The Wessly Kerr family came to Colorado in 1860, settling in Lyons, Boulder, Colorado. They had two sons and two daughters, and rumor has it that they were closely related to the famous outlaws - the James Brothers.

When they arrived in Colorado from Missouri, Ida was only about two or three years old. After living in the Lyons area for about nine years they decided to pull up stakes and go back to Missouri. About half-way there, Mrs. Kerr (name unknown) died and Wessly quickly made a coffin and buried her there along side the trail. The grieving family turned around and headed back to Colorado. This time, instead of choosing a homestead in the foothills, they eventually settled on the northern shore of Highlandlake.

Once they arrived in Highlandlake, Wessly bought the Highlandlake Feed Mill and moved it from its original site on the outlet ditch to the inlet ditch on the north shore. For many years he milled corn into flour using the water from the ditch to turn the huge grinding wheels. These grinding wheels are now on display in the Platteville museum. In later years, after the mill was no longer needed, it was turned into a barn. It finally fell down, and the Kerr's descendants burned and or hauled away all that remained of it.

WhenWessly Kerr's daughter, Ida grew up, she met William "Harry" Faulkner at a Box Social. After two months of courting they married in Loveland on June 19, 1905. In the first year after their marriage they moved to Estes Park, Colorado, moved from there to Loveland and back to Highlandlake. In late 1905 or early 1906, they purchased the Knott homestead next door to the Kerr's land. They tore down the tiny, and now abandoned store on the site and built a small, four room log home which is still standing on the north shore of the lake.

Harry and Ida had seven children, three sons and four daughters, plus they adopted and raised a grandson. One of their sons died in infancy and another drowned at about age two in the Highlandlake Ditch (Mead Lateral) that ran next to their home. The five remaining children and their grandson grew up in the surroundings of Highlandlake.

Robert "Bob" Faulkner

Harry Faulkner's Obituary

Note: The Kerrs, Faulkners and Richey's, all Highlandlake families were closely related by marriage.

This page was updated on March 1, 2011