History of Sarah Alvira Standley by Lila Colton

Sarah Alvira Stanley Pace, daughter of Alexander and Philinda Upson Stanley, was born at Nauvoo, Illinois, 26 May, 1844. The peace and quiet of Nauvoo the Beautiful was replaced by lawlessness and unhappiness this memorable spring of 1844. The good parents of grandma Pace were subject to all the suspence (sic) and worry that the Saints were passing through at this time, and when the final blow fell (the Martyrdom of the Prophet) grandma was a babe a month old. Driven from their home at Nauvoo, they accompanied the main portion of the persecuted people to Kirtland, then later to Iowa. At Winter Quarters they spent three years waiting to be ordered Westward to the haven of rest.

Grandma's father was blessed with worldly goods and he made ready three different outfits, contemplating moving on; when he was asked to turn over wagons, supplies, etc. to some family more in need, and to remain yet awhile because he was situated financially and able to do so.

Finally, after eight years of waiting, stops for raising food stuffs with which to proceed, the Stanley family were at last moving Westward.
Sarah, a child of eight years, walked all the way across the plains, arriving footsore and weary in the valley in September.

They built their first home of adobes in the 17th Ward. The Stanley family endured all the hardships of pioneer life at that time. The grasshoppers scourge, Indian troubles, etc. Grandma learned to knit at the age of six years, and continued this practice until her last illness. At that time she was past 82 years of age.

The Stanley family was among the first settlers of Bountiful where they were engaged in farming and stock raising, and grandmother could relate many interesting experiences which came to her while herding cows
on the shores of the Great Salt lake.

Sarah Alvira Stanley was married 7 March 1860 to George Milton Pace. Their first home was a little one roomed house with a dirt roof, a piece of cloth for a door and floors of split logs. The cupboard was made, by the young husband, by placing wooden pegs into the logs and placing boards across the pegs for shelves, with a curtain hung in front. This small home was shared with her mother-in-law until her death.

Four children were born to them at Bountiful. At this time they purchased a ranch at Parley's Park on Silver Creek, in Summit County, where they spent their summer months, returning to Bountiful where the children might attend school during the winter time.

After several years they settled permanently at Parley's Park, where ten children were born. Brother Pace acted as bishop for this ward for twenty-one years. During all these years Sister Sarah Pace bore cheerfully and uncomplaining the burdens and sacrifices incident to the life of a bishop's wife. They spent 35 years here conducting a dairy, milked cows and made butter and cheese. In this day of modem conveniences we cannot realize the labor it required to take care of this business. But throughout all this hard labor with her large family of small children unruffled, never speaking an inpatient word in the controlling of her family.

After the death of her husband in March 6, 1897, she moved to Provo, to Coalville, and to different places in order that her family might receive the best educational advantages. Five of the seven sons filled missions, two fulfilled two missions.

Besides raising her own large family she also assisted in the rearing of her grandchildren who were left orphans by the death of their mother. Her coming to Heber City in the year 1911 was for the purpose of educating her grand daughter, Mary Simpson, whom she had raised from infancy. She was a faithful Latter-day Saint, attending her meetings until her last sickness came upon. She was an industrious woman, her hands could not lie idle but were always busy piecing quilts, sewing carpet rags, cording bats, etc. She often bought a sheep pelt, soaked it in salt and ashes to loosen the wool, afterward pulling it from the pelt, washing and cording it and placing it between her pieced tops and making a quilt by herself.

She was a great lover of flowers and often her neighbors would see her at 5:00 a.m. out caring for them, carrying soil, preparing the beds and planting, weeding and watering her lawn and flowers.

She loved books and some part of each day was spent in reading either the Church books or other books.

She died at Heber City, Utah, 26 January 1923, after an illness of about eight weeks. Every member of her family paid respect to her in loving devotion for her years of cheerful untiring service. She went peacefully to rest with not much distress or pain; just a tired worn body from which the patient, kindly spirit departed to meet a reward for a well lived life.

Sarah Alvira Stanley Pace was a self well educated woman. She could spell any word in the dictionary and give the difmition (sic) of it. She used to study the dictionary while herding the cows. She would tell her grandchildren and great grandchildren riddles. She knew a great number of these and had them ready to tell at any time. Such as: Around and around the field all day and into the cupboard at night. (Milk) On the hill stands a red bull he eats and he eats and never gets full. (Thresher) Four and twenty horses standing on a hill now they are prancing now they are still. (Teeth) There was a little lady with a pink nose the longer she stands the shorter she grows. (Candle) Patches upon patches without any stitches, guess this riddle and I will give you my britches. (Cabbage)


She had a big pocket that hung on a belt around her waist where she carried her knitting as well as any number of things that her children or grandchildren might want. She used to knit ear muffs and mittens for children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Her grand daughter Ethel Prescott Van Tassell says grandmother went to Coalville to stay with her and some other young people so they could go to school there. They called her their walking dictionary. They never went to the dictionary to look up a word but just ask grandmother. At night she would tell them guessing riddles a lot of them were hard to guess the answer. Aunt Ethel said grandmother said the hardest thing she had to get used to doing was having to use water in the place of milk. The Stanleys had a cow all the time and were quite well off for pioneers but the Pace family was very poor. When she married George Milton and she had to learn to do without.

Uncle Frank Pace said his mother had a very good sense of humor and



was very witty. She was quite strict with her children and made her punishment very clear and had the best methods of correcting kids. One day she sent Jirn after a pound of butter down in the cellar. He came up with the butter and dropped it on the floor. creem ran and kicked it across the floor. Their mother said neither one could have butter for a week and that punishment was carried out to the letter. She never whipped a child while she was angry but would say you are going to get a whipping and she would do it if it was a week later. She always had a picture of Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith hanging in the dining room. Uncle Frank came in and said, "Ma which one is Hy and which is Jo?" He no sooner had it out of his mouth than his mother slapped him to the side of his face.

The first Pace genealogical meeting was held in Grandma Pace's family. She said she was glad they were starting the Pace family history. She hoped some of her children would really be interested in and do something for the Pace line. Quite a bit has been done on her family line. Uncle Frank said she was interested in anything that her grandchildren and great grandchildren were doing.

By Lila Colton