James William Pearce
James William Pearce was born on the 27th of Jun in1871 in Saint George, Washington, Utah. In 1880, James lived with his 27 year old mother (Mary Jane Meeks) and 41 year old father (James Pearce) in Snow Flake, Apache, Arizona. He was nine years old. Also living in the household were siblings (11) Lola May, (7) Joseph, (5) Mary E., and (2) Elizabeth. Also, living with the family is a 17 year old boarder named Samuel Saddler.
He received his endowment on 8 Apr 1896. According to granddaughter, Linda Lucille (Pearce) Fine (daughter of Linford Leeroy Pearce and Donna Bagley, "James Pearce was [Linford's] father- a dark haired Jessy James, 1/2 Hispanic."
Pictured on left is James William and wife Vilate Oakley, likely on their wedding day. Their wedding day is thought to be on 27 Jun 1895, according to the LDS family search website, which would have made their marriage take place two years after the birth of Mildred. Not likely in the LDS community they were living in. Either the marriage date is wrong or Karl, Mildred, and James Lowell are not one their children. It is more likely the marriage date was recorded wrong. One of their children only lived less than one month. Born on Valentine’s Day, 14 Feb 1897, Virgiil Harrison Pearce died on May 7th of that year.
In 1900, he is living with his wife Vilate Oakley in Snowflake, Navajo, ArizonaTerritory in a house (not farm). He owns his own land, free and clear. They have four children living with them. James L (8), Mildred (6), Carl G. (5), and Florence A. (2)Only son, James L. Pearce is attending school. James William Pearce works for himself as a sheep grower. Between 1900 and 1910, the family has lost two children, and Florence A. In 1910, the family (who is spelling their last named “Pierce”) was still living in Snowflake, Arizona. Him and his wife are both thirty-nine years old. Living with him are children James L. (17), Mildred (16), Willard C. (7), Osron F. (5), and Daise L. (3). They had a son named Linford Pearce on Feb 29, 1912. They dressed him in a white dressing gown, which was the custom of the time and had his picture taken as an infant. Linford was there eleventh child, according to Linford Pearce’s Life History.
The family moved to PinedaleValley, little community southwest of Snowflake in the mountains around 1914. Where they filled up buckets from a rocked up well. According to son Linford Pearce finest farm in the area. There were three or four feet of snow in the winter. Sons Willard and Orsen were in charge of milking the cows. On one occasion, the wolves tried to get in the corral. The cattle all ran to one side of the corral. The poles of the corral were so close together that the wolves couldn’t get in. It caused quiet a commotion on the farm.
A heroic story of James William Pearce occurred here in Pinedale that was recounted by son Linford Pearce. A little boy named Keith Owens got lost. Keith Owens was the same age as James’ son, Linford Pearce. The whole community was concerned and sent out every one to go looking for him. When James William Pearce found the little boy, so shot out three shots to let people know that he had found him. He arrived just in time, because the wolves were circling this little Keith Owens, as they do before they attack their prey.
From Pinedale, Arizona, the family moved to Taylor, Arizona, which had been founded by his own father. James had a bad reputation in Taylor, not real friendly with the other folks. Dellola remembers it being about "water in the ditch", but doesn't remember the details of the conflict. In Taylor, James William Pearce owned a store and went into the mercantile business, selling dry goods to the locales of Taylor county. This is a picture of the store.The old Pearce Store faces the Six Mile Hill mines and is located at the junction of Gleeson road and highway 666, 24 miles south of Wilcox Arizona. (The parapet on the top of the building reads Soto Bros & Renaud, yet the store changed hands many times, and from time to time opens up as a tourist attraction. ) When James WilliamPearce owned the store, it was a genral merchanitle store that sold clothing, food, supplies for the farmers, supplies for the cattle, like salt,
He divorced Vilate Oakley when Linford was five years old. His wife and all the children (except James Lowell- who had previously had a fallen out with his father and already left home) moved to Linden to live with Vilate’s brother, Roe. Roe had already made a home for James Lowell, and was now offering refuge for Vilate and the remaining two or three children.
His son, Lowell, married on Jun 1918 in Snowflake, Navajo, AZ to Iona Rodgers. Unsure if attended the wedding or if he was still involved in his children from the first marriage in any way. In son, Linford Pearce’s Life history, there is no mention of mention of his father during his childhood experience in Arizona after his parents divorced. According to Linford, Lowell and his father had had a falling out.
In 1920, the forty-eight year old lives in Cooley, Apache, Arizona by himself and claims that he is widowed in the census. After the census, he married Gladys Viola Anderson on 22 DEC 1920. They had five children together: Lola May, Charles Albert, Ruby, Marion, and Melvin Pearce.
He is able to read and write. Two years later, his father died on 17 February 1922 in Taylor, Navajo, AZ.
He eventually moved to Mesa, Arizona. He died 2 Dec 1948 in Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona and was buried on 5 Dec 1948Snowflake, Navajo, Arizona.