Wayne County History

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Wayne County History This page focuses on the history of Wayne County, Utah and the surrounding area. Everyone is welcome. - Annette Lamb

Activities including a local history class, field trips, and affiliated organizations. This page is for anyone interested in Wayne County, Utah history. If you'd like to become a Content Creator for this page, message Annette Lamb.

08/21/2025

I would love to see some real news about happenings and the people of Wayne County! Is there another group that does that?

07/26/2025

Southeast of Monroe

07/16/2024

What are the celebrations next month? Data times?
I know there is a parade but don't know when. Rodeo? Other events?
Please let me know, we want to participate! Thank you.

05/17/2024

WUI Fuel Reduction Project Returns to Wayne County

Wayne County Fire District and Utah State Forestry will once again sponsor a way for property owners in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) to safely turn tree branches and small trees into piles of chips for mulching. This is intended to reduce accumulations of potential wildfire fuels on private property. This is a particularly acute problem this year after the heavy snow and wind event that damaged many trees this spring.
The plan is for property owners to haul branches or small trees (without roots) to a location accessible to a truck pulling a chipper. Branches must be stacked, with the butt ends out and perpendicular to a driveway or road that will allow the rig to turn around easily. These WUI areas are primarily outside of towns or bordering incorporated areas that could endanger populated areas in a wildfire where people are working to make their property more fire resistant, especially areas close to homes. Trim trees up far enough that fire in ground fuels are less likely to ignite trees. Also, try to trim or remove trees that are close enough to spread fire from tree to tree or from trees to buildings.
We are working with the State to obtain dates for the chipper and crew to come to Wayne County. To get on the list for chipping, email Chief Chris Whetton 601 at [email protected]. Include your name, address of the property, phone #, the amount and description of the material to be chipped, GPS UTM if possible, and the amount of time you spend trimming, collecting, and stacking the material. No roots, brush, weeds, or trees in excess of 8 inches in diameter will be chipped.
There is no charge for this service again this year, thanks to a Federal grant, but the Wayne County Fire District would gratefully welcome your donation.

Glen Dee Taft Glen Dee Taft, age 74, of Bicknell, passed away January 2, 2024,By Adus F. Dorsey II January 5th, 2024 Gle...
01/13/2024

Glen Dee Taft Glen Dee Taft,
age 74, of Bicknell, passed away January 2, 2024,
By Adus F. Dorsey II January 5th, 2024

Glen Dee Taft was bigger than life and commanded a wide presence, if he liked you, you knew it; if he didn’t it was best you walk a wide circle when he was around. Glen Dee had the ability to care deeply, or lift you right off of the floorboards by the throat without saying a word, just a grimace and a firey glance.

If you knew Glen Dee Taft very well at all, you knew he was never short on words, he could tell you just like it was in less words than it took make a proper sentence, never mixing words and without skipping a beat. Glen Dee was Wayne County.

Ask anybody that knew him well and they could tell you Glen Dee was old school, his size demanded respect, cool as a garden fresh cucumber on a hot Saturday afternoon, and stern and sturdy as an aged old Wayne County Cottonwood tree.

To see Glen Dee coming at you on Highway 24, in his rusted and crusty old Continental or retired sheriff cruiser low rider, it was best to just pull off to the side of the road and let him cruise on by, lower your brow, and dip the brim of your hat to a man that has seen it all.

Glen Dee was a man that has been there and done that. What ever it took to survive in a fast changing Wayne County. In most circles, or at Howard’s, M&D or Gordon’s when Glen D.’s name was mentioned it was in reverence and in hushed tones, and there has been a time or two that the timid among us were known to wet themselves at the very mention of the Big Man from Bicknell’s name.

It is going to be hard to imagine a Wayne County without the likes of Glen Dee Taft, much as it is without Grandma Barbra Pace, Dee Hatch, Jack Chappell, Newell Harward, Meeks Morrell, LaVar Wells, LaRue Peterson, Cliff Olsen and many, many more.

May we never forget the Wayne County legacy and life lessons that all the great Wayne County citizens that have gone before us have taught and left us with, clear, concise and honest communication skills that continually provide us all with the ability to embrace a unsure future with honesty, unwavering confidence and hope, to go forth without doubt.

RIP Glen Dee.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Harding

02/23/2023

Meet Floid (sometimes spelled Floyd) Huntsman who was born on December 26, 1894 in Hanksville, Utah Territory. He was the fourth of eight children born to Eunice Pritchett and James Huntsman. The family lived and worked in Wayne County, with many of Floid’s siblings born in the town of Teasdale. Floid’s mother, who completed his WWI survey, reported that her son attended public school and was raising sheep prior to the war. According to his WWI Registration Card, which he filled out on August 9, 1917, he was living in Torrey working as a laborer on the Colorado River.

A few months later, Floid was selected to join the Army and was inducted into service on November 3, 1917. He trained at Camp Lewis in WA for five days and made stops at Camp Mills and Camp Merritt on the east coast before shipping overseas on December 13, 1917. Originally assigned to Supply Co 163, Floid moved to Company C, 168th Infantry in February of 1918. While in France, his engagements included Baccarat, Champagne-Marne, and Aisne-Marne. His mother noted that he was wounded in action on September 15, 1918 when he was hit on the head by machine gun bullets, “Was wounded while in a big drive and his pals had the Germans going on the run the last he could see. Was in the hospital until November 7, 1918.” Floid stayed overseas until April 27 and was honorable discharged from the Army on May 16, 1919.

Further research shows that Floid returned to Utah after the war. The 1920 census places him back in Wayne County living with his parents working on the family farm. On October 2, 1924, a 29-year-old Floid married 19-year-old Reva Birdella Allen (a fellow Teasdale girl) in Salt Lake City. The couple settled down street from his parents in Torrey and raised eleven children together. By 1950, the census shows the family living in Draper and a 55-year-old Floid working as a farm helper. After a short stay at the VA Hospital, Floid died on March 31, 1951. He is buried at Larkin Sunset Lawn Cemetery in Salt Lake City.

You can read Floid’s questionnaire here: https://bit.ly/3SpCMDt

01/08/2023

Anybody know where Milty Taft lives?

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PO Bo 206
Teasdale, UT
84773

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