Epsy Jane Williams was born January 10, 1831 in Galvinston County Illinois. Her father, Alexander Williams, was born in 1803 in Georgia. Her mother, Isabell Gill Williams was born about 1804 in Kentucky.
[Another report says: Epsy Jane Williams, daughter of Alexander Williams and Isabella Gill was born 10 Jan. 1831 in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois. Her parents were among the early converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.]
Alexander William's and Isabell Gill were married in Tennessee, where two boys were born, viz., Francis William and Thomas S. From there they moved to Galinston, Co. Illinois, where two boys and two girls were born, viz., Cynthia, born in 1828, Epsy Jane, born Jan. 10, 1831, Clinton, born 1833, Nathaniel Green, born Feb. 16 1835.
Cynthia, a little girl of 6 was playing around a bonfire with other children. Her clothing caught fire and she was severely burned which caused her death in 1834.
In 1836 or 37, the family moved to Caldwell County Missouri where William Alma was born 2 August 1837. From there they moved to Hancock Co., Illinois where two more sons and a daughter were born, viz., Archibald, born March 1839, Nancy, born 1841 and Alexander, born 16 June 1844. They were some of the early converts to the church.
August 18th, 1846 another son, Seth was born on the borders of Missouri and Iowa, on their journey west to the Rocky Mountains. They arrived in Great Salt Lake Valley in 1848. Soon after their arrival, Alexander Williams and his son, Thomas S. came south into Utah County to trade with the Indians on the banks of the Provo River. Returning to Salt Lake City, Alexander Williams asked permission of President Brigham Young to return and colonize on the Provo River. President Young said they might do so, but to leave their families in Salt Lake until homes and a Fort could be built. They, however, brought their families with them, being among the first families to cross the Provo River. There were about thirty families.
Epsy Jane told the following story for a Black Hawk encampment:
"I was one of the first to come to Provo and was here during the Indian wars. We were poor and could not give much to the Indians. They were not satisfied, although we gave as much as we could spare to them.
"The Indians began to get hostile, finally, and would come as if they were going to make a charge, and then turn and go back. They were dressed and painted as though going to war. They kept up their maneuvers all fall until one Indian was killed down by the river. It became necessary to send to Salt Lake and Cottonwood for help.
"February 8, 1850, the Salt Lake Cavalry under Colonel Andrew Lytle and Captain George D. Grant united forces with Colonel W. Peter Conover and my father, Captain Alexander Williams. Before daybreak on the 9th, Thursday, the Indians, one hundred and ten in number, met and opened fire on the Cavalry and then retreated to their re-doubt. They fought until 7:00 PM. Friday morning they were met as before, our men returning to the Fort late at night. Saturday they were again met. That day the Sliding Batteries and the Horse Charge was made.
"Captain Alexander Williams told the commanding officers, if they would let him take ten men he would route the Indians out. The following morning he took the men and went around them in the brush. the Indians fired on them and killed Joseph Higby. Captain Alexander Williams was wounded. Part of the Indians took to the lake and part went up Rock Canyon.
"That night after Higby was killed, Lieutenant Willam H. Kimball took his company with Colonel Peter W. Conover and followed the Indians to Utah Lake. The Cottonwood Company and some of the Provo Company followed the Indians to Rock Canyon. They overtook them and a battle was fought and about forty Indians were killed. Our men left the field of battle at 8:00 PM having killed of Stick On the Head's warriors, one hundred and one Indians and one squaw. This was acknowledged at the treaty at Provo on 11 April 1850. Our casualties during the three day siege was Joseph Higby and eleven horses. Alexander Williams and seven others were wounded.
"February 13th a running fight took place in which seventeen Indians were killed, there were no white casualties. The campaign lasted three weeks. Ninety seven prisoners were taken, young bucks, squaws and children, most of which returned to their tribes after the treaty.
"U. S. Surgeon Dr. Blake cut the heads off the Indians that were killed and brought them to the Fort. He had forty or fifty heads and he said, "After the flesh was off" he was going to take them back to Washington.
"I was a young girl when this happened. I nursed and cared for the wounded and cooked for eighteen of the Cottonwood Company at home besides our own family. Then, after 9:00 PM I went to the bishop's and cooked for Colonel William H. Kimball and his Company of twenty five. Also, for the Bishop's family the night my father was wounded and Joseph Highboy was killed.
"There were a great many attacks to try and scare us out. After we moved into the Upper Fort, just above Provo City, the Walker band tried to make a raid on us two or three times. The men had to stand guard most of the time."
[A granddaughter writes:
Epsy Jane Williams, a popular young woman of Provo and a favorite among her associates in the early 50s, met William Byram Pace, a prominent young man in the musical circles, who fell in love with her. They were married 25 March 1852 by Aaron Johnson. Two months later, in the company of her father, Alexander Williams and her brother Thomas S. Williams, left for the California Gold Fields, expecting to make their fortunes, arriving at their destination in June 1852.
For a while they were in the butcher business and did fairly well. Later they went to placer mining. Soon after they started mining William Byram took Small Pox and was laid up for three weeks. Alexander Williams heard about his affliction and came to his assistance. He now wanted to go home. He had had enough mining and had about enough money to get home on. He finally persuaded his father-in-law to go home. They decided to return to San Diego by water where they bought wagons, hoses and provisions for the journey.
They arrived in Provo in May 1853. He found his wife had given birth to a baby girl, Martha Jane who was born 5 Jan. 1853. In July 1853 they moved to Payson.
When the pioneers came into the Valley of Great Salt Lake in 1847, a large number of the Utah Indian Nation were encamped in Spanish Fork Canyon. When they heard of the arrival of the Pioneers in the valley the Indians held a council to decide what to do about it. Chief Walker urged his braves to go down and clean the whites out of their valleys, but Soweite advised them to let the Mormons alone and be peaceable towards them, saying perhaps they, like the Ute Nation, had been driven to the Rocky Mountain for security. Soweite's scouts had already met the Pioneer and found this to be true.
The fiery young warriors were with Walker while the older wiser heads were with Soweite. The controversy ran high. Walker implied that Chief Soweite was a coward. Soweite, in his indignation and royal wrath, took his riding whip and flogged the War Chief Walker to make him behave himself. From that day to the day of his death the old Indian King always advocated peace with the Mormons.]
In the summer of 1853, on the 19th of April, the famous Walker War broke out. It seems that one of the citizens of Payson saw an Indian whipping his squaw and he in turn whipped the Indian. The Indian died. Walker was greatly enraged about the affair. With 400 warriors he was camped near the mouth of Payson Canyon. That evening the maddest of his warriors rode down to Payson and shot the Picket guard, Alexander Keel. The alarm came that the Indians were coming to massacre the Payson settlers.
Epsy Jane Continues:
"After I was married, I moved to Payson and was there during the Walker trouble. We had just returned from a trip to Provo the night the Walker Indians killed the picket guard, Keele. We were living at the edge of town and were all seated at the table for supper when runners were sent to tell us all to rally to the schoolhouse. They all jumped and ran and did not stop for supper or anything. I was the last one out of the house as I had my baby to get up. I do not remember by husband waiting for me. I had to go alone with my baby, with nothing around her. It was a very cold night to have a baby out with no wrap for her or myself. I waited on the men as usual and cooked for them as they were going to Sanpete and other outlying settlement to fight the Indians.
"The Indians left that night after they had killed the beef. They took the best of the meat and went out through Sanpete. An appeal was sent to Provo for help and "Colonel Conover sent a company of 150 men to our aid. Colonel Conover's Company and different companies from other settlements tried to head the Indians off, but they made their escape. There were Utes enough left to kill all the whites they could catch out at Santaquin where some had farms.
"The people had to move into Payson and go out after their potatoes and other vegetables. One time I went after potatoes and barely escaped being caught."
Epsy Jane Williams Pace
Soon after the Walker War broke out William B. Pace, whose time was almost entirely taken up with Military matters, traded his thirty acre farm for an old adobe house and two city lots in Provo and moved his wife to Provo, as she did not want to live in Payson. William Byram Pace, always a leader in Military matters, was much in demand during the Indian depredations, going to the aid of the settlers in nearby counties or where ever the need came. Being, also, a musician, he often accompanied President Young on his visits to the settlements as far as southern Utah. As a result Epsy Jane was left alone the greater part of the time.
In 1850 Epsy Jane's father Alexander Williams was a captain in the Indian affairs of Provo City and vicinity, when Chief Walker was planning to massacre all the inhabitants. The Indian Chief Soweite, head of the Ute nation, came to Isaac Higby at night and told him of the plan and offered to bring in his warriors and defend the fort. Soweite, also told walker he would go in and defend the white settlers and Chief Walker knew he would keep his promise. This helped to save the settlers from a terrible massacre.
On 21 May 1854, a son, William James was born to William B. and Epsy Pace. At the April Conference 1855, William B. was called to fill a mission to the Indians in south east Utah, designated as the Elk Mountain Mission. He left for his mission 14 May 1855. He returned home the latter part of August on business connected with the mission, intending to return to his field of labor within about a month. During his absence there was an Indian uprising at the mission and the missionaries were driven out. The mission was closed for that time.
Byram Francis was born 8 July 1855; Isabelle Lucinda, born 6 Dec 1856; Zelnora Isadora, born 10 Oct. 1858; Epsy Albina, born 6 April 1860; Sidney Alexander, born 19 Aug. 1862; Alice Eliza, born 14 Apr 1964; Elisha and Elijah (twins) were born 31 Jan. 1866; John Henry, was born 9 May 1867; Olive Etta was born 17 Dec 1869; Coroline Williams Pace was born 27 July 1872; Franklin and Frankie (twins) were born 8 Jan. 1975.
She was fearless and brave. At one time in particular, during the Indian trouble she was sent with a message, on horse back to Cottonwood. The journey was made during the night and was a hazardous undertaking at that time for a young woman. She delivered her message and returned in safety.
She was the mother of fifteen children, raising all but four to man and womanhood. She also raised six of her grandchildren.
She was a patient and loving mother. She was medium tall, dark hair and blue eyes. An excellent neighbor in sickness and distress, going into families who were stricken with diphtheria and other diseases, administering to their wants and doing what she could to relieve their pain and suffering.
She assisted in driving one of her brother's (Thomas S. Williams) mule teams across the plains, her father having ox teams. At the centennial held in Salt Lake City, she drove a team of one cow and one horse and was very proud of the honor bestowed upon her.
Her husband was called south to open up the mining industry. On account of her children she remained in Provo. With the help of the children she managed to get along very well. She raised ducks and chickens. Her ducks were a hobby with her and she spent a great deal of time in caring for them, making pillow and feather beds. She was a good seamstress, making her children's clothing and piecing quilts. She was an industrious woman and never idle.
Her husband being a minute man, she was left alone the greater part of her married life, raising her children under difficulties and hardships. At one time six of the children had diphtheria. With the aid of her older children at home watching the time for medicine, etc., the children all recovered from that dreaded disease.
When her husband went south, he left a mortgage on her home which ran on for a number of years. One day the man holding the mortgage came with another man to look at the place, intending to sell it. Seeing these men she promptly ordered them off the place. Her son, Sidney Alexander, came to her rescue and borrowed the money to pay off the mortgage. A neighbor and friend, Evan Wride, signed as his security. Later one lot was sold and the money paid back. She lived in this home the rest of her life.