WILLIAM JAYNE, M.D. , was born in October, 1826, in Springfield, Illinois, and is consequently one of the oldest residents now living in the city. Dr. Gershom Jayne, his father, was a native of Orange county, New York, born in October, 1791. The subject of this memoir is one of their six children. He read medicine under his father's precentorship, attended medical lectures at Missouri University, St. Louis, from which he graduated in 1849, and at once entered the practice of medicine, which was interrupted at the end of ten years by his being elected Mayor of the city in 1859. In 1860 he was elected State Senator to represent the counties of Sangamon and Morgan, for the term of four years; but being appointed the first Territorial Governor of Dakota, by President Lincoln, he resigned in 1861 to accept that office. In 1862 Dr. Jayne was sent to Congress from that Territory, which he represented in that body two years. At the close of the term he returned to Springfield, and has since resided here. He was appointed United States Pension Agent in 1869, and filled the office four years; in the spring of 1876 was chosen Mayor of the city, and re-elected in 1877, serving two consecutive terms. He has been a Director of the First National Bank of Springfield since 1875; and its Vice President since the spring of 1879; also practicing medicine in a moderate degree. On October 17, 1850, Dr. Jayne united in marriage with Julia Witherbee, of Jacksonville, Illinois, born in Vermont in 1830. Only two of their six children now survive, namely, William S. Jayne, who was born in October, 1851, and married Margaret E., second daughter of ex-Governor John M. Palmer, in November, 1875; and Lizzie Jayne, born in July, 1855, and married to Ferdinand Kuechler in October, 1878. They all reside in Springfield.