White

(Number 21 on the 1958 Highland map - 10965 N. 6400 W.)

George Frederick & Eleanor Harper White

George was born September 24, 1869, in Sugarhouse, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Thomas Phillip and Alice Potts White. Eleanor was born November 27, 1870, in Parleys Park, Utah Territory to Charles Alfred and Harriet Taylor Harper. They were married February 17, 1897, in the Salt Lake Temple. They had six children: Alice, Vera, and Merrill, born in Elko County, Nevada, and Kenneth, Mark, and Doris, born in Salt Lake County, Utah.

They came to Highland in 1918 and purchased eighty acres of land, formerly owned by George Zabriskie (Number 21 on the 1958 Highland map). More than half of the land was in Dry Creek Hollow and was only good for pasture land. On the other acreage he raised hay and grain to support his small dairy of Jersey cows and the horses necessary to operate the farm.

Eleanor died February 11, 1932, in Highland, Utah; George died November 7, 1939, in Salt Lake City and both are buried in the American Fork City Cemetery.

George F White

(Number 20 on the 1958 Highland map - 10845 N. 6400 W.)

Kenneth & Lucia Evelyn Blackham White

Kenneth was born May 1, 1903, in Cottonwood, Utah to George Frederick and Eleanor Harper White. His grandmother, Alice Potts White, came across the plains in a covered wagon in 1860 or 1861. Kenneth attended Oakwood Grammar School then his parents sent him to LDS High School, in the block east of the temple. While there he met Lucia who was living in the Beehive House. His family moved to Highland in 1918 where they found some good farm ground without rocks.

Lucia was born February 9, 1903, in Evanston, Wyoming to Thomas Robinson and Olive Ophelia Shaw Blackham. Her father died, leaving her mother with three small children and when Lucia was three they moved back to Ogden where her mother worked as a teacher, then principal of an elementary school. Lucia's grandparents took over raising the three children. Lucia went to school in Ogden then to the University of Utah in Salt Lake and roomed at the Beehive House, which was a dormitory for single girls working or going to school. After she met Kenneth she graduated from the University of Utah in music and her family wanted her to be a concert pianist so they were disappointed when she married Kenneth, the poor farmer, on June 17, 1925.

They built a home on the south end of his father's farm (Number 20 on the 1958 Highland map) and had eight children: Marilyn (died at birth), Bonita, Kenna, Quentin, Janet, Larrie, Sherma, and Marjorie. Everyone learned to work: hauling hay and weeding and everything a farm needs. Kenneth worked at Kennecott Copper for a while but quit and stuck to farming. They both served well in the Church: Kenneth was a counselor to Bishop Jerling and taught Sunday School and YWMIA. Lucia taught in the Primary and 4-H and used her great musical talent to teach piano lessons and serve in many musical capacities.

Lucia passed away in Provo on February 4, 1970, and Kenneth in Pleasant Grove on September 23, 1989. They are buried in the American Fork City Cemetery.

Lucia White

Lower Power Plant

Mark Irvin & Erma Deane Messersmith White

Mark was born February 11, 1904, in Salt Lake City to George Frederick and Eleanor Harper White (q.v.). He graduated from eighth grade and went to High School for 3 ½ years, then got sick and never completed. He moved with his family to Highland in 1918 and he remembered working for Alma Buhler, pitching hay for two or three summers.

Mark remembered going to American Fork in their 1920 Ford to the Cameo Theater, by the J.C. Penney store. He also remembered July 4^th and 24^th celebrations in Binns' hollow, organized by Tom and Luella Binns and Evar and Esma Strasburg. There were ball games, picnic lunches, nickel pop (many flavors) and candy bars (rare treats in those days).

Deane was born January 26, 1910, in Mercur, Utah to Ralph Messer and Christine Elizabeth Shelton Smith. She moved to Lehi and that's where she met Mark - at a dance. They were married October 5, 1927, in the Salt Lake Temple and they had four children: Dawn, Eleanor, Mark LaMont and George.

Mark and Deane lived in Number 16 (on the 1958 Highland map) for a few years then had the opportunity to buy the Cyrus Jensen home across the street (Number 15). Mark then went to work at the power plant at the mouth of American Fork Canyon and was allowed to live in one of the homes there (Number 71) so they sold to Louis Day. Later Mark moved to Ashton, Idaho to work for the power company measuring flows in the Snake River. He then returned to Utah and operated the upper power plant in American Fork Canyon (Number 72) until his retirement. Four men ran the lower plant: Bennett, West, Ferguson and Tolton.

Deane passed away on April 7, 1966, while they lived at the upper plant and was buried in the Lehi City Cemetery. Mark married Lucile Johnson, who had been a widow for thirteen years and was the Lehi City Treasurer, in 1967. They lived in American Fork and that's where Mark died September 29, 1992. He is buried next to Deane.

(Number 67 on the 1958 Highland map - 4600 W. 11000 N.)

Roy & Arvina Wood White

Roy was born May 20, 1920, in Meridian, Idaho to Joseph Nephi and Arilla Wardell White. Arvina was born November 3, 1920, in Aberdeen, Idaho to Alma and Wealthy Hansen Wood. They were married August 5, 1940, and sealed in the Salt Lake Temple August 15, 1952. The moved to Highland in 1959 (Number 67 on the 1958 Highland map) and lived here for about eight years. They had eight children: Patricia, Sharon, Richard, Gary, Leon, Terry, Christine, and Dale.

Roy worked at Geneva Steel and worked with the Boy Scouts most of his life. Arvina had many hobbies and loved to crochet and sew for her children. She taught Primary and was secretary to the YWMIA. They later served as workers in the Boise, Idaho Temple. They lived in Idaho for a number of years then moved back to Spanish Fork, Utah where they both passed away - Arvina on February 9, 1999, and Roy on April 6, 2010. They are buried in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.

Source: HIGHLAND HISTORY: A compilation by Charles T Greenland II for the Highland Historical Society

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White

George Frederick & Eleanor Harper White

Kenneth & Lucia Evelyn Blackham White

Mark Irvin & Erma Deane Messersmith White

Roy & Arvina Wood White

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