History of George Milton Pace

George Milton Pace was born 9 January 1837, Perry County, Ohio. His father was Elisha Pace and his mother was Eliza Baldwin. His father died at Nauvoo Illinois, 1844.


George Milton being a lad of eight years, at the time the saints were being persecuted, and so the widowed mother and her children were subject to all the hardships, of early saints, driven from their homes, sickness, hunger, and the long trek across the plains, with the main body of the saints in 1848. He was baptized at Council Bluff when about 8 years old.


George had one brother, Edwin, and a sister Amanda. Edwin had a large family in Bountiful, Amanda Melvinia married Ira S. Hatch, but died as a young woman having no children.

George Milton walked all the way across the plains, members of his family heard him say, "he could walk bare foot through prickly pear beds and never feel the thorns".

They settled at Woods Cross on September 27, 1848. History related that in the autumn of 1848 Brigham Young returned to the valley with nearly twenty-five hundred people. Thus bringing the population to between four and five thousand people.

Three companies came that fall, Brigham Young's, Heber C.

Kimball's and Willard Richard's. Some days they traveled 13 1/2 miles others only six, they were divided into companies of one ¬hundred and then into companies of ten. If some one shot a deer or an antelope it was divided, among the company. There was little trouble with the Indians, but the wolves could be hears at nights. One time an oxen died and the next day was found miles away almost devoured by the wolves.

As the companies neared the Salt Lake valley they were met and given help with fresh teams. President Bright Young's company arrived Wednesday, September 20, 1848. Heber C. Kimball's arrived September 24, 1848 and Willard Richard's October 19, 1848. People were seen hauling in corn, and pumpkins as some entered the valley, The surrounding communities were beginning to be settled and Pace's made Woods Cross their first home. Every one had to raise everything they needed to eat and most of what they required to wear. The grasshoppers not only came the first year, but in 1867, they covered the streets of Salt Lake City to the depth of an inch or more. George Milton experienced all these things along with the rest of the saints. He received very little education, because he had his mother and sister to support.



He married Sarah Alvira Standley, March 7, 1860. She was the daughter of Alexander Schoby Standley (the middle name has also been spelled Scoby and the last name Stanley) and Philinda Upson. Their first home was a one room log cabin with a dirt floor, this one room was shared by his mother.

They received their endowments and sealings on August 10, 1861. They moved to Parleys Park shortly after their marriage. This little village was discovered by Parley P. Pratt, after coming up the canyon he, emerged into a beautiful meadow with a clear stream of water running through it, he set out a claim and had a log cabin built, which he later sold.

Parleys Park was organized into a branch among the first in Summit County. It was- presided over by Ephriam Snider. This little community, and head quarters for all church activity was seven miles from Silver Creek where George Milton and family made their home.

The first claim on Silver Creek was made in 1860, by Orin Hatch and a Bro. Moss who in 1863, sold their interest to George Milton Pace, Amos Atkinson and Jens Neilson.

He served in the Indian War in 1866 under Captain Bigler.

His son Freeman wrote as follows-- Father made a preemption entry on 120 acres of land also a homestead entry on 80 acres. There was other entries, one by Daniel Moss of 160 acres and one by Amos Atkinson of 80 acres. These men pooled their interests and worked together. -

The Hatches, Moss's and later Margaret Prescott, always moved to Bountiful for the winter months and brought their cows out to the ranch and made cheese and butter in the summer.

These men also engaged in the sheep industry, finally organizing the Deseret Livestock Company. Deriving the name from driving the sheep and cattle to and from the desert 100 miles west of Salt Lake City.

After the mines were discovered, they started developing them and turning the waste from the mines into the streams that ran past the ranch, this poisoned the water and we lost a number of cattle and especially was it death to the horses. Amos Atkinson got discouraged and father bought his interests. Father and Amos Atkinson had previously obtained Moss's and Hatch's interests.

Father got a settlement with the Ontario and Crescent mining companies for $3000 for damages done to his property. After fathers death, his heirs got a settlement from the judge, and Silver King and some other smaller mining companies for $10,000 besides expenses.



There was a number of tailing mills set up on our property without much success. the largest, being the Big-Four, they shipped 72 car loads of concentrates weighing from 50 to 60 tons to the car. They differed in value. Later the sand left on the property was sold to the U.S. Smelting and Refining Company for $10,000, there was a $1,000 expense on this sale.

The Pace ranch sold to Freeman, James E. and Alma Pace for $20,000 in1915.

After grass became scarce on the desert a cooperation was

made and the cattle were transferred from the desert, also the ranch, to Strawberry Valley. Later having to leave this range they were taken to Emery County with headquarters at Castle Dale, where they lost a great number of cattle. At this time father swapped his interests in the Deseret Livestock Company for what was left of the Silver Creek Livestock Company.

George Milton Pace was called to help settle Indian trouble in the southern part of the territory before the birth of his second child which occurred on February 16, 1863.

Their first four children were born in Bountiful, after which they remained at Parleys Park. Their children were Sarah Alvira, born December 18, 1860; George Milton, born February 16, 1863; Emily, born November 4, 1864; Donald Alexander, born August 17, 1866; Henry Riley, born August 7, 1868; Freeman Elisha, born August 31, 1870; James Edwin, born December 14, 1872; Amos Franklin, born March 5, 1875; Ira Alva, born July 21, 1877; Philinda, born April 30, 1880; Eliza, born May 24, 1882; Letty Jane, born September 20, 1884; Alma, born October 27, 1888 and Amanda, born October

19, 1890.

Summit Stake was organized July 9, 1877. On May 12, 1878 Alexander Henry Standley (Stanley) was called to be bishop of Parley Park Ward. George Milton Pace was ordained a high priest June 1, 1878, and called as first counselor to bishop Stanley, and Niels Peterson second counselor.

Early in 1882, George Milton was ordained Bishop which position he held until his death, March 6, 1897. Serving as counselor and bishop for 19 years. Traveling seven miles all these years to perform all the duties of a bishop, would take a great deal of faith and strong testimony of the gospel. In 1883, a rustic building, 28 by 18 feet was erected for a meeting house, at the cost of $1200. The money for its erection was raised mostly by Pace's, Archibald's, Atkinson's, and Prescott's.

The railroad came to Kimballs Junction in 1889, and on to Park City in 1890. This made it better for marketing produce.



Bishop Pace met with the women of the ward at the home of sister Maria Workman, November 17, 1879. At this meeting sister Sarah Richards of the General Relief Society was in attendance.

It has been said by members of the family that Bishop Pace paid the assessments given to Parleys Park Ward for the building of the Summit Stake Tabernacle which was completed in 1883.

The Salt Lake Temple was dedicated in 1893, this marvelous structure would have taken great efforts on the part of all faithful Latter Day Saints.

Five of his seven sons have served as bishop's counselors and one also as a bishop.

Eleven of thirty one grandsons who reached maturity have served as bishops or bishops counselors. One stake president and one counselor to a stake presidency. (1958)

George Milton Pace and his wife Sarah were both buried in the family lot in the Bountiful Cemetery.