John Howard Payne

Payne, John Howard (1791–1852), U.S. playwright and actor. He wrote his first play, Julia, or, The Wanderer, at age 14 and first appeared on stage at age 17. Payne lived in London and Paris 1813–32, during which time he studied and adapted many French plays and met and collaborated with Washington Irving. After his return to the United States (1832), he was an advocate for Native American rights. He also served as U.S. consul in Tunisia (1842–45, 1851–52). Payne's most important works include Brutus, or, The Fall of Tarquin (1818) and Clari, or, The Maid of Milan (1823), for which he wrote the words to the song “Home, Sweet Home.”