Hardy Pace
| Hardy Pace | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 10, 1785 Anson County, North Carolina |
| Died | December 5, 1864 (aged 79) Milledgeville, Georgia |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Ferryman, miller |
| Known for | Namesake of Pace's Ferry, Battle of Pace's Ferry, and Pace's Ferry Road in Atlanta |
Hardy Pace (July 10, 1785 – December 5, 1864) was an American ferryman, miller, and early settler of Atlanta, Georgia. He is the namesake of Pace's Ferry, an important ferry in the 19th century; and Pace's Ferry Road, a major road in north Atlanta.
Pace was born in 1785 in Anson County, North Carolina to Stephen Pace and Catherine Gatewood Buchanan. In 1809, he moved to north Georgia. The area he settled is known today as Vinings, Georgia, but at the time was known as (Pace's) Crossroads and, later, Paces (now a neighborhood of Buckhead). By the 1830s, Pace had established a ferry service on the Chattahoochee River which connected north Georgia and Chattanooga. His ferry business was highly successful, and Pace became a significant landowner in the Vinings area, accumulating 10,000 acres by some estimates. He also expanded into other businesses, including a gristmill (Pace's Mill), farm, and tavern, and owned more than 20 slaves. Pace married Lucy Kirksey (1786 – 1842) and they had five children: Karen, Parenthia, Catherine Gatewood, Solomon, and Bushrod.
On July 5, 1864, Pace's ferry was the site of a Civil War battle and Union victory. Following the battle, Union General William T. Sherman and his troops spent 11 days in the Vinings area preparing for the Battle of Atlanta. During this time, General Oliver O. Howard set up his headquarters in Pace's home. The home was once believed to have also served as a hospital for wounded soldiers following the Battle of Atlanta, but this theory is now disputed.
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