Thursday, March 04, 2010

Lorenzo Wheeler Payne

Lorenzo Wheeler Payne was born on December 7, 1826, in St. Lawrence County, New York, the son of Pardon (1789-1867) and Betsey K. (Boutwell, b. 1803).

Pardon was born in Rhode Island and Betsey in Vermont and they were married, possibly in New York or Vermont sometime before 1826, and Lorenzo was the oldest of 12 children. By 1850 his family was living in Antwerp, Jefferson County, New York.

Lorenzo was married to New York native Harriet A. Walworth (b. 1831), probably in New York, and they had at least four children: Josephine (b. 1852), Matta (b. 1859), Charles (b. 1864) and a daughter Jessie (b. 1868).

The family moved from New York to Michigan sometime between 1852 and 1859, and by 1860 Lorenzo was a master carpenter living with his wife Harriet and their children in Thornapple, Barry County.

He stood 6’0” with black eyes and a light complexion and was 34 years old when he enlisted in Company K on May 13, 1861. He was left at Grand Rapids, presumably sick, when the Regiment departed on June 13, 1861, for Washington, DC, but eventually rejoined the Regiment and was reported as a bugler and absent sick in the hospital from October of 1862 through December. He was discharged on January 11, 1863, at Third Corps hospital, for varicose veins.

Lorenzo eventually returned to Barry County. By 1870 he was working as a carpenter and living with his wife and children in Middleville. By 1880 he was working as a sewing machine agent and living with his wife next door to a dry goods merchant named William Brightrial (?) in Middleville. He was still living in Middleville in 1888, 1890 and 1894; indeed he probably lived the rest of his life in Middleville.

He was a member of G.A.R. Hill post no. 159 in Middleville. In 1884 he applied for and received a pension (no. 388997).

Lorenzo died on October 23, 1899, presumably in Middleville, and was buried in Mt. Hope cemetery, Middleville.

In November of 1899 his widow applied for and received a pension (no. 492111).

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