PAYNE, William VETERAN

Name – PAYNE, William VETERAN
Born – 28/02/1861
Died – 5/02/1937
Location – Number 63 Anglican Section
Mother – Zillah Rosina Aldous
Father – George Payne

Notes – William was born to Zillah and George Payne in 1861 at Whittlesea, Victoria. He came from a large family. His siblings were Mary Jane 1854, John 1855, Anne 1857, Elizabeth 1858, James 1859, George 1860, Charlotte 1863, Lousia 1865, Edward 1866, Charles Thomas 1869, Alice Edith Matilda 1870, Caroline Sarah 1872, Zillah Rosina 1877 and Edwin 1880.

William married Mary Ellen Lynch (1863-1907) on the 15th July 1884 and his sister Anne married Donald McDonald at the same ceremony on the same day. William and Mary had twelve children over a twenty year period. Zella Rosina 1885, Mary Anne 1886, Joseph George 1888, Charles Thomas 1890, Sarah Jane 1892, Ellen Elsie 1894, Louisa Margaret 1896, William Edward 1898, Colonel Victor 1901, Zenobia Charlotte 1903, Nellie 1904 and John Francis 1905.

William moved to Queensland in  1908, and after a brief stint in the Toowoomba area he bought property at Meandarra.

His Army Service record from the First World War, states that he was a carrier at Tara in 1916. His wife Mary died in 1907 so he has his daighter Zenobia as his next of kin and she was at the Dalby Convent.

He enlisted in 1916 and was discharged after serving in France and then being transported to England with a knee injury. However the obituary states he lost his voice during the war. He served in the Tunnel Corp / Mining Corps. He was  5 foot 6 inches tall, had blue eyes and dark brown hair.

He bought Woodland on his return to Tara. While on this property he built up a herd of Holstein Fresian dairy cattle with which he won prizes at the local shows. William was also instrumental in the Church of England being built in Tara. He was a life member and also the Patron of the Tara Show Society and a staunch supporter and member of the Tara RSSILA.

The inscription of his headstone reads – In loving Memory of our dear father William Payne. Born 28th Feb 1861 Died 5th Feb 1937.

Newspaper Article – Read here.

War Service File  – PAYNE, William

Learn more about the Tara Cemetery here.