Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3182 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSthe Fourth Georgia Infantry, and rose to the rank of major. He participatedin a number of hard-fought engagements during his four years of service, butescaped wounds or capture, and returned safely to his family when peace wasdeclared. His subsequent activities brought him into the fields of farming,stockraising and merchandising, and he became one of the substantial andinfluential men of his community, serving one term in the Georgia Legislatureand holding a number of minor offices. While he passed through safely manyhard-fought battles of wartime, it was his destiny to meet his death whileengaged in the pursuits of peace, his career terminating in a railroad wreckin 1888, when he was fifty-seven years of age. Major Pate was married inWashington County, Georgia, to Miss Zilpha Anna Boatwright, also a nativeof this state, who survives him at the age of eighty-three years. Twelve children were born to them, of whom five survive, R. A. having been the tenth inorder of birth.R. A. Pate attended the public schools of Hawkinsville, following whichhe entered Professor Moore's Business College, at Atlanta, where he completedhis course at the age of eighteen years. At that time he became associatedwith banking affairs when he secured a position as bookkeeper with theHawkinsville Banking Company. Through efficiency, energy and faithfulservice, he won gradual but steady promotion until made cashier of the concern,and in 1911 was elevated to the vice presidency, being the incumbent of thatoffice at the present time. He is one of the best known men in banking circlesof Pulaski County, and has the full confidence of his associates and the esteemand regard of the general public. Mr. Pate is a democrat, but has not soughtnor desired public office. In fraternal matters he is a Master Mason, while hisreligious connection is with the Baptist Church, to which the members of hisfamily also belong.On October 24, 1894, at Perry, Georgia, there occurred the marriage ofMr. Pate with Miss Lila Duncan, daughter of C. C. Duncan, and a member ofa well-known family of Duncan, and to this union there have been bornchildren as follows.- Clinton Duncan, born in 1895, and now engaged inbusiness at Eastman; John Stetson, born in 1897, residing with his parents;Rolla A., born in 1899, who is a high school student at Hawkinsville; LylaPope, born in 1902, and James Pope, born in 1904, both attending the publicschools of Hawkinsville; and William B., born in 1910.STEPHEN PACE. When a practical test of American patriotism was madein the summer of 1916 in the calling of the National Guard into service onthe Mexican border, many young men made almost extraordinary sacrificesin order that they might perform their duty to the nation. One of theseyoung men was Stephen Pace, who gave up a promising practice as a lawyerat Americus, and readily accepted the station and the remuneration of thesoldier for the purpose of fighting as his friends all expected with thehostile faction in Mexico.Mr. Pace enlisted in the Georgia National Guard in June, 1916, as a private, and four days later was promoted to corporal. He was in the servicenearly two months, and in August, 1916, was given an honorable discharge.On returning home he entered the race for the Legislature from his homecounty, and was elected in the primaries over five opposing candidates. Hispresence in the next legislative session of Georgia is looked upon as a goodomen of the efficiency and progressiveness of that body.Mr. Stephen Pace was born in Terrell County, Georgia, March 9, 1891,and though only twenty-five years of age has accomplished a great deal, allof which is a promise of still greater achievements in the future. Hisparents were Olin Stephen Pace, Sr., and Marrianna Hunter (Saville) Pace,both of whom represented old and honored Southern families and both ofwhom lived in Terrell County until they died. His father was an extensive