Who is Ben Peace from The Truest Pleasure and what is their importance?

Ben Peace, also known as Pa, is the patriarch of the Peace family. His wife died when his children were young and he dedicated his life to their land and raising their family. It is hinted at in the novel that he had an affair and fathered a son on the other side of the mountain, but nothing much comes of this fact. Ben is a devout Pentecostal and often brought his children to services when they were teenagers.