To begin, there will be two main contributors to the site. Amy Potts (me), and my second cousin and lifelong friend, Joe Payne.
Joe has been doing research on the Paynes – and other Lone Mountain families – for over forty years. His website www.joepayne.org is a treasure trove of information on the Paynes, the Jenningses, and other connected families in Lone Mountain. Some things he was sent were more accurate than others, but everything is either a verifiable fact or a great clue! His site is a collection of his own research as well as stories, tips, and tidbits from other people all over the country. Joe has also agreed to contribute directly to this website.
I (Amy Payne Potts) am the website designer and will be doing the most of the initial writing, but believe me, many topics I write about are either inspired or aided by information I found on Joe’s website.
The same can be said of Ann Hill, whom I met on Ancestry.com. She is a Jennings descendant and researcher with a massive Public Tree. Additionally, her late sister, Nell Quesenberry, was a big collector of genealogical information in Lone Mountain. For many years, Nell wrote a column for the Claiborne Progress. Since Nell died a few years ago, Ann has been posting extensive notes she found at Nells’s house. (The interesting stucco-like house beside the Lone Mountain Baptist Church where Cissy Payne used to live with her parents, John Tom and Mary Payne). Nell frequently had phone calls with people and scribbled notes on papers, envelopes, whatever she had at hand.
I have also received wonderful information on the very interesting Yoakum family from researchers, Phillip Walker and Steve Smith. I will always credit any them when I use their work.
I welcome any stories or information about any Lone Mountain families from 1790-1950.
