Leonidas Warren Payne Jr.

Leonidas Warren Payne Jr. (July 12, 1873 – June 16, 1945) was an American linguist and professor of English at the University of Texas.

While at Auburn Polytechnic Institute, Leonidas was the first initiate into the newly formed Upsilon chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha.

He taught English at the Southwest Alabama Agricultural School, the State Normal School of Alabama, and the University of Pennsylvania prior to being awarded his Ph.D. From 1904 to 1906, he was the associate editor of Worcester's Dictionary, and in 1906 was appointed an assistant professor at Louisiana State University.

After a few months at Louisiana State, Payne was offered and accepted a position on the faculty at the University of Texas.

Payne published two major works in addition his anthology: History of American Literature (1919) and Texas Poems (1936).