Henry B. Payne

Henry B. Payne
United States Senator
from Ohio
In office
March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891
Preceded byGeorge H. Pendleton
Succeeded byCalvin S. Brice
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 20th district
In office
March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877
Preceded byRichard C. Parsons
Succeeded byAmos Townsend
Member of the Ohio Senate
from the Cuyahoga County district
In office
December 3, 1849 – January 4, 1852
Preceded byFranklin T. Backus
Succeeded byHarvey Rice
Personal details
Born(1810-11-30)November 30, 1810
Hamilton, New York
DiedSeptember 9, 1896(1896-09-09) (aged 85)
Cleveland, Ohio
Resting placeLake View Cemetery
Cleveland, Ohio
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMary Perry Payne
RelationsWilliam Collins Whitney
Frances P. Bolton
Oliver Payne Bolton
Michael Whitney Straight
Children6 including Nathan, Oliver
Parent(s)Elisha Payne
Esther Douglass Payne
Alma materHamilton College
Signature

Henry B. Payne (November 30, 1810 – September 9, 1896) was an American politician from Ohio. Moving to Ohio from his native New York in 1833, he quickly established himself in law and business while becoming a local leader in Democratic politics. After serving in the Ohio Senate, Payne was elected to a single term in the United States House of Representatives in 1874. In the House, he worked unsuccessfully for a compromise in the debate over whether all of the nation's currency should be backed by gold. He was defeated for reelection, but served on the Electoral Commission that convened in early 1877 to resolve the dispute over the results of the 1876 presidential election.

He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1880, but lost to Winfield Scott Hancock, who would go on to lose the general election to James A. Garfield. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1884. His election by the Ohio legislature was tainted with charges of bribery, but after investigation by the Senate, Payne was permitted to keep his seat. In the Senate, he voted for moderate tariff reforms and against the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, but was otherwise a reliable Democratic vote. He did not run for reelection, and died in 1896.