Orem, Utah Co, UT Dec. 12th 1930
To our descendants fifty years hence.
We were asked to place a letter in the Jubilee box, which will be sealed and opened in 1980.
Dear Children or Grandchildren
I hope some of you will be interested in the short history inclosed, also in Genealogical work which< I am greatly interested in at the present time. I hope in the near future to obtain a list of my descendants (while I sojourn here upon this beautiful Earth which the Lord has given us, and be able to work for many of them in the Temple.
Am thankful I live in this day and age, when the gospel was restored to Earth and we were given the privilege of doing Temple work, for our dead ancestors as well as for the living.
I am the daughter of Thomas Henry White and Emily Oliver White. My Father was a Pioneer of 1865 crossing the with ox teams, he made two trips back to Missouri for Emigrants when only 18 years of age. He was a Pioneer Blacksmith learning his trade in England, he helped to build the Salt Lake Temple, Tabernacle and many of the churches in the State. He made the first Bicycle made in Salt Lake called it a Dandy horse later it was re-modeled for on Charlie Hyde (a cripple).
Thomas H White was the son of George White and Mary Rivers White.
I Lucy Agnes White Pace was born 19th April 1869 at North Ogden, Weber Co. Utah, the second child of a family of eleven (9 girls and 2 boys). I am inclosing Family group sheets & Pedigree charts with names of our immediate families.
I was married first to Willard Alexander Williams (Son of Alexander Williams and Elvina Whipple Williams) 22nd September 18885, Gave birth to a premature baby boy 22 April 1886, My husband died 8 Jan 1887, my daughter Willa Emily Williams was born 30 Mar 1887 after her father's death.
I remarried 6th Nov 1888 Sidney Alexander Pace by whom I had a family of ten children, all living but at the present time and married, but the youngest Carl Alma Pace who is the only one single at this time.
I first began to work in the Church in 1901 acting as Secretary and recording Secretary from 1901 to 10 Aug. 1902
Sustained as President of the Y.L.M.I.U. 10 Aug 1902 released on account of poor health 4th June 1905.
Was chosen Secretary of Timpanogas Ward relief Society 20th Dec 1906 Released when the ward was divided and still held as Secretary of the Relief Society of the new Sharon Ward which position I held until 5 Oct 1920. At that time being chosen as President of the Sharon Ward Relief Society. Released as President 29th April 1924 I have acted as Relief Society teacher since that time, also have been secretary of the Ward Genealogical Committee since 19th May 1925 which position I hold at the present time. I love the Genealogical work one of the grandest and noblest works of the Church today, where we can go to the Temples of our Lord and perform the holy ordinance both for the living and our dead Ancestors.
My husband Sidney Alexander Pace is the son of William Byram Pace and Epsy Jane Williams Pace. He was born 19 Aug 1862 in Provo City, Utah Co., Utah where he grew to manhood and a faithful church worker in Provo second ward from a boy.
He was first chosen President of Deacons quorum which position he held for a long time, after which he was ordained President of YMMIA which position he held for 10 or 15 years, was President of the first quorum of Elders organized in the Second and Third wards of Provo City. Filled a home mission throughout Utah County with Elder Isaac Bullock as a companion.
He moved on Provo Bench 2 May 1898 Sidney A. Pace was called into the Presidency of the YMMIA of Timpanogas Ward in 1899, which position was held for 6 years. In 1905 he was sustained as President of the Elders quorum. In 1912 he was still held in the same position in the new Sharon Ward until 1st July 1907 at which time he was ordained a High Priest.
He was ward teacher and Sunday School Teacher during all of the above time. Was President or counselor in the YMMIA about 33 years in Provo Second Ward and in Timpanogas Ward.
We hope our posterity will follow in our footsteps and always be found striving to build up God's Kingdom here on the Earth.
I will also inclose some of the Pace History as they were very prominent people in Settling this Valley.
William Byram Pace (father of Sidney A. Pace) was born 9 Feb. 1832 in Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co., Tenn. Son of James Pace and Lucinda Gibson Strickland. They went through all the hardships of Pioneer life, being among those driven from Nauvoo Ill.
James Pace Sr. (grandfather to Wm. B. Pace) was captain of the Light horse Calvary who went with his company to the support of General Andrew Jackson and was killed at the Battle of New Orleans 8 Jan 1815.
(Wm. B. Father) James Pace was a thorough farmer except the 6 years they lived in Nauvoo, here he was a Policeman of bodyguard to the Prophet Joseph Smith, also to his successor Brigham Young. His wife Lucinda G. Strickland Pace of Murfreesboro was highly accomplished and well educated and the source from which her son William B. Received his early training in music, arithmetic, Grammar as well as the rudiments of education, when he was two years old his parent moved to Shelby Co. Ill. There they on farms about 1838 they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Early in the Spring of 1840 they moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co. Ill. And camped on the outskirts of the town. When the Silver Greys of the Nauvoo Legion was re-organized for defense, all the boys from 8 years up (not capable of bearing arms) were organized into boy companies with wooden guns to learn drill and discipline and attached to the Nauvoo Legion as reserves, the boys wearing suits for this purpose.
William B. Pace was duly elected captain of one of the companies of 50, here he commenced his career in the Nauvoo Legion (his father James Pace was an expert drill master) he was soon initiated into all the mysteries of drill and command.
In about one year he was taken out of the command, and sent to Edward P. Dusette's drumming school and was soon assigned to the Nauvoo Marshall band, which did service during the remaining days of Nauvoo.
The summer the Prophet Joseph Smith was killed Wm. B. Pace was only 12 years old and was on guard duty most of the time, was present on the square when the Prophet addressed the Nauvoo Legion, he was also present when the Mantle of Joseph fell upon President Brigham Young in word, gesture and general appearance, when the People arose and it appeared that Joseph had returned and was speaking to the people.
The mob element became very annoying on the 6th Feb. 1846 his parents crossed the river taking such necessaries as they could, leaving comfortable homes to the mob. Companies were organized and moved west through mud and slush, at Council Bluffs they were overtaken by Captain Allen of the U.S. Dragoons with a requisition from the President of the United States for 500 men to form a battalion of infantry to march through and be discharged in California at the expiration of one year.
President Brigham Young called upon James Pace and others to volunteer, which he did promptly leaving families & loved ones. ON 16th of July 1846 the now famous Mormon Battalion was mustered into service of the United States and started for Mexico via Santa Fe. James Pace was elected first Lieutenant Co. E. And was entitled to a servant, he took his son William B. (14 ½ years old) to fill that position as he was to young to enlist, being trained as a musician and drummer boy he was very useful. Their leader was proud of his Mormon Drummer boys and was desirous of showing them off when an opportunity came, which made the boys feel very proud.
James Pace figured very prominently as leader in the Mormon Battalion they suffered many hardships and privations, but were steadfast to their calling.
About 1st July 1847 they prepared to return and on 16th of July 1847 the famous Mormon Battalion was mustered out of service of the United States and honorably discharged, the main body of the Battalion organized under James Pace and Andrew Lytle as Captains and prepared to return to the main body of the church and their families, suffering many hardships as before, on their return journey to Salt Lake Valley, where they arrived the latter part of September 1847.
Lieutenant James Pace and Son with a company of 30 or 40 braved the dangers of crossing the Plains during the winter months. They started late in October on a 900 mile jaunt, encountering snow storms & cold weather, provisions being scarce they had to depend mostly on game or Buffalo meat, sometimes faring on meat alone, when no other meat was obtainable, they would kill one of their poor donkeys or mules, using Buffalo chips dug out of the snow as firing.
Wading through snow and slush most of the journey, they arrived at Winter Quarters two days before Christmas 1847.
James Pace with his wife and family suffered mob persecutions with rest of the Saints, they worked hard to get an outfit to come with the Saints to Great Salt Lake (as it was then called).
In the Spring of 1850 they started, James Pace was elected captain of 100 wagons, they suffered as before but arrived in Salt Lake Valley the last of September 1850. James Pace with other was sent South to locate and build a town on Peteetneet Creek the South end of Utah Valley where William B. Had the privilege of helping to build the fist house in now the famous City of Payson named after James Pace and Son by President Brigham Young in March 1851.
William B. Pace married Epsy Jane Williams (Daughter of Alexander Williams and Isabelle Gill Williams) 25th of March 1852 by whom he had 15 children (at the present time 7 are living)
He figured very conspicuously in the Walker and Blackhawk Indian wars of Utah, being made a Colonel and later General of the Black Hawk soldiers.
After the Indians quit their depredations he figured prominently as a musician, was a mason by trade and built may of the first homes in Provo City and Payson. In April 1855 he was called to fill a mission to the Indians, was set apart 30th April and on the 14th of may left his wife & family for the Elk Mountain Mission to help civilize the Indians and learn them to farm, also to preach them the gospel. In the Fall the Indians became Hostile and drove the missionaries from their Fort (or mission) killing 3 of the missionaries the rest barely escaping with their lives, they were met with provisions and brought back home.
President Young advised the Boys not to go back for a season.
William B. Pace was a State Legislator 14 different times and helped to make the first laws of the State of Utah. He was also prominent in the early days as a violinist and chorister, He died at the home of his Son Sidney A. Pace 18 June 1907. We hope our posterity will follow in our footsteps and ever strive to do good at all times.
God bless those who receive this in 1980, May it be an inspiration to help some one of our posterity.
With fondest love we are
Sidney A. & Lucy Agness Pace
Sharon Ward, Orem, Utah