The first settlers in the Paynton district were the Cinnamon family. They came down the North Saskatchewan River on a barge and landed at the only suitable outlet along the bank, a spot still known as Cinnamon Landing.
Other pioneers followed: Mr. Paynter, Mr. McCready, Mr. Grafton and Mr. Fields. All were RCMP officers who made the long trek from Fort Macleod around the time of the Riel Rebellion of 1885. They homesteaded a farm and were the first in the area to put up a fence, built with rails. After Mr. McCready died when he was thrown from his horse, his widow moved to Winnipeg, later returned, and married Mr. Paynter. He retired from the RCMP and spent his remaining years helping newcomers, and he was known for his kindness to strangers and neighbours alike.
Locals wanted to call the settlement "Paynter," but Peter Paynter would not agree. He wanted his friends included in the name, and another place already carried that name. The solution was to take the last letters of Grafton, giving Paynton. The village incorporated on May 2, 1907.
By 1912 Paynton had a doctor, a nurse, a druggist, grocery and general stores, two hotels, a bakeshop, a bank, a poolroom, a butcher shop, a hall, a lumber yard, its own newspaper, and two churches, Anglican and Presbyterian. Shows came to the hall from time to time. A new post office, built by postmaster John Currie, opened on January 17, 1968.
Written from Wikipedia’s article “Paynton” (CC BY-SA 4.0), and shared under the same licence.