Jeremiah Pace

Jeremiah married Elizabeth Hails on 16 Jul 1807. Elizabeth was born before 1791; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bruce Howard believes that "he married in the year 1770, in Edgecombe County, and shortly thereafter purchased a farm in the Southwestern portion of the county near Turkey Creek in what would later become Nash County, next to the farm of his brother in law, Solomon Strickland....in about the year 1788, he and his family left the Turkey Creek farm and moved a few miles to the west into Franklin County where they apparently lived on a rented farm.. (p 141). Howard believe's he is the William with six sons under the age of 16 residing his household on the 1790 census.

In about the year 1794, no doubt in company with others, he moved his family to the State of Georgia and settled in Oglethorp county. He and his family did not remain in Oglethorp but a short time. By 1798 they were residing in the southern portion of Jackson County, as it was then situated. He located, it is my belief, a few miles below his brother-in-law and the other members of the Strickland family. He did not own any land at this time, but farmed and opened a road tavern inthe southern part of the county (pps 142-143). By the year 1804, his son's James, William, Wilson and Drury began buying up land along Shoal Creek. William Jr purchased the same land that his uncle Solomon Strickland had formerly owned....In the year 1805, William and some of his sons were included in the land lottery of that year, but were unsuccessful...by the late fall of the year 1808, William and some of his children had had enough of Georgia. They packed up and left the State, going to a new home in Rutherford County, Tennessee...he sold some land he had received as a result of the 1807 land lottery. His agent was Robert H. Higenbotham, (believed to be) the husband of his niece, Milly Strickland. William and his family remained in Tennessee for the remainder of their lives and there are today still descendants of this family in that state. (p 144).

Additional information about William Pace can be found in: THE BELLOMY/BELLAMY AND PACE FAMILIES AT A PLACE CALLED DOVER Written and Illustrated by William and Martha Bellomy, Copryright 1999, (address given), email billbellamy@home.com

William Pace was born October 10, 1745, and was the son of John Pace and Susanna Hutchins (Hutchings/Houchins) Pace.

MILITARY CAREER OF WILLIAM PACE If you are a descendent of William Pace, you are going to be very proud to have him as your ancestor. He enlisted in the 14th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel Lewis on January 23, 1777. Because of his outstanding performance and character, Pace was recommended for assignment to George Washington's Commander-in-Chief's Guard.

Each regiment from Virginia sent four men that were to be interviewed by George Washington himself for the Guard. They were not to appear in uniform as George Washington wanted to see what they looked like in everyday clothes. The candidates had to be between 5 ft. 9" and 5 ft. l0" tall. Additional requirements included neatness of appearance, good character, married, a land-owner, and a sober man with good character. In May of 1777, William Pace was transferred from the 14th Virginia Regiment to the Commander-in-Chief's Guard. William Pace's enlistment was up six weeks after Valley Forge where he spent that terrible winter. However, he reenlisted for the duration of the War. William Pace remained in the army after the Battle of Yorktown in October, 1781, until he was discharged in Newburgh, New York, in November of l783. Although he was furloughed home after the Paris Peace Treaty on June 5th, 1783, he and the other troops would have returned if the British had tried to start the war again. There is much evidence to support the fact that the British were plotting to retake the Colonies.

Several documents from the United States Archives show information through monthly Company Muster Rolls and other documentation. Another good source for this information about William Pace is the 100-year-old book by Carlos E. Godfrey entitled Commander-in-Chief's Guard. William Pace's battles are enumerated in Mr. Godfrey's book, and also on p. 332 of the Casey book. The battles he participated in are as follows:

Morristown, New Jersey, May 6, 1777

Sick in Hospital, June and July, 1777

Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777

Battle of Germantown, Pa., October 4, 1777

Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, June 28, 1778

Reenlisted and furloughed one hundred and ten days, January 18, 1779

Rejoined September 1, 1779

Battle of Connecticut Farms, New Jersey, June 7, 1780

Skirmish of King's Bridge, New York, July 3, 1781

Battle of Yorktown, Virginia, October 19, 1781

Promoted to Sergeant, June 4, 1783

Furloughed Newburgh, New York, June 6, 1783 until the ratification of the definite Treaty of Peace

Discharged November 3, 1783


A biography of George Washington in THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA lists the battles of George Washington during the Revolution, and every battle that George Washington was in after William Pace joined the Guard, William Pace was there, also.

Washington's Guards not only guarded George Washington's person and his papers, but they also fought in the battles, many times on the front lines.

======================= Roy Johnson ==== PACE Mailing List ====

Notes:

Bruce Howard writes that "Richard first comes clearly into focus in the year 1759. In this year, he and his younger brother, John, had determined to leave Prince George and move to a new home in North Carolina.

Prince George Co. Wills&Deeds, 1759-1760, p. 190. Dated December 1, 1759. John Pace and Richard Pace of Martins Brandon Parish, Prince George County to William Goodwyn of same, for 30 pounds, land on south west side of Southward Run in Martins Brandon Parish...16 acres more or less..Recorded June 10, 1760. This small tract of joint ownership land had no connection to the lands their father owned during his lifetime, some distance east of this parcel.

Just before these two brother's sold the small tract in Virginia, a deed was registered in Edgecombe County, North Carolina on a small established plantation which would become the homeplace of Richard and Elizabeth and their children.

Edgecombe County Deed Book OO, p 36 Know all men by these presents that on this 21st September 1759..I, Thomas Drake of Edgecombe Co., and Province of North Carolina of the one part and Richard Pace of Brandon Parish in Prince George Co. Virginia of the second...for the sum of 35 pounds in hand paid...sell and convey a 150 acre plantation... on the north side of Fishing Creek and east side of Beaver Dam Swamp...Wit: William Goodwyn, John Pace, Thomas [H] Hart

Howard noted that the use of the reference to Fishing Creek was used incorrectly in the deed and should have been Swift Creek.

In the early part of 1760, Richard and his brother John made their move southward to old Edgecombe. Before they could remove themselves from the county they had to publish their notice of intent to leave. With no objection coming, they were allowed to leave for their new home. Judging from the effects of his estate, he and Elizabeth were very hard working people and conducted their own home manufacturing business. The had a small amount of stock, horses, cattle, hogs, ducks and geese. He was not a planter by any means, but he planted the type of crop that they could use in their business. He planted cotton on a portion of the plantation and the majority of the place would have been devoted to pasturage and a hay field. Howard went on to detail the equipment Richard and Elizabeth had in order to pursue their business of spinning and dying linen, wooling and cotton.

Richard died without a will. However, his estate was not incumbered by any debts. Mrs. Pace qualified as administratix of the estate in May 1769 and her son-in-law, John Jones and his cousin Nathan qualified as her securities on the bond. The estate was put up for sale in August and the items were sold to the highest bidder for current money. The total income to be disbursed came to a little over 200 lbs, which was a goodly amount considering the time and character of the estate. (A complete listing can be found on pages 338-339).

Howard says that the following children have been positively identified as the children of Richard and Elizabeth Pace:

Ann S. Pace, Amy Pace, William Pace, Priscilla Pace (whom he believes married Jacob Strickand, Jr.), George Pace, James Pace, and Richard Pace

Richard married Elizabeth ??? about 1743. Elizabeth was born after 1713; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In OUR COLONIAL ANCESTORS, Bruce Howard writes: "I have calculated the year of birth of this son of James and Elizabeth on or about 1690. He grew up and received his education across the river in Charles City. In about the year 1713, when still a young man he came south of the river to either work for others or to purchase his own plantation to work for himself. Although the records are silent, he came to the same area where his grandmother lived, only a little further to the west in the same neighborhood where Mr. John Poythress, Sr and family resided. He and Francis Poythress, Sr entered into a joint land and farming venture. It can not be determined if there was any othe relation between them other than business. It is unclear where he actually resided but it may have been on a piece of land that he had recently purchased.

Prince George Wills & Deeds, p 63 July 12, 1715

....Francis Poythress of the Parish of Westopher, County of Prince George, to Peter Grammer of same parish and county...100 acres in same parish and county, next to Richard Pace, and said Poythress... Wit: E. Goodrich, Wm Hamelin

The land that these two owned adjoined and each had an ownership in the others tract.

At or before this time, Richard had begun to court and married a young lady by the name of Sarah Woodlief, the daughter of Edward and Sarah Woodlief of Nothern Prince George.

In March of 1717, Richard was summoned and sworn to serve on a jury at the courthouse at Merchants Hope, in a civil trial. It was still the law that only male freeholders could serve on a jury.

Richard married Sarah Woodlief. Sarah was born before 1696; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sarah's grandfather was John Woodlief Jr, the father of John, Edward, and George Woodlief. It is a known fact that the Woodlief and Poythress families intermarried. In September 1717, Sarah's father, Mr. Edward Woodlief, became sick and realizing his time was at hand, made his will disposing of his wordly estate. He died in the early part of the next year. His will was filed February 10, 1718. He bequethed to Sarah one heifer, calling her "daughter Pace" in the will. At a Court Held at Merchants Hope for Prince George County 8th December 1719 p. 302 Sarah Pace, wife of Richard Pace, relinquished her dower in land sold by her husband to Thomas Goodwyn.

When Sarah's husband Richard died, he left her an unusual bequest, his set of pistols. This is not the sort of legacy a man normally leaves to a female regardless of her relatioship to him, which makes the author believe they were considered among his prized possessions. It is unknown, because of the loss of records, how long Sarah lived or what became of their estate.

The author added that it was with great difficulty, through many years of search, to discover the names of only a few of their children. Once again, it could only be accomplished through a process of elimination by a close study of the existing records of the area. Richard was the only male member of his family, meaning the son's of James and Elizabeth, that remained in Prince George County. The others had all gone to North Carolina. The children of Richard and Sarah were Richard, Francis, and John. It is also believed that Sarah, wife of John Bonner, and Elizabeth, wife of Richard Biggins, are also children, but this has not been proven to any degree of satisfaction. (p. 130)