Anna L. (Humphrey) Pace, commonly known as Annie, was the third child of Ambrose and Jane (Martin) Humphrey.  She was born in December 1870* in Falls City, Richardson County, Nebraska.  The 1880 Federal census and the 1885 Nebraska State census both show her in her parents’ home in Falls City Township.

A surprising story from Annie’s childhood has come to me via her great-niece Carol Humphry.  One day in April 1879, Annie (8 years old at the time) came in from playing outside and announced that her sister, Mary Louise, had just died.  Asked by her mother how on earth she could know that, Annie said she'd just seen Mary pass through the yard.  Soon afterwards, a telegram arrived with the news that Mary had, indeed, died in the course of childbirth at Ashland, Nebraska, more than 80 miles from Falls City.

In 1891, Annie’s parents divorced and her father moved away.  Annie and her mother remained in Falls City for another five years after that, during which Annie was mentioned three times in the local newspapers.  Two of these were in the spring of 1893, just 6 weeks apart, and both had to do with runaway teams of horses.  First, on Friday, 17 March 1893 the Falls City Journal (p. 8) praised her for “stopping, in great danger to herself, a firey runaway team belonging to Charles Schock, last Monday morning.”  Then on Friday, 28 April 1893, the same paper (p. 5) reported on another runaway team that ran into and upset a light wagon “occupied by Mrs. Humphrey and her daughter.”  Annie’s mother fell to the ground then, and one of the horses stepped on her hand, but she was otherwise unhurt, and Annie, apparently, sustained no injuries at all.  The last mention of Annie in a Falls City paper was in the Falls City Daily News of 13 December 1895 (p. 6), which reported that she had served as the organist for a meeting of the North Western Legion of Honor.  So, evidently, Annie had some musical talent.

Charles and Anna (Humphrey) Pace on their wedding day in 1897.

In July 1896, Annie and her mother moved to Paonia, Delta County, Colorado (The Delta Independent, 22 July 1896, Wed., p. 3).  Just six months later, Annie married Charles Wesley Pace, Jr., in Paonia on 5 January 1897.  Charles had been born on 1 January 1867 in Clarinda, Iowa, the son of Charles Wesley Pace, Sr., and Elizabeth Jane (Farris) Pace.  The 1900 census shows Annie and Charles in Delta County Precinct #5 (Paonia), just above the listing for Annie’s mother, Jane Humphrey.

Surprisingly, Annie’s bad luck with horses and wagons seemed to follow her from Falls City to Paonia.  On 13 October 1905, The Newspaper [of Paonia] (p. 3) reported that a wagon she was riding in with a couple of neighbors was upset when its tongue came down and drove into the ground.  All three passengers were thrown out, Annie and a young girl were “badly shook up and somewhat bruised,” but their injuries were not serious.

Six months later, Annie made the news again, as The Newspaper (13 April 1906, p. 3) reported that Charles had taken her down to Denver for medical treatment.  Two weeks after that, the same publication (27 April 1906, p. 3) carried the sad news of Annie’s death down in Denver.  According to the paper, she died “at midnight Wednesday” (25 April 1906).  In addition to that notice, The Newspaper also carried a brief description of Annie’s funeral and a “Resolution of Regret” from the local council of the Daughters of Pocahontas, of which Annie evidently was a member.

Annie’s death certificate shows that she died of an ovarian abscess.  She was laid to rest in the Bethlehem Cemetery at Paonia.  She had no children. 

Two and a half years later (26 Nov. 1908), Charles married Amy Helen Russell.  Although their wedding was in Grand Junction, Colorado, he and his new bride continued living in Paonia.  They had three daughters together and then were divorced in 1925.  The 1930 census shows him still in Paonia, living in the household of Rosie Campbell.  The census identifies him as Rosie’s “Brother.”  It is strange, therefore, that completely different birthplaces are shown for his parents and Rosie’s parents.

I have no information about when or why Charles left Paonia, but Find-a-Grave shows that he died in Harper County, Kansas, on 14 January 1933 and that he is buried there.

If you can suggest any corrections to the information above or provide any further details about the lives of Annie and Charles, please contact me at the address shown in the image below:

Thanks,      
     —Pete Martin

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