Lulu Parker was born in Mocksville in 1860, and spent her early years in Davie County. She was married about 1880 to R. M. Payne, and moved to Winston-Salem in 1885. Her husband died in 1911.
In 1913, under the auspices of the YWCA, the Travelers’ Aid Society was started, and Mrs. Payne was hired as its first paid worker. The purpose of the society, the first to be formed in North Carolina, was to be a presence at the train station, to offer assistance to women who came to the city and needed a place to stay or needed help in finding work.
Mrs. Payne met the trains and walked around the warehouses to let women know of the rest rooms at the YWCA that they could use, about the good boarding houses, and to be a resource for other needs of women traveling to and through the city. The society became a separate organization in 1919.
Mrs. Payne was later given the title of Executive Secretary for the organization. In 1924, at the 11th anniversary of the society, Mrs. Payne was given a special recognition for her years of efficient and untiring service to the organization from its very beginning. She was also given a vote of confidence with expressed wishes that she would have many more years of service.
The local society became a member of the National Association of Travelers’ Aid Societies, and assistance was extended to all of the traveling public. Many volunteer workers gave assistance, and the direct expenses of the society were met through the Community Chest and donations from individuals and organizations.
Mrs. Payne worked for the organization for 15 years. She passed away in 1946.
