Histories

Agnes Ann Wildman was born near the town of Port Perry, Ontario, Canada. She was the fourth child and second daughter of William and Janet Jane Wells Wildman. Her father was a hard working man who didn't believe in idle hands or frivolities. The girls could knit socks in their free time, but lace for petticoats was frowned on, but as soon as he left the house, out would come their fancy work and when he returned it was hid. He was very strict with his sons also and they all left home early.

Duke and Frank left home first and went to Kansas. Agnes fell in love with a young man of whom her father didn't approve, he thought the he would never amount to anything, although time would prove him wrong, It was too late for Agnes. she went with her brother John that summer to visit her brother Duke in Kansas. While there she met a young widower with two children who was looking for someone to help his mother with the children and the chores....thus Agnes met George E. Pace and married him the following year, July 18, 1888. She never returned home to Canada, nor saw her father again. Her mother did visit Agnes when baby Hazel was born Sept. 30 1900 at Loomis Nebraska. George and Agnes first child, Mary Ethel Geneva was born 15 may 1889, and died two months later.

Apparently, George Pace was always looking for a better life, or he was soon disappointed with his location. He didn't stay long in any one place. So back they went to Iowa where their first son John William was born on August 4, 1890, in Mills Co. Then came Charles Edward, born 23 March 1892, followed by Florence Viola on 26 June 1895. They then moved to Adams Cty., Iowa and Amy Edith was born, she only lived for six months, Raymond Dewey was next but he also only lived for six months. George and Agnes then moved to Phelps Cty., Nebraska near the town of Loomis. Here they lived in a sod house until George build a new frame home and here Hazel May was born on Sept. 30, 1900. Hazel's Grandmother Wildman from Canada was present for the occasion and she had the honour of naming the new baby.

George was probably offered a good price for his improved land, and since it had a house on it, it was very marketable, so it was sold. And off they went to Oklahoma where one could obtain land cheap for homesteading it and where George had a sister living. In Oklahoma two more sons were born, Norman Duke on August 13, 1903 and Benjamin Wesley on March 23, 1905. George's mother, a mid-wife who always lived with them died in 1905 and is buried there. Soon it was time for George to be on the move again, this time to Missouri, Phelps Cty., a few miles from St James. Here their last child George Fredrick was born on March 31, 1910.

George and Agnes' final move was to Lincoln Cty. Nebraska where they spent the rest of their lives. Agnes died March 4, 1926 at age 60 of what the doctors at that time called dropsy. George died of a stroke two years later on August 8, 1928. They are buried beside each other in the Wallace Cemetery, Nebraska.

Agnes had many tragedies in her liftime, losing three babies under six months of age and losing daughter Florence, who was about 21 years of age, in an accident. Agnes was with her daughter in a wagon, when the horse was frightened by a train and ran away, the wagon overturned killing Florence and injuring her. She had always been especially close to Florence and never seemed to recover from that loss. Also son Benjamin had typhoid fever when he was six months old, and it left him deaf, he had to have special schooling away from home. Agnes worked hard all her life, taking care of her large family, 10 children and two step - children, but they all loved her. She was short in stature, had thick dark hair and blue - gray eyes. Early pictures show her as a very attractive young lady.