The Niles Star

Paine wore many hats

By By Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery
NILES – "None knew him but to love him, Nor named him but to praise."
The Chicago Tribune obituary for Rodney C. Paine, dated March 18, 1875, ended with this quote by Fitz-Greene Halleck, written of his friend and poet-collaborator Joseph Rodman Drake.
Paine like Halleck was a native of Connecticut, born there March 13, 1806. As a child he moved with his parents to Auburn, N. Y.
His Niles obituary states "he was denied an opportunity for collegiate education and entered upon a life of business at an early age."
Upon reading of Paine's accomplishments today, the simple phrase "a life of business" can seem more than a bit of an understatement. His life was filled with not only business, but politics and involvement and even more practical public service.
An appointment as cashier of a branch of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank of Michigan in Albany, N. Y., brought Paine to St. Joseph in the spring of 1836.
The only reference to a personal life comes when the article mentions that he returned to Utica, N. Y. the following June to be married and returned to St. Joseph with his wife. The Berrien County Genealogy Project shows both Rodney C. and a John W. Paine as registered voters living on Bond Street on Oct.16, 1864.
Was John a son of the marriage to his Utica sweetheart? We were unable to determine.
An article in Yesterdays by Helen Logan Walton written in 1950 stated: "At 519 Bond Street stand the R.C. Payne (misspelling of his name) which has been considerably altered. It was a pure Gothic type and one of the finest residences in early Niles. The Lardners later lived there and added the North Wing."
"Our City was filled with sorrow this morning by the announcement of the death of our most highly esteemed citizen – Rodney C. Paine, the banker," begins the Niles obituary article. After informing the public that an "inspired hope of his permanent recovery" that summer, he succumbed to an attack of erysipelas, the same condition that claimed John Stuart Mill two years earlier, the article continues. "It rarely happens that a whole community suffers in every member from the death of a single individual."
Paine was elected county treasurer soon after his arrival in Berrien. Here too his obituary found fodder for uncommon praise.
"This was during the wild mania of speculation in Michigan. Yet with such single ability did he manage the affairs of his bank that it escaped the general disaster of those times."
About 1840 Paine established a branch of the bank at Niles and moved to the city. When the charter of the bank expired, Paine established his private bank at 1008 Oak St..
He soon became involved in "public affairs, and was foremost in the encouragement of every enterprise that promised to promote the general welfare," states the Niles obituary. "He was among the first to contribute to the erection of the dam at the foot of Main Street in 1843, and not discouraged by that failure he was the first and the largest contributor to the erection of the present water-power, and the first to apply it to machinery."
Between 1842 and 1848 his interests lay in "the forwarding and commission business, and in steamboat transportation in the St. Joseph River" in addition to milling and manufacturing.
By the time of his death he was involved with the Niles Manufacturing Company; the Niles Furniture Company, of which he was president; the Niles Paper Mill company and the "Gas Light Company." He was also assessor of the district and one of three trustees for the Brass Cannon Association.
It is noted that "his interest in public enterprises was not limited to those from which he might hope to derive pecuniary benefit. He was one of the founders of the Berrien County Agricultural Society and for many years one of its most efficient officers."
He was a member of the vestry and treasurer of Trinity Church for 20 years and was senior warden of his church at the time of his death. A memoriam place by the church, following a special meeting held March 18, 1875 included this statement:
"The death of Mr. Paine leaves vacant an honored place in the community at large. For many years he has been known by all in our midst; and he has occupied for unusual periods, positions of high honor and usefulness As president of the then village, and afterwards mayor of the City of Niles; as member of the Common Council; as State Senator of the Commonwealth; as school director, he earned alike the respect and gratitude of his fellow citizens."
Few businessmen and fewer politicians today will ever receive the overwhelming praise of Rodney C. Paine during their life or at their death.
Should you wish to become a member of the Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery as they prepare to continue the chronicling and cleaning and maintenance of the historic graves, contact: Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery c/o 508 E. Main St. Niles MI 49120, Tim and Candace Skalla at 684-2455, wskalla@sbcglobal.net or contact Ginny Tyler at 684-3687, SPHINX1974@aol.com.