Myrtle Clara (Griffin) Peace (1897 - 1965)

Born 12 Jan 1897 in El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William Calvin Peace — married 10 Mar 1913 in El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States

Descendants

Died 9 Aug 1965 at age 68 in Globe, Gila, Arizona, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jayne Pyle [send private message] and Michelle Kilpatrick [send private message]

Biography

Just so no one gets confused here, know that William Calvin Peace and Myrtle Clara Griffin were first cousins. So the same grandparents will show up. I know this as a fact. These are my paternal grandparents. - Jayne Peace Pyle

Myrtle was born in 1897. She is the daughter of Albert Griffin and Ida Bouldin. Her mother's full name is Ida Emma Bouldin.

Myrtle was born and raised in Texas. Will's parents died, so he was sent to live way out on a ranch with his mother's brother's family ....that was Myrtle's parents. There were no other young people around, so they fell in love. They knew Myrtle's dad would not approve, so they eloped when Myrtle was 16 and Will was 24. Will drove a buckboard wagon for a day and night to get them to El Paso where they could be married. They didn't see Myrtle's dad, Al Griffin, until a year later when he found them. But they had a baby by then, Albert Peace, and when Al saw the baby, all was forgiven. I knew that Grandma Myrtle had 9 children, but her sister, Leona Griffin, later told me that Myrtle actually gave birth to 11 children. I'm guessing they were still born because they weren't named, as far as I know. They lived a very "poor" like in Texas. My Dad, Calvin, remembers picking cotton by age 3. They lived with relatives a lot. Myrtle's mother, Ida, helped Myrtle with the kids and her grandmother, Betty Bouldin, lived with them and help with cooking and babies. Myrtle's parents, Albert and Ida, had moved to Gila County, Arizona. her dad wrote her that her mother was suffering with cancer and he needed help, so Will and Myrtle and kids all moved to Arizona in about 1927. Ida died in 1927 in Globe, AZ. They were in Globe a year, then moved to Young, AZ where Myrtle's dad was working as a deputy sheriff, a constable and a cattle inspector. He bought property and helped them build a house on Cherry Creek. Myrtle's grandmother, who they called "Big Mama," lived with them to help out. She died in 1930. In Young, AZ, Myrtle had a son, Edwin in 1932, then twins Lyman and Myrtle Lee in 1935, but little Myrtle Lee died. Another baby to bury. Myrtle suffered so much heartache. Out of the 9 children that Myrtle named, she buried 4 of them as young children for different reasons. Myrtle was a strong woman, she had to be, but the day they told her that her oldest son, Albert Peace, had been killed in action on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, on D-Day, she changed. She had a sad face after that day. And she had two more sons, Calvin and Ezra both still in the Army, stationed in southern England. She prayed they would return home safely and they did. But losing Albert was a blow to them all. He was the oldest and helped support the family. He was the one the other brothers turned to when they had a problem. During these years, Will worked at saw mills, ranches, and wherever he could get a job to support them. Through it all Will and Myrtle stayed close. They celebrated their 50the Wedding Anniversary in Young. They were married 52 years. Myrtle had breast cancer and Will had lukemia which they both fought for 10 years. Myrtle died on Aug 9, 1965 in Globe, AZ. Nine days later, Will died. I guess they wanted to be together. Grandma Myrtle had a sad life, but she persevered. She was a Southern Baptist and went to church every Sunday. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She taught us that we have to stay strong and deal with whatever life hands us. -Jayne Peace Pyle, granddaughter

Sources

• "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X22R-2J2 : 11 March 2018), Myrtle Clara Griffin in entry for James Robert Peace, 28 Sep 1917; citing El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States, certificate 39744, Bureau of Vital Statistics. State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,501,351.

• "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X2KL-6VS : 11 March 2018), Myrtle Clara Griffin in entry for Calvin Griffin Peace, 29 Jul 1919; citing El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States, certificate 32428, Bureau of Vital Statistics. State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,518,516.

• Jayne Pyle family records