Arrelia High

BIOGRAPHY

Arrelia High was born at home in Bladen County, North Carolina, on 2 July 1903. Her family’s farm was along what was then Old Great Marsh Church Road, later known as Mercer Mill–Brown Marsh Road. She was a twin to Annolia High and one of six children born to Jasper S. McMillan and Polly McDowell. Her father had seven additional children with his first wife, who died in childbirth. Her father operated a mill on one side of the road and a store on the other. Growing up, she worked in the fields and garden, picked cotton, and helped care for the family’s cows, hogs, chickens, and turkeys. They milked their cows and churned butter from the milk. The family traveled to church in a mule-drawn buggy, and the same building they attended for church also served as their school.

Longevity ran in her family—her great-uncle, Ken McMillan, lived to be 106, passing away in 1926.

At 107, she continued living in her own home with the support of her great-nephew, Charles Gillespie, along with a home health care provider, friends, neighbors, and other family members.

Arrelia High passed away in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, on 22 February 2015, at the age of 111 years, 235 days.

RECOGNITION

At the time of her passing, she was the second-oldest known living person in South Carolina, after Sina Hayes.

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* Bladen Journal, 22 June 2010

* Arrelia High Obituary – Bladen Journal

GALLERY

Related Profiles

[crp limit=’4′ ]