Milton J. Payne

Milton Jameson Payne (October 29, 1829 - July 17, 1900), who served six one-year terms as Kansas City, Missouri Mayor, was also the city's youngest mayor (first being elected in 1855 at the age of 26).

Payne was born on a farm in Christian County, Kentucky. After being self-educated he moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1849 where he worked and saved enough money to head west in the California Gold Rush. En route he decided to stay in Kansas City, where he married Adeline Mary Prudhomme, the posthumous daughter of Gabriel Prudhomme, who had once owned all of the original Kansas City town site. He worked at Walker, Boyd & Chick, the biggest merchant in the old.[1]

He was among the founders of Kansas City's first newspaper, the Enterprise.

Payne, who always carried a gun while walking the streets, was elected mayor five times between 1855 and 1859 and was elected to a sixth term during the American Civil War in 1862.

Payne pushed for sewers, and helped build a road system up to 29th Street. His real estate developments included the area where the Liberty Memorial is now located.

Despite his contributions he was originally buried in an unmarked grave in Union Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri; a monument was added later.

References

  1. ↑ Green, George Fuller (1968). A Condensed History of the Kansas City Area. Kansas City, MO: Lowell Press. OCLC 40731.
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