I am not sure what you are looking for on Rolla Payne. I do some amateur genealogy. In 1930 and 1940 censuses I am pretty sure I have located him. Rolla and Leona were living in Augusta City, Kansas. In 1930 census he was listed as “Bookkeeper, Oil Company”. In 1940 census and occupation listed as “Clerk, Oil Refining Co”. My grandfather lived in Tulsa and my grandfather also worked in Kansas for a while. Similar oil company pattern. This guy Rolla looked like he had a humble existence at least in 1940 - annual income $2200 according to the census.
Several articles state he was an agent. Agent wrote the land lease contracts for the mineral rights. Their pay was often delayed compensation from future well production. One freeper said one tenth of one percent. See if you can find the 1950 census!
If he had formed a trust the income may have gone into the trust. Living frugally was a pattern an entire community nearby exhibited. But those who knew the truth knew they had holdings worth millions kept for future rainy days or their ancestors. (early shares of Xerox IIRC) How would similar assets show up in census?
PT check out kcvl’s posts at forty and forty two.
http://proliberty.com/observer/20080921.htm
40 posted on Saturday, September 15, 2012 4:24:35 PM by kcvl