Is the eldest child of a family of five sons and daughters of Daniel R. and Mahala (Sweet) Payne, who were natives of Saratoga county, New York, where Festus was born, January 22, 1824.  He remained at home with his parents on the farm until nineteen years of age, when he started out for himself, learning the carpenter's trade, which pursuit he has followed until the present time.  In 1854 he removed to Garden Prairie, Boone county, Illinois.  In 1859, late in the fall, he started from New York to San Francisco, and from there came direct to Scott valley, where he arrived on the fourth or fifth of April, 1860, and entered at once into milling and carpentering.  He is now sole owner of the establishment on French creek known as Payne's mills, the most extensive of its kind in Siskiyou county, with a capacity of 5,000 feet per day; propelled by what is called a hurdy-gurdy wheel, fifty inches in diameter, and estimated at twenty-five horse-power, supplied by a thirteen-inch pipe, 1,200 feet pressure, equal to 120 feet perpendicular pressure.  The machinery consists of a double circular saw, an edging machine, for making first-class lumber, two planing machines, a shingle mill, ripping saw, and feed mill for crushing oats, corn and barley, all under the personal supervision of Mr. Payne himself, and in first-class condition.  The supply of water is inexhaustible, and the mill is run to its full capacity eight months in the year.  In connection with the mills there are abundant lands for gardening and grazing.  The location is a very picturesque one in the mountains.  On March 17, 1868, he was united in marriage to Martha M. Goodspeed, daughter of Nathaniel Goodspeed, of Oswego, New York.  They have no children.  Mr. Payne belongs to a long-lived family.  His father died at the age of eighty-four, and his mother is yet living, at the ripe old age of eighty-three.  He is a member of the I. O. O. F. at Fort Jones.  In religion , he is a Protestant, and in politics, a Republican.  As will be seen in the illustration on another page, there are numerous buildings, for the care and preservation of all products on the place; barns for hay, stable for stock, blacksmith shop, and dry houses for lumber and fruit.

The above picture and text are from: History of Siskiyou County, Harry L. Wells, D. J. Stewart & Co., 1881; pp. 100A, 124C

Festus Payne is buried in Etna Cemetery

Copyright February 16, 2002

Siskiyou Cemeteries Online

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