Wikipedia

W. W. Pace

William Wilson Pace (June 8, 1857 – September 8, 1931) was an American politician and cattleman from Arizona. He was a member of three territorial legislatures prior to statehood, and was a member of the Arizona State Senate in the 1st Arizona State Legislature.[1]

W. W. Pace
Member of the Arizona Senate
from the Gila County district
In office
March 1912 – January 1915
Preceded byFirst Senator from Gila County
Succeeded byD. H. Claridge
Personal details
Born(1857-06-08)June 8, 1857
Spanish Fork, Utah
DiedSeptember 8, 1931(1931-09-08) (aged 74)
Thatcher, Arizona
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseCatherine
Children7 sons, 2 daughters
ProfessionPolitician

Life edit

 
Cattle brand used by W. W. Pace

William W. Pace was born June 8, 1857, in Spanish Fork, Utah,[2][3] and was later a cattleman in Nutrioso, Arizona.[4] He married Catherine on January 29, 1879, in Salt Lake City, and a year later moved from there to Nutrioso in a wagon train. The couple would have 7 sons and 2 daughters. Catherine's family had immigrated from Scotland in 1860 aboard the sailing ship, The Underwriter, in a voyage which lasted 11 weeks. They immediately headed to Salt Lake City, arriving there on September 2, 1860, and Catherine was born weeks later on September 15.[5] In 1901, Pace and several partners, purchased several mercantile businesses and consolidated them into the Thatcher Implement and Mercantile Co., which flourished.[6][7] Pace was also part of a group who, in 1907, forming the Co-Operative Ice & Creamery Co., a dairy company serving the Globe, Arizona area.[8][9] Pace also served on the board of trustees and as vice-president of The Graham County State Bank.[10]

Pace died at his home in Thatcher, Arizona on September 8, 1931. He had been ill for several months.[11]

In 1938, Gila College posthumously dedicated their new home economics building to Pace, using money from a fund set up years earlier.[12][13]

Political career edit

In 1898 Pace was nominated as the Democrat nominee for the state House of Representatives. He was elected and served in the 20th Arizona Territorial Legislature.[14][15][16] During the legislative session, he authored House Bill Number 71, which was a poll tax, requiring those attempting to vote to be required to pay a tax prior to be allowed to vote. The bill passed.[17] He did not run for re-election to the 21st Arizona Territorial Legislature.[18]

1906 found Pace once again nominated by the Democrats to the territorial legislature,[19] and he was elected in November to the 24th Arizona Territorial Legislature.[20] During this session, Pace introduced a bill in the House which prohibited gambling in the territory. It passed and was signed into law by the Territorial Governor Kibbey on January 31, 1907.[21] In 1908 he was once again nominated to the legislature without opposition,[22] and was re-elected in the general election that November.[23] After the election, he expressed interest in becoming Speaker of the House.[24] However, Sam F. Webb was elected Speaker.[25]

Once the decision was made for Arizona statehood, Pace expressed a desire to run for one of Arizona's seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, stating that he did not desire to try for a state legislative office.[26] In October 1911, however, Pace announced his candidacy for state senator from Graham County, seeking the Democrat nomination.[27] He ran unopposed in the Democrat primary, and he won the general election in December, becoming the first state senator from Graham County.[28][29] His election made him just one of four legislators to have served in the final territorial legislature, and the first state legislature. The others were Fred S. Breen, Perry Hall, and Kirk T. Moore.[30] He decided not to run for re-election in 1914.[31]

When D. H. Claridge, Pace's successor in the senate opted to for state tax commissioner, rather than for re-election to the senate, Pace announced he would once again seek election to the senate from Graham County.[32] He was scheduled to be opposed by W. A. Lines, who was currently serving in the State House of Representatives. However, when the superior court ruled that the state tax commissioner would not be an elected position, Claridge decided to run for the senate, and both Lines and Pace withdrew from the race.[33][34]

References edit

  1. ^ "History of the Arizona State Legislature 1912-1966". State of Arizona. pp. 7–8. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  2. ^ "William Wilson Pace". Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  3. ^ Conners, Jo, ed. (1913). Who's Who in Arizona. Tucson: J. Conners. p. 653.
  4. ^ "Local News". The St. Johns Herald. June 9, 1887. p. 1. Retrieved March 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "Pioneer Woman Tells Of Early Arizona Life". Arizona Republic. April 10, 1935. p. 20. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ "Public Announcement". Graham Guardian. August 23, 1901. p. 3. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ "Thatcher". The St. Johns Herald. August 24, 1901. p. 4. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ "Untitled". Daily Arizona Silver Belt. February 27, 1907. p. 1. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ "Articles of Incorporation". Graham Guardian. March 8, 1907. p. 3. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ "Advertisement". Graham Guardian. February 21, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  11. ^ "W. W. Pace Dies at Home". Arizona Daily Star. September 9, 1931. p. 4. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ "Gila College Starts Building". Arizona Republic. April 11, 1938. p. 7. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  13. ^ "College Building Services Held". Arizona Republic. December 20, 1938. p. 33. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  14. ^ "The County Convention". Graham Guardian. September 16, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  15. ^ "The Twentieth Legislature". The Arizona Republican. November 19, 1898. p. 5. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  16. ^ Wagoner, Jay J. (1970). Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. p. 524. ISBN 0816501769.
  17. ^ "Those Who Voted For the Poll Tax Law". The Coconino Sun. November 3, 1900. p. 9. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  18. ^ "Democratic Convention". Graham Guardian. September 7, 1900. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  19. ^ "Graham Democrats". Arizona Daily Star. October 6, 1906. p. 8. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  20. ^ "Arizona Law Makers". The Border Vidette. November 17, 1906. p. 8. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  21. ^ "Gambling Must Cease April 1". Bisbee Daily Review. February 1, 1907. p. 1. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  22. ^ "Democratic Convention". The Copper Era. October 8, 1908. p. 2. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  23. ^ "Democrats Will Have Both House and Council". Arizona Daily Star. November 10, 1908. p. 3. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  24. ^ "News of the Territory". The Copper Era. November 26, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved March 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  25. ^ * Wagoner, Jay J. (1970). Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political History. Tucson, Arizona: University of Arizona Press. p. 529. ISBN 0816501769.
  26. ^ "Pace for Congress". Graham Guardian. July 30, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  27. ^ "W. W. Pace". Graham Guardian. October 6, 1911. p. 4. Retrieved March 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  28. ^ "Hayden Wins Over Cobb". The Copper Era. October 27, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  29. ^ "Members of the First Legislature". The Coconino Sun. December 22, 1911. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  30. ^ "Four to Have Unusual Honor". The Coconino Sun. January 26, 1912. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  31. ^ "Many New Faces Will Be Seen in Next Legislature". Tucson Citizen. August 26, 1914. p. 8. Retrieved March 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  32. ^ "For State Senate". Graham Guardian. May 24, 1918. p. 2. Retrieved March 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  33. ^ "Pace Will Run Again". Tucson Citizen. June 9, 1918. p. 9. Retrieved March 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  34. ^ "The Next Legislature". Bisbee Daily Review. December 5, 1918. p. 4. Retrieved March 20, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=W._W._Pace&oldid=1195932319"