A native of Ghent, New York, Payn was educated in the schools of Columbia County and went into the papermaking business in Chatham.

Payn's venture proved successful and he became wealthy as he expanded his holdings into oil production, mining, real estate, and insurance.

When Theodore Roosevelt succeeded Black as governor, he refused to reappoint Payn, which triggered a feud with Platt.

[3] Louis Payn was educated in the schools of Columbia County and spent several months working in his father's law office.

[1][2] This venture proved successful, and Payn's business interests grew to include manufacturing in New York, oil development in West Virginia, and silver mining in Colorado.

[1] He was president of Stony Brook Box Board Mills and the Louis F. Payn Company of West Virginia.

[4] Payn was also involved in civic and charitable causes, including service as president of the Columbia County Agricultural Society.

[6] Payn served as harbor master until newly elected governor John T. Hoffman replaced him with a Democrat.

[6] In 1876, President Ulysses S. Grant, a Conkling ally, appointed Payn United States Marshal for the Southern District of New York.

[9][10] At the 1880 Republican National Convention, Payn was one of the 306 delegates who followed Conkling for 36 ballots in supporting Ulysses S. Grant's unsuccessful bid for a third term as president.

[11] Payn supported Senators Conkling and Platt when they resigned in 1881 to protest Garfield's decisions with respect to federal patronage appointments in New York.

[6] They quit their Senate seats in the belief that the New York State Legislature would strengthen their position against Garfield by quickly re-electing them, and Payn presented their letters of resignation to Governor Alonzo B.

[13] Payn was regarded as a corrupt associate of Thomas Platt, by now the boss of New York State's Republican Party.

[15] When Theodore Roosevelt succeeded Black as governor, he refused to re-nominate Payn, which sparked a feud with Platt.