Mary/Polly Payne, my ggg-grandmother, was born 19 Aug 1784 in Rowan Co NC and died c. 1845 in Rush County IN. She married James Alexander on 1 Jan 1801 in Mason Co KY. Her marriage bond named Reuben Payne as her father.

After much searching, I think I have found the right man to be Mary/Polly Payne Alexander's father, namely, a Reuben Payne whose will was filed in Fleming County KY in 1819. I will share what I did find about some other Paynes, in case it is useful to others.

Mary Payne married James Alexander on 1 Jan 1801 in Mason County KY. (Hey, 111 years ago today!) Here's the marriage bond:
http://www.kykinfolk.com/mason/bk1bride.html
Marriage Abstract 1, 1789-1805, Mason County, Kentucky [This abstract shows Bride given, Bride surname notes]:

29 Dec 1800 This is to testify that I am willing for James Alexander to marry my daughter Mary [signed] Ruebin Payne.
[Witness] Daniel O'Banian and Daniel Payne

The wills that Tommy found in Lincoln County are probably not her father. Reuben Payne's in 1831 doesn't mention a daughter Mary/Polly. William's in 1836 mentions Polly Payne, when she would have been Polly Alexander.

I checked Mason and Fleming Counties. There was nothing for a Reuben in Mason but Fleming had:
--Reuben Payne in Book B, p. 441 in 1816: Will names wife Nancy, executrix, dated 15 April 1819, witnesses Wm Obannon, Selverton Obannon, Humphrey Beckett, surety posted by James Alexander. I think this must be Mary Payne Alexander's father.
In Fleming County I also found:
---Wm Alexander in Book A, p. 221 and book B?, year 1818?
--Hannah Payne in Book F, p. 128, in 1837
--Zadock Payne in Book K, p. 5, in 1855 will names wife Mary, daughters Sarah Hungerford, Maryann(Polly) Payne, Martha Jane Crawford, sons Elijah F, Alfred J., Jesse C., Madison Monroe, william S. and my daughter Janet Payne. Further names all children as: Margaret Eavans, Malinda W. Lee, Sarah Hungerford, Elisha V. Payne, Alexander W. Payne, Maryann Po. Payne, Martha Jane Crawford, Elijah W. Payne, Jesse C. Payne, Madison Monroe Payne, William S. Payne, Janet Payne. Son James V. Payne got stuff before. Will dated August 1842.

Just for info, here's what I found on Payne wills in Mason County KY:
--William Payne’s will, Index Vol. G, 1826-1829, p. 407, names 8 kids by first wife as “James, now deceased, Jesse Payne, Elizabeth Coombs, late Elizabeth Payne, Polly Harrison, late Polly Payne, William Henry Payne, Catherine Hammond, Sally Graves, Dennis Payne now deceased.
--Duval Payne’s inventory, Index H. 1829-1832, p. 185-187, Hannah Payne’s assignment of dower, p. 190-192, Duval Payne’s ? current p. 520. Inventory had 7 slaves, dated July 1830, signed Thos. Horn?, Thos Hale, Samuel Pepper. Purchases in estate sale by Hannah Payne, Thomas Enson, John Payton, John Burgess, Kendall Moss, John Payne, Wm. McIlvain, Wm Miller, James Curtis, his land was on Mill Creek, 150 acres.
--George M. Payne’s inventory, Will Book K, 1834-36, p. 19, dated July 1834, Mary L. Payne, executrix, oaths Andrew McJanuary and Charles Naughton, granted probate. No further info on his estate.

Again, with Zadock Payne's will mentioning Maryann Payne and not Mary Alexander, I ruled him out. Still going with the theory that Reuben Payne was her father, I then checked the census for KY in 1800, 1810 and 1820.

The 1800 "Census" or tax list for KY has the following:
Zadock Pain in Scott County
Edmond Paine in Lincoln
Enoch Paine in Gallatin
Francis Paine in Nelson
Jonathan Paine in Shelby
and then a bunch of Paynes including Reuben in Lincoln, Reubin in Pulaski and Rubin in Mason.

In 1810: there were 4 Reuben Paynes in KY in 1810, 1 in Mason, 1 in Garrard and 2 in Lincoln (marriage witness in 1795 for Laban Payne)
1810 Census for Fleming KY has Berry Payne and Zadock Payne
1810 Census for Mason KY has Duvall, Reuben and William Payne

Looking at the 1810 census data, the household of Reuben Payne in Mason had one male over the age of 45.

In 1820, there was a Reuben Payne in Lincoln County (one male over age 45 but the county is far from Mason) and one in Fleming (but no male of the proper age.)

My guess is that Reuben Payne, the father of Mary/Polly Payne Alexander, died after the 1810 census. As stated above, no estate records in Mason County and the one in Fleming County states only that he appointed his wife Nancy as executrix, no heirs named, but does list James Alexander as posting a bond for the execution of the will.
Kate