A monument stands at Reading's Bar on Clear Creek Road just west of Redding. BLM has been doing a lot of work in the area of Horsetown/Clear Creek Preserve. There is also a marker at the Reading Adobe at the end of Adobe Lane, just before the area Known as Reading Island. At one time a campground and story goes that a movie was shot there. Redding was not named for Reading, but after a railroad man Redding. Janie At 09:36 AM 4/4/2012, you wrote: > His name is Major PIERSON Benjamin READING, Having retired from the >military in 1843, came in 1844 to California, he secured from the >Mexican government a land grant for what then was known as ' Rancho San >Buenaventura', orgin land area was from Cottonwood Crk, north, he then >built an adobe home for his family, in 1930 was named an state >historical site, and centered in what is REDDING this day, est: 1872. In >1874, the Legislature changed the name from Redding to Reading, but 6 >yrs later, returned it back to Redding,CA. The town was a major train >hub as it employment and sustained many freight business as it does >today. He was responsible for the 1st Gold Find, of Calif. in 1848, >before John SUTTER's, Alburn Find, in 1849, and panned out some $80,000 >in 6 weeks on Clear Creek.(Wvvlle). This triggered the 2 nd big Gold >Rush of the Fall of 1849. A rough bunch of claim jumpers, from Oregon, >jumped the READING claims, driving him away. He returned to Redding and >ranching. READING was amoung the 1st white man to climb Lassen Peak, in >the company of the 1st white woman, in 1864. Also in the same yr. became >partner with man name of BUMPASS, and began mining Sulfur from the many >hot springs on Lassen. In 1890's, Copper was mined,the largest company >being MOUTAIN COOPER Co., this required some 500 to 600 cords of wood a >month. as the gold finds declined, the census records show a populas of >2,500 then. In time, by the time the Great Depression arrived, all the >early life sustaning works had dissappeared. Some other records I've >come across records stating that he 1st toured throught Northern Calif >as a Union Calvery Officer with Jebediah Smith in 1828. > Hope this helps. > >~hum.Linda~ >Words are the window to the Heart. > > > > >----------------------------------------- >NORCAL ARCHIVES: >http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ >Enter NORCAL. Browse by month. >Or click the "Search all archives" link to search by keyword. >----------------------------------------- >To post a message to the NORCAL mailing list, send an email to >[email protected] >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >[email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Janie, You are always very helpful. I don't quite remember the monument but I remember visiting the area of Reading's Bar and going to the Reading Island spot with your daughter. I remember the marker, have pics etc. I am really grateful for that precious visit! And, Thank you too for reminding me that Reading retired from the military in 1843 and came to Ca two years before the Mexican War so that he really wasn't sent out here with the other Union soldiers to "settle the west"  and protect the gold from southerners. Yet everything I see about him almost attests to the fact that he was still looking for that gold, actually found it,  and from other sources I feel that he still was staunchly a government advocate for the Union army; the gold, his horses, the whole bit. Thank you & Thank you Linda as well. You guys are awesome!   marilyn ________________________________ From: Janie <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, April 5, 2012 12:57 AM Subject: Re: [NORCAL] Major Reading A monument stands at Reading's Bar on Clear Creek Road just west of Redding.  BLM has been doing a lot of work in the area of Horsetown/Clear Creek Preserve.  There is also a marker at the Reading Adobe at the end of Adobe Lane, just before the area Known as Reading Island.  At one time a campground and story goes that a movie was shot there.  Redding was not named for Reading, but after a railroad man Redding. Janie At 09:36 AM 4/4/2012, you wrote: >  His name is Major PIERSON Benjamin READING, Having retired from the >military in 1843, came in 1844 to California, he secured from the >Mexican government a land grant for what then was known as ' Rancho San >Buenaventura', orgin land area was  from Cottonwood Crk, north, he then >built an adobe home for his family, in 1930 was named an state >historical site, and centered in what is REDDING this day, est: 1872. In >1874, the Legislature changed the name from Redding to Reading, but 6 >yrs later, returned it back to Redding,CA. The town was a major train >hub as it employment and sustained many freight business as it does >today. He was responsible for the 1st Gold Find, of Calif. in 1848, >before John SUTTER's, Alburn Find, in 1849, and panned out some $80,000 >in 6 weeks on Clear Creek.(Wvvlle). This triggered the 2 nd big Gold >Rush of the Fall of 1849. A rough bunch of claim jumpers, from Oregon, >jumped the READING claims, driving him away. He returned to Redding and >ranching.  READING was amoung the 1st white man to climb Lassen Peak, in >the company of the 1st white woman, in 1864. Also in the same yr. became >partner with man name of BUMPASS, and began mining Sulfur from the many >hot springs on Lassen. In 1890's, Copper was mined,the largest company >being  MOUTAIN COOPER Co., this required some 500 to 600 cords of wood a >month. as the gold finds declined, the census records show a populas of >2,500 then. In time, by the time the Great Depression arrived, all the >early life sustaning works had dissappeared. Some other records I've >come across records stating that he 1st toured throught Northern Calif >as a Union Calvery Officer with Jebediah Smith in 1828. >  Hope this helps. > >~hum.Linda~ >Words are the window to the Heart. > > > > >----------------------------------------- >NORCAL ARCHIVES: >http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ >Enter NORCAL.  Browse by month. >Or click the "Search all archives" link to search by keyword. >----------------------------------------- >To post a message to the NORCAL mailing list, send an email to >[email protected] >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >[email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >quotes in the subject and the body of the message ----------------------------------------- NORCAL ARCHIVES: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ Enter NORCAL.  Browse by month. Or click the "Search all archives" link to search by keyword. ----------------------------------------- To post a message to the NORCAL mailing list, send an email to [email protected] ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message