History of George Edward Pace by Grace Bernice Mills Pace

History of George Edward Pace

Born 28 April 1902

Died 27 June 1967

written by his wife Grace Bernice Mills Pace

George Edward Pace was the second son of Amos Franklin and

Emma Margaret Tree Pace. George was named after his two grandfathers George Milton Pace and Edward William Tree. His grandmothers were Sarah Alvira Standley Pace and Julia Holland Tree. Sarah Alvira Standley was about 6 weeks old in Nauvoo when the Prophet Joseph Smith was killed in Carthage Jail.

George was born 28 April 1902 in a small log cabin located in Hoytsville, Utah. The cabin was located near a spring in Cottonwood Canyon. Several families in the area got their culinary water from this spring. The cabin was about 1/2 mile east of the main traveled road near the East hills. This area was later designated as "Dog Hollow" by local residents. George had an older brother, Alvin Christopher, born 23 April 1900.

Later the family bought land and a house from Richard (Dick) Redden and moved to the west side of the highway. It was in this house that Elsie Amelia Pace (the third child) was born. Elsie was the first daughter and was loved by her two brothers. She had red hair like her brother George. Alvin, the oldest child, had been born on a ranch at the head of Silver Creek Canyon.

In a few years Amos Franklin bought land and another house from Carl Redden. This land had a pond where thick ice formed in the winter. Frank and his sons sawed huge blocks of ice in the winter and hauled it to A. J. Farrell's store, the summit Creamery located in Hoytsville, Boyden's Drug Store in Coalville, and to local people. Nearly everyone had an ice house. The ice was covered with sawdust or coal slack and could be kept to use in the summer for ice chests to keep food cool or to churn delicious ice cream for family treats.

The Weber River ran through the center of town. In the winter it froze completely over and blocks of ice could be cut from it for storage.

In the summer, the Pace pond was a favorite place for the neighborhood children to use an old leaky boat to sail in. The only trouble, someone had to constantly bailout the water so it would not sink.

Eight more children were born to Amos Franklin and Emma Margaret as follows:  Amos Eugene 10 June 1906, Kenneth Le Ray 2 December 1910, Raymond Jay 2 January 1913, Thelma Tree 3 November 1914, Clarence Elmer 9 October 1916, Reed Devar 3 December 1918, Emma La Belle 25 December 1920, Vernal Dean 3 October 1925. 

The eleven children, 3 girls and 8 boys, always had great love for each other. When George was four years old, his father was called on an L.D.S. mission to the Southern States. His youngest brother Alma Pace came and stayed with the family to help his wife and the children run the farm. It was hard work to care for a family of four and send money to her husband in the mission field. Of course missionaries in those days traveled mostly without purse or script. In his mission journal, he tells of many of the families he stayed with as he traveled mostly on foot.

Elsie remembered the many kindnesses that George did for her. He herded cows in the canyon and would bring her bouquets of wild flowers.  I guess this carried over into his married life as he brought wild flowers, mushrooms, choke cherries, and service berries, or nice fresh water cress to me.

Elsie told of when she was operated on for a ruptured appendix and Dr. French had to use the Pace kitchen table for an operating table as there were no hospitals close. While Elsie was convalesing, George would sit by her bed to rub her head or just hold her hand. Elsie was a very sick girl, but through skill of Dr. French, prayers, and a Priesthood blessing, her life was spared.

When they went to dances, Elsie was the first one George would dance with; or if he had a date, she was second. At school, he always looked out for her. I guess that is why I loved Elsie so much after I married into the family. We were always close sister-in-laws and enjoyed doing things together. I was with Elsie when her mother died and also when her husband died. After Earl's death, Elsie quit driving her car, so I took her many places. We had double dated many times during our courting days. It was hard for me to see Elsie suffer so much during the last year of her life.

     

     George was blessed 6 June 1902 by Bishop William Sargent at the Hoytsville Utah Ward. He was baptized in the Weber River by the South Bridge 5 June 1910 by Amos Sargent, Sr. At that time, only one baptism a year was held when the water was warmer. George was ordained a deacon 14 March 1915 by Amos Sargent Sr. He was ordained a teacher 2 March 1920 by William J. Brown in the Hoytsville Ward. Alvin was ordained a priest the same day by his father Amos and Amos Eugene was ordained a deacon the same day by his father Amos. George was ordained a priest 1 April 1923 by Bishop Irwin Crittenden in the Hoytsville Ward, and Kenneth was ordained a deacon the same day by his father Amos. George was ordained an elder 14 Feb 1927 by his father and seventy 2 Nov 1934 by Antoine R. Ivans; and high priest 13 Jan 1952 by his father Amos Eugene Pace.                                                                                   .

George and Elsie remember seeing the first cars pass through Hoytsville.  They could see the lights of the car as it came over Judd's hill, 1/2 mile away, and they would spread the word to the neighbors and all would stand by the fence to see the car go by. Joseph Lee was the first man in Hoyts­ville to own a car. Few people had cars at that time. Most travel was done by horseback, horse-drawn buggy, wagon, or sleighs

George went to elementary school in Hoytsville. He loved to skate, so he would often skate to and from school on the ice of irrigation canals that ran past their home, along the east hillsides. When his youngest daughter, Nola, learned to skate, they loved to skate together on the Rockport Reservoir or local irrigation reservoirs. George was happy when he could buy shoe skates.

In 8th grade at school, there were four students named George.

They were George Gunn, George Street, George Winters, and George Pace, and their teacher was named George Larsen. One day on the playground someone threw a snow ball and hit the teacher. No one would tell who did it, so Mr. Larsen made all the boys hold out their hands while he hi t them hard with a ruler. This made Elsie angry as she said she knew George would not do that.

One winter sport George liked most on a sunny day was to go to the river, cut a hole in the ice and snickle sucker fish. He and his friends would make a loop of copper wire, put it down through a hole in the ice, and pullout the fish. They would take them home by the large tub full, scale them, cut them open, and pack them in salt. They were very good eating.

After 8th grade, the Hoytsville children went to Coalville to Summit Academy or to North summit High School. George went to North Summit High School. He rode a horse, bicycle, or drove a team. When the team went, they picked up Lucille and Ethel Lee, also Mary, Zella, and Hulda Brown. They had quilts and hot rocks to keep warm in the winter.

George played guard on the North summit basketball team. At that time the guards were basket shooters, too, and he played very well. Because he was so fast on the floor, they nicknamed him "Motor." He must have used up much of his energy in high school as he was a hard worker, but moved sloWly around the farm. North Summit did not have a gymnasium until George was a senior in 1922. For practice they went to the dance hall at the county fair grounds north of Coalville. by Chalk Creek or to Hoytsville dance hall. To play their games in Kamas, Park City, Heber City, or Morgan, they went in sleigh or later by school bus. Many of their games were played in Hoytsville. One time Park City came by train. They walked from the station to Hoytsville Hall where it was roped off to keep the crowd off the playing floor. Another time Park City brought a casket with a dummy in it to represent N.S., but N.S. was victorious in the game. Basketball was the only sport activity at that time at N.S.

In the summer, George was always on a baseball team as a catcher.

To his grave he carried a double nail on his right hand due to a nail injury, but he loved to play. His sons and grandsons and great grandsons have followed in his footsteps to take part in all sport activities. George was also active in church M-Men ball. He coached and played.

When George was a junior in high school, Alvin was on an LDS mission in Australia. George dropped out of school to work on the Utah Power Electric line that was going through east Hoytsville. He did this to help with the family expenses to help keep Alvin in the mission field. He went back to school and graduated with Elsie's class in 1922. That year the gym was being built in the high school. North Summit was able to play their away games first so home games could be played in the new gym. George had two teeth knocked out when he played ball. Until he could get false ones put in, he took his folks to visit on reservation where no one knew him.

George took part in a high school opera in his senior year. Mrs.

Judith Anderson Beard was the director. It was held in the Coalville Opera house. I do not remember the name of the opera, but he stood by a door and sang, "I Am the Keeper of This Inn."

He did not have the opportunity to go on a mission, but he worked to help others. As a boy, he hired out to work for the Moores and Bates of Wanship and to help town people.

When the Echo Dam was being constructed, he drove a span of mules

with a scraper to earn money. He also worked on the road when the freeway was being built through Echo Canyon. He remembered a heavy snowstorm May 30th that broke their tent in; 21 inches fell in the night. George, Alvin, and Joseph Beard were in the tent.

He was always active in the church and honored his Priesthood.

One Sunday when he was a young boy, he decided he did not want to go

to Church meetings. His father said he could stay but could not go outside. That was a long day and next time he was ready to go with the family.

     The Paces took not only their family, but many of the neighbor childrento Church meetings. The Pace yard was also the gathering place for neighbors to come for games of ball, kick-the-can, steal sticks, duck-on-derby, run-sheep-run, etc.

Before we were married, George worked with the scouts; and he worked with them after as scout master and also scout committeeman for many years. Now he would have been proud to see 7 grandsons and 1 great grandson become Eagle Scouts. Some have gone beyond Eagle to receive higher awards. He also served in the stake and ward M.I.A.

We were married 11 Sept 1929 in the Salt Lake Temple by George F.

Richards. At that time, there was only one marriage session. We went in at 7:00 a.m. and got through at 4:00 p.m. We were tired and nervous and had to drive to Spanish Fork, Utah where our friends who had been married the same day had arranged for a cabin for us. Our friends were Dewey Dearden and Florence Robison Dearden. I had taught school and lived with Florence for two years at Henefer, Utah. Next morning we started on our honeymoon together, only we each had our own car. We toured Cedar Breaks, Bryce canyon, and Zions National Park. On the way home, we stopped in Provo to get pears and peaches to bottle for our winter supply. George had hay and grain to harvest, so it was pretty busy.

George was working on part-time farming with my father Albert Edmond Mills. We were lucky to live in two rooms of my folks home. October 27 or 28, 1929, the bottom went out of the stock market and the Great Depression set in. We had some hard times, but always food to eat. My father did not have good health at this time and had a large farm to run. He and George always got along well. Three of our children, George LaMar, JoAnn, and Gary were born before we remodeled a home across the street and had a home of our own.

George and I tried to attend the Salt Lake Temple quite often to do work for the dead. I do miss him now as I go alone to the temple. One choice experience we had was going to the Salt Lake Temple with George's father and mother and their 10 other children and spouses to attend q temple session on his father, Amos Franklin Pace's 78th birthday. The temple arranged for his father and mother to be the witnesses at the alter and for the whole family to form the prayer circle. This was a faith-promoting experience.

After the temple service, the family went to the Temple Square Hotel for a delicious dinner.

Since that time George and I have had the privilege of going to

the Salt Lake or Logan Temples with LaMar, JoAnn, Gary, and Marvin to witness their marriages. He had passed away before Nola and Lyle Gertsch were married, but her brothers, and sister and companions went with her. These have all been very spiritual experiences.

George's ancestors can be traced to England. The Tree family came to America, not as church converts, but to seek their fortune in this new land. Edward William Tree was born in Kent, England and his wife, Julia Holland was born in London, England. They were married on December 25, 1876 in London, England. George's mother Emma Margaret Tree was born in London. She vividly remembered the 27 days sailing, although she was only 6 years old. Her Mother was very sick most of the time. They arrived in S.L.C., Utah 12 Nov 1885 in a blizzard. Edward's father Edward James Tree had come to America previously. He met them and took them to his home in Centerville, Utah where he gave Julia black tea to help build her up after sea-sickness.  Edward adn Julia had two other children, Edward and Ellen.  Edward and Julia soon heard the gospel adn knew it was true.  They were soon baptized.  Later they moved to Parleys Park, Utah and later to Syracuse, Utah.  Emma was baptized the same day as her mother.  She was 11 years old.  Their father was herding sheep in Idaho, so he was baptized later.

The Pace and Standley families were from Pennsylvania and Ohio areas of America during the early settlements. Elisha and Eliza Baldwin Pace joined the saints in Nauvoo in 1839. Elisha died on his birthday in 1844 at Nauvoo, Illinois. In 1846 his widow left Nauvoo for Nebraska and in 1848 she made the trek to Utah with her children Edwin 17, George Milton 12, and Amanda 6. In 1989 when Glenn Pace (2nd counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of the Church) was in Nauvoo, he was taken to three sites that had been owned by Elisha and Eliza Pace.

It was in the Parley's Park, Utah area where the Tree and Pace families met. Amos Franklin and Emma Margaret courted for 7 years before marriage 21 June 1899 in the Salt Lake Temple by John R. Winder. Later the George Milton Pace family moved to North Heber City.

Elsie said it seemed like their family was always in quaranteen

from communicable diseases with 11 children and the long periods of quaranteen at that time. When the bad "Flu" epidemic of 1918 hit, it went through their whole family. After George and I were married, Thelma came and stayed with us so she could go to school when one of the younger children had scarlet fever.

George was always active in Church and CIVIC organizations. He

was superintendent of the Sunday School, President of the Young Mens

M.I.A. and priesthood .. He was set apart as one of the presidents of

27 quorum of Seventy 28 March 1937 by Joseph F. Merrill. In December

1951 he was set apart of 1st counselor to Bishop Elliott o. Brooks in

the Hoytsville Ward with Lynn Vernon as 2nd counselor and Leon Judd as Clerk. At his death, he was the high priest group leader in the Hoytsville Ward.

Plan for a new church were in the making when Alvin C. Pace was bishop with Parley Brown and Roy Judd as counselors and Kay Crittenden as ward clerk. Because of the condition of the old building which had been damaged by fire and rebuilt; it was decided to tear down the chapel and replace it with a new structure. The destruction of the building was started March 24, 1952 under the direction of Leslie H. Brown, general overseer.

The building was dedicated April 19, 1953 under the direction of

Bishop Elliott o. Brooks. President J. Rueben Clark of the First Presidency of the Church gave the address and dedicatory prayer. There were 559 people at the dedication. Ward meetings had been held in Wanship Ward during the construction of this building.

George spent many long days working on this building. Much of the labor was donated to help cut down on cost of building.

George and sons belonged to the HiLand Dairy Association and had very high producing registered Holsteins. At the time of his death he was president of the West Hoytsville Range Company and a member of the summit County Wool Growers Association.

George was a faithful husband and a devoted father to his five sons and daughters. He taught his sons and grandsons to work and he always set them a good example by working with them. He also taught them to attend their church meetings and be faithful in all they were called to do. He loved his grandchildren. I often think of how he would have loved to see grandsons and great grandsons and granddaughters play basketball, baseball, softball, and other sports.

Although he did not have the opportunity to go on a mission, he was glad to help his brothers and would have been proud to see his grandchildren fill honorable missions. His posterity in February 1991 is 29 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren.