My Genealogy Hound

Judge Charles W. Paynter, merchant and farmer of Payntersville, Mo., is a native of Botetourt County, Va., where he was born on the 2d of October, 1842. His parents, Christian and Mary (Woods) Paynter, were born in the same county as himself, the former’s birth occurring in April, 1798. He emigrated to Cedar County, Mo., in 1857, and here died on the 13th of March, 1885. The mother also died in Cedar County, in 1860. Charles W. Paynter is the eleventh of fourteen children, and until 1862 remained with his parents, at that date enlisting in Company D, Eighth Missouri State Militia, serving three years. He was in the fight at Jefferson City, and was taken prisoner at Sedalia in October, 1864. After the close of the war he returned to Cedar County, Mo., and in 1866 married Miss Margaret Jackson, who was a native of the county, born March 5, 1850, and died July 28, 1872, a daughter of Jefferson and Matilda Jackson. She became the mother of three children: John W., Elsie M., wife of Dr. S. Hopkins, and Mary E. October 30, 1873, he married Miss Martha J. Dunnegan, a native of Polk County, born in 1842, her parents, Frank and Nancy Dunnegan, being among the early settlers of that county. By his second marriage, Mr. Paynter became the father of three children: James L., Robert J., and Hiram N. In 1870 Mr. Paynter opened a general merchandise store at what is now Payntersville, and is doing a fairly good business. He is an energetic business man, and has a good share of this world’s goods. In 1886 he was elected presiding judge of the county by the Republican party, and is now acting in that capacity, making an efficient officer. He is a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the G. A. R.