Dade County History Book

PACE FAMILY

About the middle of the 19^th century the Pace family came into Dade County by wagon train from North Carolina. Among the members of the family who came were” Benjamin F. Pace and Jeremiah Granville Pace, brothers and two of their sisters, Harriet (who married William G. Morrison) and Nancy. They settled at the foot of Lookout Mountain about three miles east of Trenton. Later they sold out and moved into Trenton.

Benjamin F. Pace (born 1825) married Amanda Meadows (born 1828) and their home, a two-story frame structure, still stands one block east of the intersection of Highways 11 and 143. He owned some acreage in the area and owned and operated a tannery. During the War Between the States, the Union soldiers camped along the creek that ran in front of the house at the foot of the hill. He died in 1892. His wife died in 1911. Children who survived her were: Mrs. Lenora Cummings, Mrs. John P. Jacoway (Carrie), Mrs. R. S. Rodgers (Susie), and W. Peyton Pace, all of Trenton; Mrs. R. H. Tatum (Sallie), South Pittsburg, Tennessee; Ben L. Pace, Chattanooga, Tennessee; and W. W. Pace of Texas. W. Peyton pace (1860-1921, who served as Tax Collector of Dade County for a number of years, married Julia Street (1863-1954) and they lived in the family home. Their children were: Albert Peyton who married Daisy Barrett; Edwin W. who married Ogreeta Ballard; and Lucille (Mrs. E. A. Ellis, Sr), who was a school teacher. The daughter and her husband continued living in the family home – they had one son, E. A., Jr. (who now lives in Cochran, Georgia). Thus four generations lived in the family home.

Great-grandchildren of Benjamin and Amanda Meadows Pace who are now residents of Dade County are: Mrs. Ray Fuller (Joyce) and Charles Pace who is now at Emory University doing post graduate work. Albert Peyton (Jack) and Daisy Barrett Pace had two sons: Jack Peyton who residents in Greenville, Tennessee, and Barrett who died in infancy.

The home place of Jeremiah Granville Pace was originally owned by his sister, Nancy, and is now a part of Interstate 59 Interchange at the intersection of Highway 143 west of Trenton near the foot of Sand Mountain (Northeast and Northwest corners of the Interchange). The property extended north of the creek and the new Northwest Georgia High School is located on property purchased from this estate. Jeremiah Granville Pace (1839-1885) was married to Sue Gardenhire (1844-1912). She was the niece of Amanda Meadows who was the wife of his brother Benjamin. They had twelve children. The oldest was Florence who married A. M. Wingfield. They had three children, two of whom died in infancy. Their daughter, Marie was married to A. C. Killian. Other children of Jeremiah Granville and Sue Gardenhire Pace were” Harriet Matilda (known as Hattie) whose first marriage was to Z. R. Day of Trussville, Alabama (They had one daughter, Eloise, who resides in New York). After Mr. Day’s death she married John J. Kimbrough of  Birmingham, Alabama; Annie Lee Pace; Electra (Mrs. A. M. Grahame); James D. who married Myrtle Cureton; Benjamin C.; Jerry C.; Willie Martha who married H. A. Morrow of Trussville, Alabama; Thompson Gardenhire who married Louise Ross of New London, North, North Carolina where they resided before moving to Hopewell, Virginia; and Sue Ethel who married H. C. McCorkle of Thomson, Georgia. Thompson and Sue Ethel each had a twin who died in infancy. There were several school teachers in the family – Harriet, Sue Ethel, Florence and her daughter, and Myrtle, the wife of James D. Pace.

Jeremiah Granville Pace was Clerk of the superior Court for a number of years an served in the Donfederacy during the War Between the States with the rank of Sergeant. Descendants of Jeremiah Granville and sue Gardenhire Pace who are now residents of Dade County are: John Granville Pace who married Evelyn Combs; Wilma F. Pace who has served as Public Health Nurse in the county since 1957; Mrs. Geraldine Killian, and Lorraine Pace, all children of James D. and Myrtle C. Pace. (Their other children were Doris Lynn – deceased 1948; and Mrs. Mary Jo Brunner of Fort Gaines, Georgia)> Great-grandchildren are: Granville LeBron, Lyndia Jo (Mrs. Eldon Smith), and James Everett, who are the children of John Granville and Evelyn Combs Pace; and Aara, daughter of Geraldine. Also another granddaughter, Leila Sue Kimbrough, who is the daughter of John J. and Harriett (Hattie) Pace Kimbrough, and who taught school in the county for ten years before entering another vocation; (Note – John Granville Pace and Lorraine Pace deceased at printing time of this book).

Benjamin C. (18676 – 1943) and Jerry c. Pace (1881 – 1966 lived in the home place until their death. They were engaged in farming and, for a  while, in the lumber business. Benjamin C. also served as County Road Supervisor for a number of years.

Jerry c. Pace was Dade County’s first Forest Ranger. He was affectionately known in the Georgia Forestry Commission as “Uncle Buck Pace, the jovial Dade Ranger.” He was among those who in 1947 received distinguished service certificates from the Forestry Demonstration club. An Except from the Chattanooga Times, dated December 16, 1957, reads as follows: “J. C. Pace pioneered forest fire prevention work in Dade County. He was appointed forest fire prevention work in Dade County. He was appointed the first county forest ranger in 1944 and served until retirement in 1955. He had continued active encouragement of protection and reforestation of idle land. Now serves as a director of the Dade County Forestry Demonstration club.”

The Pace families have always been active in church and community affairs. (Used by permission HISTORY OF DADE COUNTY GEORGIA by Retired Senior Volunteer, 1981.)