Christopher Harrison Payne was a prominent African-American religious, educational and political leader of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Despite being born in the American South during the time of slavery, Payne rose to a level of prominence achieved by few, regardless of race. Among his many accomplishments was being the first African American elected to the West Virginia Legislature.
Early life
Payne was born in Monroe County, Virginia on September 7, 1845. His parents, both of whom were by then free blacks, were Thomas Payne and Barsheba Ellison. He was their only child. Thomas Payne, a cattle drover, died of smallpox when his son was two years old. His maternal grandfather was the slaveholder James Ellison who had Barsheba with his slave Fanny. Ellison made provisions in his will to free Fanny and Barsheba upon his wife's death. He also taught Barsheba to read and write. Payne's mother in turn taught him to read and write at a very early age. Education would remain a guiding tenent of the Payne family. During the American Civil War, Payne was forced to serve as an orderly in the Confederate Army. He was able to return home in 1864 and begin formal educationfor the first timeafter the war by attending night school while working as a farmhand during the day. He received a teaching certificate in 1868, becoming one of the first black teachers in Summers County, West Virginia. He continued to teach and farm until 1875, when he was baptized. He was licensed to preach in February 1876 and in May 1877 was ordained as a Baptist minister.
Religious leader
Following Payne's ordination, he founded the Second Baptist Church in Hinton, West Virginia. He pastored many other churches and was said to have delivered over 1,500 sermons and converted 500 people. He graduated from the Richmond Theological Institute in 1883 and State University, now the Virginia Union University. Payne presided over the West Virginia Baptist state convention for 16 years. On several occasions, he spoke at the national assemblies of white Baptists.
Newspaper publisher
Payne established three newspapers in West Virginia. They were the West Virginia Enterprise, The Pioneer and Mountain Eagle. When founded, the West Virginia Enterprise was the only black newspaper in West Virginia. He was also a correspondent for other journals, including those geared for the white community. Payne used these venues to pursue equality between the races as well as to encourage other blacks to better themselves through education and the purchase of their own land and homes.
Payne worked with the NAACP, serving on the planning committee for the historic 1917 Negro Silent Protest Parade.
Family life
Payne, married Ann Delilah Hargo at a young age and they had eight children. His youngest son and namesake, Christopher Hansen Payne, graduated from Howard University and received a medical degree. He practiced medicine in Hinton, West Virginia, until his early death in 1914. Children of Christopher Payne:
Payne remained in the Danish West Indies after they were sold to the United States in 1917 and became the United States Virgin Islands. With the closing of the consulate, he then became prosecuting attorney and police judge in St. Thomas, capital of the Virgin Islands. He died in the Virgin Islands on December 5, 1925, at the age of eighty.
