Sereno E. Payne

Sereno Elisha Payne
House Majority Leader
In office
1899–1911
Preceded by Office Created
Succeeded by Oscar W. Underwood
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 26th, 27th, 28th, 31st & 36th district
In office
March 4, 1883  March 3, 1885 (26th)
March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887 (27th)
December 2, 1889 – March 3, 1893 (27th)
March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1903 (28th)
March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1913 (31st)
March 4, 1913 – December 10, 1914 (36th)
Preceded by John H. Camp
James W. Wadsworth
Newton W. Nutting
Hosea H. Rockwell
James B. Perkins
Charles B. Smith
Succeeded by Stephen C. Millard
Newton W. Nutting
James J. Belden
Charles L. Knapp
Edwin A. Merritt
Norman J. Gould
Personal details
Born June 26, 1843
Hamilton, New York
Died December 10, 1914(1914-12-10) (aged 71)
Washington, D.C.
Political party Republican
Alma mater University of Rochester
Profession Law

Sereno Elisha Payne (June 26, 1843 December 10, 1914) was a United States Representative from New York and the first House Majority Leader, holding the office from 1899 to 1911. He was a Republican congressman from 1883 to 1887 and then from 1889 to his death in 1914. He was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee for 12 years starting in 1899. The Payne–Aldrich Tariff is perhaps the most significant legislation he introduced during that period. He was known as a staunch protectionist.

Payne was born in Hamilton, New York, on June 26, 1843. He attended the Auburn Academy in Auburn, New York, and then graduated from the University of Rochester in 1864. A lawyer, he was admitted to the bar in 1866 and practiced in Auburn, rising to become the Cayuga County district attorney from 1873 to 1879. Payne served in a number of administrative roles for the city of Auburn, as city clerk in 1867–8, supervisor in 1871–2, and president of the board of education from 1879 to 1882. He was appointed a member of the American-British Joint High Commission in January 1899.

Payne was elected as a Republican to the Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887). He was elected into the Fifty-first Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative Newton W. Nutting and was reelected to the twelve succeeding congresses (December 2, 1889 – December 10, 1914). During his tenure, he served as chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries (Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Congresses), chairman of the Ways and Means Committee (Fifty-fifth through Sixty-first Congresses), and majority leader (Fifty-seventh through Sixty-first Congresses). He was reelected to the Sixty-fourth Congress but died before that term began.

He died on December 10, 1914, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
None (new office)
House Majority Leader
1899–1911
Succeeded by
Oscar W. Underwood
Alabama
Preceded by
John H. Camp
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 26th congressional district

March 4, 1883 March 3, 1885
Succeeded by
Stephen C. Millard
Preceded by
James W. Wadsworth
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 27th congressional district

March 4, 1885 March 3, 1887
Succeeded by
Newton W. Nutting
Preceded by
Newton W. Nutting
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 27th congressional district

December 2, 1889 March 3, 1893
Succeeded by
James J. Belden
Preceded by
Hosea H. Rockwell
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 28th congressional district

March 4, 1893 March 3, 1903
Succeeded by
Charles L. Knapp
Preceded by
James B. Perkins
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 31st congressional district

March 4, 1903 March 3, 1913
Succeeded by
Edwin A. Merritt
Preceded by
Charles B. Smith
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 36th congressional district

March 4, 1913 December 10, 1914
Succeeded by
Norman J. Gould
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