Lewis E. Payson Explained

Lewis E. Payson
State1:Illinois
Term Start1:March 4, 1883
Term End1:March 3, 1891
Predecessor1:John H. Lewis
Successor1:Herman W. Snow
State2:Illinois
Term Start2:March 4, 1881
Term End2:March 3, 1883
Predecessor2:Greenbury L. Fort
Successor2:William Cullen
Birth Date:17 September 1840
Birth Place:Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Death Place:Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting Place:Rock Creek Cemetery
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Party:Republican

Lewis Edwin Payson (September 17, 1840 – October 4, 1909) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Biography

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Payson moved with his parents to Illinois in 1852. He attended the common schools and Lombard University, Galesburg, Illinois. After concluding his law studies, he was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Ottawa, Illinois in 1862. He moved to Pontiac, Illinois, in January 1865 and continued the practice of law. He served as judge of the county court 1869-1873.[1]

Payson was elected as a Republican to the Forty-seventh and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1891). He served as chairman of the Committee on Public Lands (Fifty-first Congress). He resumed the practice of law.

Death

Payson died in Washington, D.C., October 4, 1909 and was interred in Rock Creek Cemetery.

Legacy

A number of towns are named after Lewis Payson including Payson, Arizona, and Payson, Utah.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Payson Roundup / Who was Lewis Edwin Payson? . 2010-05-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110715055455/http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2009/mar/04/who_was_lewis_edwin_payson/ . 2011-07-15 . dead .