OVERCOMING SLAVERY: PHOEBE COLBURN.

"Overcoming Slavery.”, is the incredible true story of one of Shasta County, California's earliest pioneer women settlers who was born into slavery, in Alabama, and was illiterate during her lifetime. Later on, this pioneer woman obtained her own freedom from her master, and then she defied all odds during her lifetime while residing in the town of Shasta throughout the 1850s, 1860s and into the 1870s. This remarkable woman held title to various properties as well. Come learn about the life of Phoebe Colburn who was employed as a house cleaner and made money as a local seamstress and milliner who made and sold dresses as well as hats in the area. Find out more about this remarkable woman in my newest YouTube video from Exploring Shasta County History. Phoebe Colburn died in Shasta, Shasta County, California, on November 22, 1876, and left an impressive estate. Attached images is a collage of consisting of Phoebe Colburn and a sketch of the Foot of the Moutain Station, which she worked at, and later owned and operated. Filmed on location, June 24, 2024.

Resources:

1860 U.S. Census

Mechanic's Lien Notice - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, February 9, 1861

District Court - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 11, 1865

1870 U.S. Census

Black Lives in Depth written by Tim Holt - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 8, 2015

Phoebe Coulbourn (1822-1876) - Find a Grave Memorial

In Memory of an Indian boy | Lynette's NorCal History Blog (wordpress.com)

Phoebe Colburn | goldfields (goldfieldsbooks.com)

More About Phoebe Colburn 

https://butte.libguides.com/blogs/libraryrunner/Black-History-Stories-of-the-North-Valley

Col William Magee (1806-1892) - Find a Grave Memorial

THE LYONS CONSOLIDATED MINE: DAMMING A NEARBY GULLY IN A DRAW UPON THE MINING PROPERTY.

This mine's lucrative vein was struck by Major John F. Lyons in 1890, the year that he and his family settled at Shasta County, California. Last worked in the 1950's, it went through various ownership during its production years. Upon the property is this late 19th century dam. Which was used to retain water for mining purposes upon the property. Filmed on location, January 14, 2025.

The Disappearance of Thomas F. Halcomb

Filmed on location.

Resources:

1920 U.S. Census

1930 U.S. Census

File: Redding, California, 1930 Census Enumeration District Maps. Source: Wikimapia.

Community Is Searched for Missing Boy - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 6, 1932

 

Halcomb Youth Still Missing After 2 Days - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 6, 1932

Redding Plane Crash Kills Three - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 7, 1932

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 7, 1932

Young Halcomb Believed Seen Wednesday P.M. -  The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 7, 1932

Structural Defect Was Not Cause of Accident to Plane - Inspector - The Courier Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 8, 1932

George Halcomb, Wife, O.A. Rose Die in Air Crash - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 8, 1932

Reports Halcomb Youth Found Without Ground - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 8, 1932

Searchers For Missing Youth Die in Plunge - The Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper of Sant Cruz, July 8, 1932

Three Victims of Plane Crash - The Madera Tribune newspaper of Madera, July 8, 1932

Three Die in Plane Crash at Redding - The Tulare Daily Times newspaper of Tulare, July 8, 1932

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 9, 1932

Halcomb Is Continued Monday - The Courier Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 11, 1932

Search Still Being Pushed for Missing Boy; Reported Seen - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 12, 1932

Halcomb Estate Comprises $4,000 Insurance Policy - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 13, 1932

The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 14, 1932

$100 Reward for Finding Halcomb - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 16, 1932

Reward Spurs Search for Boy - The Bee News Bureau newspaper of Sacramento, July 18, 1932

Statewide Appeal Made in Boy Hunt - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 19, 1932

Plane Victims’ Estates Are Probated - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 22, 1932

Grandparents May Contest Custody of Halcomb Baby - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 23, 1932

Halcomb Youth - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 12, 1932

Contest Over Halcomb Youth - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 29, 1932

Hearing on Contest Over Halcomb Boy Is Continued in Two Weeks - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 30, 1932

Halcomb Boy’s Body Believed Found in River - The Colusa Herald newspaper of Colusa, September 22, 1932

Amos Halcomb Named Guardian of Grandson - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 26, 1932

Thomas Halcomb's Body Is Found - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 26, 1933

Halcomb Boy’s Body Is Found in Oregon Gulch - The Courier Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 27, 1933 

Funeral Services to Be Held Today for Halcomb Boy - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 28, 1933

Card of Thanks - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 2, 1933

Halcomb Action Over Insurance to Start Today - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 3, 1933

The Courier Free Press newspaper of Redding, October 4, 1933

Jury Holds Rose Made Contract to Carry Halcomb's on Fatal Journey - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 5, 1933

Correction Made - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 5, 1933

Thomas F Halcomb in the California, U.S., Death Index, 1905-1939

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 7, 1940

The Lyons Consolidated Mine

Happy New Year folks! Come explore a partially flooded historic gold mine from the 1890s which still has some relics left behind like its rail, piping, drill bits and more. This mine's lucrative vein was struck by Major John F. Lyons in 1890, the year that he and his family settled at Shasta County, California. Last worked in the 1950's, it went through various ownership during its production years. Find out more in the video and if you haven't subscribed yet, please do. Like, share and comment. For my resources, please visit Exploring Shasta County History...

Resources:

Fine Mining Property - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 28, 1891

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 18, 1892

The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 23, 1893

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 14, 1896

On Rich Gulch - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 15, 1897

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 29, 1897

The Lyons Property - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 22, 1898

The Major Lyons Mine - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 2, 1898

Major Lyon’s Condition - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 19, 1898

Major J.F. Lyons Dead - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 19, 1898

The Lyons Mines Sold For $12,000 - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 21, 1905

Build Tramway From Mine To Mill - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, November 10, 1905

New Cyanide Plant In Rich Gulch - Mineral Wealth Magazine - March 15, 1906 edition, page 3.

Cyanide Plant Is Now In Operation - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 16, 1906

Lyons Mine Sold Under Trust Deed -  The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 17, 1907

The Lyons Group - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 8, 1910

Mines and Mineral Resources of Shasta County, California – County Report 6 – by Philip A. Lydon and J.C. O’ Brien ©1974 by California Division of Mines and Geology

ROYAL TYLER SPRAGUE; A SHASTA COUNTY 49NER & A CALIFORNIA SUPREME JUSTICE.

Royal Tyler Sprague, a native of Vermont, (according to the 1870 U.S. Census) was born about 1814. He led a busy productive life who started out as an elementary school teacher, and eventually Sprague opened his own school. Later on, he became a lawyer, and eventually the seduction of the California Gold Rush seduced him to venture west from Ohio to California where he settled in Shasta County in September of 1849, settling at Reading Springs (now Shasta), that month. This is where the forty-niner mined for gold on Clear Creek. He became a public figure holding various titles in the State of California, and ultimately, becoming a California Supreme Justice. He died on February 24, 1872, and is buried in the historic Old Sacramento City Cemetery, in Sacramento, California. You can learn more about this Shasta County pioneer in the following YouTube video from Exploring Shasta County History:

Filmed on location October 19, 2024.

Resources:

1850 U.S. Census

1852 California State Census

The Supreme Judgeship - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 22, 1858

Death of Chief Justice Sprague - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, February 26, 1872

Death of Judge Sprague - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 2, 1872

1860 U.S. Census

1866 California, U.S., Voter Registers

Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, October 10, 1867

Took the Oath - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, January 11, 1868

Appleton's annual Cyclopedia (1867), Volume 7, 1869.

1870 U.S. Census

Appointment of Supreme Judge. Russian River Flag. No. 17. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 7 March 1872. p. 2. 

Sacramento Daily Union, January 1, 1873, State & County Statistics (For the year 1872)

The Legislature Sacramento Daily Union. Vol. 2, no. 247. California Digital Newspaper Collection. 6 January 1852. p. 2. 

My Playhouse Was A Concord Coach, an anthology of newspaper clippings and documents relating to those who made California history during the years 1822-1888, by Mae Hélène Bacon Boggs. Published by Howell-North Press ©1942

Shasta County, California A History by Rosena Giles, published by Biobooks, ©1949.

Johnson, J. Edward (1963). History of the California Supreme Court: The Justices 1850-1900, vol 1 (PDF). San Francisco, CA: Bender Moss Co. pp. 104–106. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2016. 

Old Shasta, Town of Shasta Interpretive Association with Al M. Rocca, 2005, Arcadia Publishing, p.

Sacramento Historic City Cemetery Burial Index (PDF). Old City Cemetery Committee. 2005. 

Online Archive of California, Royal T. Sprague journals, collection guide.

BENJAMIN BARNARD REDDING (1824-1882); THE NAMESAKE OF THE CITY OF REDDING, IN SHASTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

 

Filmed on location on October 19, 2024.

In my newest video you can visit the headstone and grave of Benjamin Barnard Redding who was born on January 17, 1824, to Fitz W. Redding and his wife Mary at Yartmouth, Yartmouth County, Nova Scotia, Canada, and died in San Francisco on August 21, 1882. Benjamin Barnard Redding is the man who the town of Redding, California was named for which was established on June 15, 1872, by the California & Oregon Railroad, a division of the Central Pacific Railroad. He was also a mayor of Sacramento in 1856 among other high profiled positions in California. He also became a land agent of the Central Pacific Railroad. This is the Redding family plot in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, in Sacramento, California, while I chase Shasta County's history to this historic location. Don't miss out, this is the newest video from Exploring Shasta County History... 

RESOURCES:

B.B. REDDING - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper, of Sacramento, August 22, 1882

DEATH OF B.B. REDDING - The Shasta Courier newspaper, of Shasta, August 26, 1882

Redding: A Railroad Town’s Transition Into A Flourishing City written by Jeremy M. Tuggle, July 10, 2018

Visiting the Grave of Benjamin Barnard Redding (1824-1882), the Man Whom Redding Is Named For written by Jeremy M. Tuggle, February 25, 2019

Benjamin B. Redding Find A Grave Memorial

Sacramento Historic City Cemetery 

SHASTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY - HOW REDDING GOT ITS NAME

AN OLD MINING PROPERTY, AN ORE CAR SYSTEM - SHAFT - PROSPECT.

AN OLD MINING PROPERTY, AN ORE CAR SYSTEM - SHAFT - PROSPECT.

Filmed on location, November 16, 2024. Near: Quartz Hill in Shasta County, California, an abandoned mining property.