Mr. Gideon Pace, a North Carolinian, who married Martha Hunt of Tennessee, immigrated to Texas, by way of Louisiana in 1828. His eight children accompanied him, but it is not known if Martha made the trip or died back in Tennessee. Gideon died in September of 1829, so on June 24, 1930 James Robert Pace a son, requested from Stephen F Austin, permission for himself and his brothers and sisters, all under age, to settle in Austin's Colony. He lists the full names of his brothers and sisters, all children of Gideon Pace, deceased, and states that he and his brother William Carroll Pace were over the age of fourteen and that the following were under that age: Albert Gallatin, Wesley Walker, Patsy Jones, Dempsey Council, Mary Ann Elizabeth, and Gideon Pace (Listed in age order). It appears that Austin's Colony did not approve the request although on January 2, 1838 James R. Pace received a Headright Certificate for one-third of a league of land from the Board of Land Commissioners for Bastrop County.

James Robert Pace joined the Texas Army as a volunteer on November 8, 1835, in the company of Captain John G. Swisher. Mr. Pace participated in the Siege of Bexar, that took place between the 5th and 9th day of December, 1835. Four Texans were killed, including the commander, Ben Milam and fifteen were wounded. Victory was theirs however and for a brief period of time, the Texans controlled one of the most important strongholds of Texas, the Alamo. About six months later, Mr. Pace found himself in another battle, and again the Texans were victorious. On April 21, 1836 General Sam Houston's Army was on the banks of Buffalo Bayou, where it flows into the San Jacinto River. James Pace was a member of Captain Jesse Billingsley's Company of Mina Volunteers in this battle and helped to secure liberty and freedom from the dictator Santa Anna. This was the beginning of the Republic of Texas. James's military career was not yet over, because service records state that Mr. Pace served in Captain William M. Eastland's Company as a volunteer in the campaign against the Waco and Tehuacana Indians, commencing July 25, and ending September 13, 1836.

The "Gideon Pace Heir" Recieived a League and Labor of land in Bastrop Co Texas in 1838. James Robert was Bastrop County Tax Collector from 1839 to 1846.

According to the 1850 US Census, James R Pace was living in Austin, Travis County, Texas and was a 35 year old Surveyor, born in Tennessee. He was Travis Count Surveyor from 1850 until hs death. In October, of the following year, James's younger brother, Dempsey Council Pace died unexpectedly, leaving a wife (Elizabeth Dabney) and four children. Now it is my belief that sometime in 1854, James R Pace married his sister-in-law, Elizabeth Dabney Pace and had two children from this union. The children born to Dempsey: Wayne W, Robert, Laura, and Dempsey Pace Jr. The children born to James were: William W, and Charles Pace.

Mr. Pace attended the first annual convention of the Texas Veterans Association at Houston May 13, 14 and 15, 1873, during the fourth annual State Fair of Texas. He died July 2, 1876. His widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Pace was born in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, April 24, 1825 and died July 28, 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Pace are buried in marked graves in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin.
Texas owes much to James and his family, because the rest of the story reveals that not only James, but his brothers, William Carroll, Wesley Walker, and Dempsey Council Pace all fought at "The Battle of San Jacinto".

Biography by:
Robert "Scott" Patrick
Registrar General
San Jacinto Descendants