The History of The Mace Family Farm

The Mace Family had a family reunion on Saturday, September 21st, 2019. Emma Lee Madden was asked to say a few words about the family and this is what she shared with the group:

“I want to say thank you to David and Nancy for letting us have this here at the Mace homestead also thanks to Paula, Nancy Susan & Chandi and all who had any part in bringing this together.

I have gathered some information on the Mace family that I would like to speak some about it.

Grandad’s father’s family came to America from Ireland, I don’t know where his mother’s family came from. Their name was John Allen & Nancy Mace.

Grandad – John Alvin Mace was born April 17, 1874 and passed away September 9, 1951. He was raised in Loveland Iowa. His dad had 16 children by two women. Some of these children were half brothers and sisters. Aunt Ann, Aunt Nell, Aunt Lilly, Uncle Orville, Uncle Hardin, Uncle Harry were full brothers and sisters.

His dad was a farmer in Iowa and he raised corn. Grandad and his half brother Monterville won the corn shucking contest, first and second in the state, 2 years in a row. He went to school to the fourth grade and had to quit and help make a living for the large family. They moved to Oklahoma City in 1890. Grandad was 10 years old.

Grandad was a kind and gentle man, very friendly, loved to talk and visit, and didn’t ever meet a stranger. He was very well read and clutured man. He could be a bit head strong when he wanted to be. He read and studied the Bible and loved the truth. Although he was never baptized into the Primitive Baptist Church he certainly believed in the faith and loved to talk about Jesus Christ. I truly believe he was a John Wayne before there was a John Wayne.

He told me the first time he ever saw grandmother she was riding a horse drawn sleigh on the snow in the town of Brittian, grandad was with his dad in a wagon and he said he thought she was the prettiest girl he ever seen. So he told his dad he was going to marry her some day, and he did.

Alice Mae Johns was born May 8, 1876 in Eagleville Missouri and passed away February 11, 1957. Her father was Isaac Johns and mother Charlotte Muriel Shaw Johns. They were married November 11, 1826 and to this union three children were born, Thad, Hett and Alice. Her dad was an 89er which he and his two brothers came from England to the new country America. They walked across the panama Canal on dry land before it was built. Isaac settled on a farm of 160 acres, which now is the town of Britton where grandmother was raised.

Her dad was a doctor for several years and he also was a Blue Blood who was related to the king of England.

Grandmother graduated from high school and from college. She was in the first graduating class of OU University. Her subject was English and music, She loved to play the piano and organ, which she played for the Christian Church where she was a member. After marrying grandad she joined the Primitive Baptist Church.

Grandmother’s entire philosophy and outlook on life were the highest standards of human conduct. She was the most kind and sweetest person that I have ever known.

Grandad and Grandmother were married December 21st, 1898 in Oklahoma City. Uncle Floyd was born in 1901 and they moved to Kiowa County on November 9th, 1902 and located in the Green Valley Community. Uncle Floyd was a year old.

When they came to Kiowa County they lived in a 1 room sod house that had a dirt floor. She said you could sweep it with a broom and it would actually shine.

She said the buffalo roamed freely everywhere. There were no section lines or roads and the blue stem grass was as tall as the horses belly.

When Uncle Floyd was nearly 2 years old and she was pregnant with Uncle Mag, they started to Oklahoma City in a covered wagon, which then the trip would take 9 days. It hadn’t rained here but did up north and the Cimmaron River was up.

They started across and the wagon went down. They couldn’t get out so grandad unhitched the team and told grandma he would go for help and promised to be back before dark. She sat with Uncle Floyd in the river all afternoon and the water was rising. Grandad came just as the sun was going down with 2 men and extra horses. They pulled them out and they spent 2 days on the river bank until they could cross again.

When Uncle Floyd and Uncle Mag were born, grandmother received a letter from the King of England wanting the names and birthdays of her children. She sent those two but didn’t send any more of the boys.

To this union was born 9 boys, three died at birth and they raised the other 6; Floyd 1901, Magness 1903, Johnnie 1905, Harden 1907, Roy 1909 and Vere 1916.

Grandad served many years on the township board before township government was abolished. Served as a member of the school board, was active on the board of the Farriers Union and served as inspector on the election board until his health failed.

While he was serving on the township board he road a horse over Kiowa County getting signatures so that they could have a cotton gin in Mountain View.

Grandma and Grandad was well stricken in age when I was born in 1937 but they came to the rescue for this baby to raise. Their hair was white and their face was soft and the love they had from their big old hearts was more than enough for this baby to live and have a home the best they could give.

They had raised 6 boys and they certainly knew now that a baby just grew on love anyhow.

A love from the heart that reaches way out and touches the life to grow.

There is so much more that could be said. They were wonderful parents, wonderful grandparents, and I wish there were more people like them in the world today.

I want to say a special thank you to Glen and Clita Rooker for pasturing the Primitive Church in Mountain View and the Mace family for 52 years. I would like for everyone to sign the card because they couldn’t be here today.

Thank you all very much – Emma Lee Madden