This is a copy of a letter written by Winnifred (LYON) PACE to her sister, Mary (LYON) GRAVES, in 1859. Mary and her family had just moved to Pike Co, Missouri. I thought it might be of interest to others and I don't know anything further about this PACE family. Would appreciate if anyone recognizes anyone to please let me know. Items in brackets [ ] are my comments and I have made some notes at the bottom. Thanks, Martha Miller millerspost@yahoo.com ******* No. 37 March 1st, 1859 Albemarle Co, Va. My Dear beloved sister and brother, I now seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that we are all in tolerable health at this time. I have been sick for 2 weeks with a cold and my head and teeth. I thought they used to have _____. I had to get Dr. Johnson to take four out. It has been very sickly here this winter. I hope when these lines comes to hand they may find you all enjoying good health. I received your letter and was glad to hear from you all. Brother Robert [Lyon] was here to see us not so long since. They was all well. He says you must write to him. Sister you must write to me often, for I can tell you it gave me great satisfaction to hear from you all. Mrs. Clements and Munday Walker has been to see me. Munday sends her love to you. Now Sister I have bad news to write you, poor John has lost his wife. [John is her brother-in-law, John Pace] She died the 24th of March. [this can�t be correct as the letter is dated March 1st] I was there when she died. I closed her mouth and eyes. She was taken worse about 12 o�clock and died about sunset. I shrouded her. I sent to Scottsville to Mrs. Harris and had her shroud made. It was very nice indeed. It was as nice a coffin as I ever saw. Poor John, I thought it would have broken his heart. I never saw anyone take on so in all my life. They had just been married eight weeks today. I stayed there Saturday after the corpse started, and packed up all of her clothes to go to her mother�s. They carried her home to bury her. Kitty Gilispe has been staying with Lucy five weeks. Mr. Coles [Coules?] sent up his carriage and me and Kitty came down to his house to dinner. We had been to dinner. We had been to dinner and he had company, but he said he didn�t intend to let us off, we must eat some with him anyhow. He then went to the mountains the next day and brought Mrs. Pace down in his carriage to stay with John. Myself and Mrs. Pace and Kitty spent the day at Mrs. Clements yesterday. Kitty went with their Aunt Dicy up to Johns. I expect them down sometime this week. His papa went down with the corpse and came back to my house. He says she might stay and go back with her Aunt Dicy. She send her love to you all and says she intends writing Mag [Margaret E.F. Graves-Mary�s dau.] as soon as she goes home. They are all well at Old Billy�s. He has gotten your letter. Sister I think if I could see you I could talk a week. Sister I do hope to meet with you again in this world. But should we not, I trust we will meet where parting will be no more. Tell Mag, Kitty had her deguarratype taken yesterday in Warren, but her papa says he can�t get the first features of Kitty. He says she must have it taken again. I saw some of the prettiest Deguarratypes ___ here I ever saw in my life. Whole family in one frame. Poor Lucy, she did want hers taken so bad. She said if she ever got so she could dress herself she wanted mine and hers taken in one frame and send it to her mother saying she would think the world and all of it. She thought a great deal of me. She said she loved me as well as if I had been her own sister. She was in her senses to the very last. She got a letter from her mother just before she died. She saw the letter and read it not ten minutes. Sister I have no more news to write to interest you. Mr. Pace and the children joins me in love to you all. Tell baby neor? Is the sweetest thing he ever saw. Give my love to all and accept a full share for yourself. Nothing more at present, but remain your ever loving sister until death, so farewell sister. Winifred C. Pace James H. Pace To Mary F. Graves Sister you wished to know if I got all my things. I don�t know. Mrs. Pace says you named a bolster and things you left on the farm, she says Gracy Ann got them. She says you gave them to her. I reckon I got all the rest you left for me. Mrs. Martain says she doesn�t owe you anything. She says you had better pay her for the sugar dish you sold her and then sold it again. Mr. Martain has gotten well. Willey [Pace] sends his best love to John [Graves] and Jimmy [Graves]. Nothing More. ************ Notes: Winifred �Winney� C. (Lyon) Pace b. 1828 in Nelson Co, VA dau. Of Gutridge Thurmon and Polly (Melton) Lyon. James M. Pace b. ca 1829 VA They were married ca 1844 in VA (maybe Fluvanna, Nelson, Amherst or Albemarle Co, VA) They were found in the 1850 Fluvanna Co, VA Census. James and Winney have at least one child, Sarah Jane and possibly Willey as asks to be remembered to Mary�s sons in this letter. Winney is writing to her sister, Mary Frances (Lyon) Graves b. 1820 Nelson Co, VA. Mary and her husband, Ruebin �Y.� Wyatte Graves had just moved from Albemarle Co, VA to Paynesville, Pike Co, MO. This is about 100 miles north of St. Louis. Ruebin had worked as an overseer possibly for Col. Cole or Coleman in Albemarle Co., VA. That probably explains the reference to a sale and things being left for Winney. James M. Pace had a brother John Pace who had married 1)Lucy who died of a lengthy illness in 1859 and married 2) Miss Jones. Mary (Lyon) Graves names as her executor �my friend� John C. Pace. After Ruebin Graves death, she married John F. Huckstep, a widower, who had moved to MO from the same area in VA as Mary. I don�t know if this John C. Pace is the brother of James M. Pace or a different person. Gracy Ann may have been a servant, as in a different letter she asks if Mary will please send for her to come to MO as she was the nicest white lady she ever worked for. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? U2 on LAUNCH - Exclusive greatest hits videos http://launch.yahoo.com/u2