Nettie “Alice” Warren, third born child of Russell and Laura (Parrish) Warren, was born in Wolfe City, Hunt County, Texas, on April 29, 1895. She was my first cousin once removed.
Alice met her future husband in Hunt County, Texas. Wylie and Alvie (Durrett) Payne, mother and father of Reggie “Vernon” Payne, moved in 1914 from Hunt County to Floyd County along with the Warrens. A review of the 1910 Fannin County census, a neighboring county of Hunt and prior home of the Warrens, revealed that the Carter family also migrated from Hunt County to Floyd County. Jessie Mae Carter was Uncle Ebb’s wife and it’s possible they knew one another and that the Carters and Warrens were friends, like Alice and Vernon and their families, prior to moving to Floyd County.
CJ Payne, nephew of Vernon and Alice, emailed that the Warren’s and Payne’s were life long friends in Floydada. Most likely their friendship began in Hunt County prior to the group migration to Floyd County. CJ’s father, Cecil, was Vernon’s brother and CJ grew up in Floydada. A debt of gratitude is owed to CJ by myself and others researching Floydada ancestors. The majority of photos found in “Find A Grave Memorials” for Floydada folks were added by CJ plus he was the originator of many of the Floydada gravesite web pages. The amount of time he has dedicated to this endeavor is mind boggling and I am in awe of what he has accomplished. CJ generously gave me permission to use the photos he’s posted on “Find A Grave Memorials.” Recently I reviewed copyright statements on “Find A Grave Memorials.” To ensure that I do not infringe, I will be using links to “Find A Grave Memorials'” websites instead of copying the web page as I have done in the past.
Throughout her childhood Alice’s parents farmed. In 1900, at age five, Alice’s parents, Russell and Laura, lived in Rains County, Texas. Alice’s siblings were Oscar and Elmer.
In 1910, her number of siblings had grown. Oscar, Elmer, Bud, Oma, Fred, Irene, Wade, and Alice lived with their parents in Celeste, Hunt County, Texas.
In 1914, Alice was 19 when the family migrated to Floyd County. Her future husband, Vernon Payne, was 20, and his family migrated to Floyd County during the same year.
On June 15, 1918, two years after Alice and Vernon’s marriage in 1916, Vernon registered for the draft due to World War I. He likely completed and signed his draft card below that indicated he was tall, had a medium build, light blue eyes, and brown hair. Vernon claimed an exemption due to a hearing defect.
By the 1920 census, Alice and Vernon had been married for four years and were farming in Floyd County. Their first born son, Homer “Hal” was a year old.
By 1930, Alice and Vernon had moved to the town of Floydada but continued to farm. The family lived at 315 West Lee. Alice had two children, Hal (age 11) and Laura (age 6).
By 1940, the family had moved to 315 West Virginia (unless the street name changed) and Alice had another child, Wade (age nine). Also living with Alice and Vernon were their daughter, Laura (age 15), and their oldest son, Hal (age 21), and Hal’s wife, the former Mary Lee O’Bannon (age 19). The census indicated that Vernon was now a carpenter instead of a farmer and that he and Alice attended school through the first year of high school.
Jim Warren, my second cousin, wrote, “Alice and Vernon were my aunt and uncle, I remember vernons carpenter shop and visiting with him when we went to floydada to visit. Aunt Alice dipped Levi garret snuff with a match stick, and she would tell me, come over here and give your aunt Alice a kiss and sit on my lap. She was a great old gal.”
The descendant chart for Alice (Warren) and Vernon Payne is below.
In 1942, once again Vernon registered for the draft due to another World War. He and Alice lived on West Jeffie Street in Floydada.
Reverend Jack Warren graciously provided the photo below of Alice’s and Vernon’s family.
After spending two weeks in the Deaf Smith County Hospital, Alice died at age 74 on March 6, 1970, from cardio-pulmonary failure (a lack of oxygen because heart ventricles failed to pump). Three years later Vernon died at age 79 on August 3, 1973, at the Floydada Care Center due to a cerebrovascular accident (stroke). Both of their death certificates and gravestone photos follow below. Each “Find A Grave Memorial” can be accessed by clicking on the link and then clicking on the web address.
Nettie “Alice” Warren Find A Grave Memorial
Reggie Vernon Payne Find A Grave Memorial
Alice’s and Vernon’s children
Homer “Hal” Doyle Payne – Alice’s and Vernon’s first born child
Hal was born in Floydada, Texas, on April 1, 1919. He married Mary Lee O’Bannon and they had two sons, Donald Wayne and Robert Wade. Hal and Mary Lee divorced and Hal later married Ana Mae White. Mary Lee later married Hal’s Uncle Dorsey. Hal died at age 58 in Lubbock, Texas from an acute coronary occlusion (blockage to blood flow that can cause a heart attack). Hal’s birth and death certificates are below as well as the link to his “Find A Grave Memorial.” Mary Lee’s “Find A Grave Memorial” photo and link follow.
Homer Doyle Payne Find A Grave Memorial
Mary Lee O’Bannon Find A Grave Memorial
Laura Frances Payne – Alice’s and Vernon’s second born child
Laura was born in Floydada, Texas, on August 10, 1924. She married Willie Cleon Dailey and they had three children: Barbara Kay, Kathy Jo, and Michael Don. They lived in Deaf Smith, Hutchison, and Grayson Counties in Texas. Laura’s birth certificate and link to her “Find A Grave Memorial” are below as well as the link for her husband, Willie Cleon Dailey.
Laura Frances Payne Dailey Find A Grave Memorial
Willie Cleon Dailey Find A Grave Memorial
Walter “Wade” Payne – Alice’s and Vernon’s 3rd born child
Wade was born in Floydada, Texas on November 6, 1930. I wasn’t able to find public records for additional family. He died at age 61 in Amarillo, Texas, and was buried in Plainview, Texas. Wade’s birth certificate, “Find A Grave Memorial” photo and link are below.
Walter “Wade” Warren Find A Grave Memorial
Alice’s and Vernon’s grandchildren
Donald Wayne Payne – Alice’s and Vernon’s first born grandchild
Donald Wayne was born April 27, 1943, in Floydada, Texas, and was the 1st born child of Hal and Mary Lee (O’Bannon) Payne. Donald Wayne married Ruth Ellen Chapman and they had two sons, Tommy Wayne and David Lee. Sadly, Tommy Wayne died two days after birth from a congenital heart (a type of birth defect). After Donald Wayne and Ruth Ellen divorced, Donald Wayne married Velma Davis. The death certificate, gravestone photo, and link to Tommy Wayne’s “Find A Grave Memorial” are below.
Tommy Wayne Payne Find A Grave Memorial
Robert Wade Payne – Alice’s and Vernon’s second born grandchild
Robert Wade was born May 24, 1948 in Floydada, Texas, and was the second born child of Wade and Mary Lee (O’Bannon) Payne. Robert Wade married Martha Lucille Kittle and they had four children: Peggy Lucille, Russell Wade, Johnny Wayne, and Pamela Ann. Robert Wade’s occupation was an investigator and he died accidentally from automobile carbon monoxide poisoning at the age of 25. Robert Wade’s photo, death certificate, and link to his “Find A Grave Memorial” are below.
Robert Wade Payne Find A Grave Memorial
Barbara Kay Dailey – Alice’s and Vernon’s third born grandchild
Barbara Kay was born August 27, 1954 in Deaf Smith County, Texas. Her parents were Laura Frances (Payne) and Willie Cleon Dailey. She married Carl W Carpenter at age 20 and they later divorced. Barbara Kay died on September 14, 2004, in Dennison, Texas, at age 50. Barbara Kay’s birth index record is below.
Kathy Jo Dailey – Alice’s and Vernon’s fourth born grandchild
Kathy Jo was born October 10, 1957, in Borger, Texas, to Laura Frances (Payne) and Willie Cleon Dailey. Sadly, Kathy Jo died at Sherman Community Hospital in Sherman, Texas, at the young age of 16 from a gunshot wound to the neck and thorax. Below are Kathy Jo’s obit published by the Floyd County Hesperian graciously provided by the Floyd County History Museum, Kathy’s Sherman High School photo, death certificate, and link to Kathy’s “Find A Grave Memorial” are below.
Kathy Jo Dailey Find A Grave Memorial
Michael Don Dailey – Alice’s and Vernon’s fourth born grandchild
Michael Don was born on August 4, 1960, in Hutchison County, Texas to Laura Frances (Payne) and Willie Cleon Dailey. Michael’s birth index record is below.
In memory of Alice Warren (photo courtesy of Reverend Jack Warren)
Records located on Ancestry.com
1900 US Federal Census, Rains County, Texas, Justice Precinct 4
1910 US Federal Census, Celeste, Hunt County, Texas, Justice Precinct 2
1920 US Federal Census, Floyd County, Texas, Precinct 4
1930 US Federal Census, Floydada, Floyd County, Texas Precinct 1
1940 US Federal Census, Floydada, Floyd County, Texas
Ancestry.com Families
Texas Birth Certificates, 1903 – 1932
Texas Birth Index, 1903 – 1997
Texas Death Certificates, 1903 – 1982
Texas Death Index, 1903 – 2000
Texas Divorce Index, 1968 – 2011
Texas Marriage Collection, 1814 – 1909 and 1966 – 2011
United States Obituary
United States Obituary Collection
US Find A Grave Index, 1600’s – current
US Public Records Index, Volume 1
US Public Records Index, Volume 2
US Schools Yearbooks, 1880 – 2012
US Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936 – 2007)
US Social Security Death Index, 1935 – 2014
US World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917 – 1918
US World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
Other Sources
Floyd County Hesperian
Floyd County History Museum
Floydada Ex Students Association, http://floydadawhirlwinds.org/
Generations 