Title:
Autobiography and Reminiscence of Thornton A. Read, Reno-Nevada, 1901.
[Institutional Records Digitization Project: Reminiscences of Early Pioneers: 1900-1904]
Creator/Contributor:
Read, Thornton A, 1829-1903, creator
Abstract:
Autobiographies and Reminiscences of California Pioneers, p. 93-96, Vol. 2. This is a typed transcript, bound into a volume,
of the member's autobiographical reminiscence created as an institutional record for the Society of California Pioneers.
The original handwritten version exists in the member's biographical file. This reminiscence includes a reference to a photograph
of the member in a set of bound volumes, but there is no longer a photograph of this member in our collection. This reminiscence
details Read's overseas journey to California providing a glimpse into the harsh realities of daily conditions aboard his
ship. Read goes into great detail in describing the food they had aboard, and even includes a recipe for "lobscouse" or hash.
He remembers bread with worms and ways of preparing food that would kill off the worms infested in it. Read provides a history
of his early days in California, and lists his numerous business endeavors. The period of time covered by this reminiscence
is roughly from 1849 to 1873.
Date:
1901 (issued)
Subject:
Read, Thornton A --
1829-1903
Pioneers --
California --
Biography
Frontier and pioneer life
Gold mines and mining
Voyages to the Pacific Coast
California, Northern.
Note:
Available also in the original handwritten form in the member's Biographical File, and online
Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of
California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright
holder, which must be obtained by the reader
Autobiography & Reminiscence of Thornton A. Read, Reno-Nevada, 1901. The Society of California Pioneers
T.A. Read was born March 13, 1829 in Orino, Maine. In 1849, Read and his brother traveled by steamer to Panama and then switched
to an old bark "Tasso" heading for California. They landed in San Francisco on October 12, 1849. At the time Read was suffering
from "Panama Fever" and so he left his brother in San Francisco and concluded to go to the Sandwich Islands. After a winter
in Honolulu, Read returned to San Francisco in better health but short of money. He borrowed money to get to Sacramento where
he worked for a short time. He then went up to Yuba River and mined, and then to French Corral, Nevada County. In 1852,
Read returned to Sacramento and started the stock market drugstore with a partner. They lost their business twice, once to
a fire, then to a flood. He then opened a boarding house called the "Read House" in Forest City, Sierra County. He lost
that business when the town burned down in 1859 and moved to Nevada where he farmed for two years. He then held public office
for seven years, serving as County Commisioner, Sheriff of Washoe County, and Assessor
Type:
Autobiographies.
Physical Description:
[4] p. ; 35 x 21 cm.
Language:
English
Identifier:
\LowResSCANS\Volume02\ARRead,T01.jpg4,
Origin:
California
Copyright Note:
Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of
California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright
holder, which must be obtained by the reader.
Contributing Institution:
Society of California Pioneers
Autobiography and Reminiscence of Thornton A. Read, Reno-Nevada, 1901.