John Payne was our earliest ancestor to come to Vermilion County. He and his wife Hannah Earl were both born in New York state and 9 of their children were born in Orange County, New York, When John was 36 years old, he moved his family in 1812 to Ohio where Cincinnati is now located. Two more children were born there, before they moved after 1815 to what became Dearborn County and then Ohio County, Indiana where their youngest son was born in 1817.

John and Hannah moved to Vermilion County in about 1827 and brought several, if not all, their children with them, Their oldest daughter, Sabina, was 30 years old and their youngest son, Martin, was 10.

The Payne's settled southwest of Danville, just west of where where Tilton is now in Section 24. This area became known as Payne's Point and later was the location of the County Farm.

John Payne with Wm. E. Russell and John Thompson were granted a dispensation to form the Masonic Olive Branch Lodge No. 38 in Danville. John Payne was the first Senior Warden of he lodge.