Re: Emma Lane Payne 1874-1935
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In reply to:
Re: Emma Lane Payne 1874-1935
Bill Andersen, Jr 5/19/07
Thanks Bill! Your information helped me to identify Emma and others in the 1880-1930 censuses. Here is the biography I have written for Emma:
Mrs. Emma Lane Payne was a Cuyahoga County, Ohio artist who was born in Oct 1855 in Canada. She studied at the Cleveland School of Art under prominent artist Frederick Carl Gottwald and at some point, under New York artist Leonard Ochtman. She showed her work at the Cleveland Museum of Art May Shows in 1920, 1921, and 1935, winning an honorable mention in 1935 and selling the paintings shown in the previous shows. All of these paintings were done in oil. Some references report that she also worked as an art teacher and illustrator. She was a member of the Women's Art Club of Cleveland.
The painting in my collection is inscribed on back with her address in pencil, "Stop 14 RFD, Euclid, O". This painting, or the board it is on, appears to have been cut down, as the artist's signature seems to have been above the address, but only the bottoms of the letters of her name remain. It is hard to see the pencil inscription in the upper right of the image below, but the artist's doodles in ink are clearly visible, including her initials or monogram, ELP.
Payne is well listed, with mentions in the Dictionary of Women Artists by Pettys, Who Was Who in American Art by Falk, Davenport's Art Reference and Price Guide, and Mallett's Index of Artists. I have seen an example of her work signed "Emma Lane". The signature is identical to the one on my painting, minus her married name. Some sources give her birthplace as Euclid, Ohio, though this is disproved by Cuyahoga County, Ohio census records. Pettys gives her date of birth as 10 May 1874, which I will show is incorrect.
Emma appears in the 1880-1930 Cuyahoga County Federal censuses. Her birthplace is given as Canada in about 1856 of English parents in the 1880 census, and as Oct 1855 in New York of an English father and New York mother in the 1900 census. Her occupation in 1880 is given as "crayon artist", and in 1900 as "artist water color". Emma resided in the home of her brother Danniel Payne, an architect, in 1880. Danniel was born in 1843 in England, of English parents. Danniel and wife Ellen had one child in 1880, Ethel F., born in August 1880. Emma Lane resided at 119 Hennington Ave, a boarder in the home of attorney Peter W. Ward in 1900. Emma had relocated to Euclid, Cuyahoga County, Ohio by 1910 where she was living as a "companion" in the home of Lily Broderick on Euclid Road. Her occupation was again given as "artist". It is interesting to see that her future husband, Harvey E. Payne was living next door, employed as a "painter". It is in this census that Emma's age starts decreasing, not surprising since she was about 15 years older than her future husband. The 1920 census shows the Paynes settled in connubial bliss on Euclid Avenue in Euclid, Ohio. Both are aged "49". Harvey was employed as a bookkeeper and Emma was not employed. The Paynes were living at 24451 Euclid Avenue, Euclid, Ohio in 1930 and Emma gives her middle initial as "L". Harvey gives his age at his first marriage as "40" and Emma as "34". Harvey and Emma give their ages as 56 and 50 respectively in this census. This probably indicates that they were married about 1911. The abstract of Emma's obituary from Cuyahoga County records supports this identification of Emma Lane Payne, despite the age and other discrepancies in census records:
Name: Payne, Emma Lane
Date: Jan 13 1943
Source: Source unknown; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #063.
Notes: Payne: Emma Lane, residence 24451 Euclid ave., widow of Harvey, aunt of Emma Lane Parks and Thomas Wade Lane; passed away Sunday. Friends may call at C. N. Davis' Funeral Home, 19001 Nottingham rd. (Dille). Services Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 2:30 p. m.
Name: Payne, Harvey E.
Date: Jan 12 1931
Source: Source unknown; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #063.
Notes: Payne: Harvey E., beloved husband of Emma Lane Payne, brother of Mrs. Antoinette Bradley, at residence, 24451 Euclid Avenue, Euclid, O., Saturday evening. Services at late residence Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2:30 p. m.
The 1900 census of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio shows Emma's brother and sister-in-law, Danniel and Ellen Lane, living in Cleveland with daughter Emma A. b. November 1884 and son Thomas W. b. April 1886. Note that Emma A. Lane copied her aunt's use of her maiden name as her new middle name after marrying.
Emma Lane Payne died on 10 January 1943.