, William A. Dixon; digital image, downloaded 5 march 2015, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : downloaded 5 March 2015); United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.

(2) "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4YG-CQK : accessed 15 February 2016), Mary E Dickson, Elizabeth City Ward 10, Union, New Jersey, United States; citing sheet 10A, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,070.  

(3) "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. 

(4) Mary E. Payne, death certificate. New Jersey Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records, Trenton. NJSA microfilm roll 827 (Death Certificates 1938: Nason – Poz), organized alphabetically by surname. New Jersey State Archives, Trenton.