THE HISTORIC SITE OF TERRY MILL AT ROUND MOUNTAIN, CALIFORNIA.

Filmed on location.

The Terry Lumber Company sawmill property at Round Mountain was part of the upper end of Joseph E. Terry’s extensive lumber operation in Shasta County. Acquired by Terry in 1897, the property included the mountain sawmill, surrounding timberlands, logging facilities, and transportation infrastructure. Lumber was cut at the Round Mountain mill and sent downhill through the company’s famous lumber flume to the finishing and shipping facilities at Bella Vista. The mill remained active into the early twentieth century and played an important role in the lumber industry that developed around Round Mountain. Journey with me as we explore what remains of this historic property today, with the permission of property owner Tony Ortega. Please do not trespass. This is private property.

A PIONEER LUMBER MERCHANT OF CALIFORNIA: JOSEPH EMMET TERRY (1863-1934) & THE TERRY LUMBER COMPANY.

Joseph Emmet Terry, (1863-1934).

Joseph Emmet Terry was a prominent California pioneer lumber merchant, magnate, and the founder of the Terry Lumber Company, which later evolved into the Shasta Land and Timber Company, and played a vital role in the development of the timber industry in Shasta County, California. Come learn about Terry's family, his dealings as well as his businesses. In this episode of Exploring Shasta County history, we also visit sites formerly owned by Joseph E. Terry in Round Mountain and in Bella Vista. Terry Mill Road in Round Mountain is named after his sawmill which formerly operated along the roadside there and it still bears his surname today. The pioneer is buried in the Terry family plot at the historic Old Sacramento City Cemetery in Sacramento, California. Click the link to learn more. Please like, share, comment, and if you haven't yet - SUBSCRIBE to my You Tube Channel.

Filmed on locations.

Resources:

1850 U.S. Census

1860 U.S. Census

1870 U.S. Census

1880 U.S. Census

The Daily Examiner newspaper of San Francisco, September 18, 1887

An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. By Hon. Win. J. Davis. Lewis Publishing Company 1890. Page 345-347.

Social and Personal - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, April 23, 1890

Social and Personal - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, May 3, 1890

A Prominent Citizen Gone - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, December 4, 1893

For Nearly a Million - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, December 26, 1893

A Heavy Bond - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, December 27, 1893

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 25, 1897

A Great Bargain - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, May 30, 1897

A Big Deal - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 1, 1897

The Shasta Lumber Company – The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 1, 1897

Friend & Terry - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 13, 1897

Friend & Terry - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 15, 1897

For Shasta's Lumber - The Examiner newspaper of San Francisco, June 16, 1897

The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 16, 1897

Friend & Terry - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 19, 1897

The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 28, 1897

Wages Reduced - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 29, 1897

Preparing to Cut Lumber - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 1, 1897

The Bella Vista Lumber Yard Sold - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 6, 1897

The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 22, 1897

At the Limber Camp - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 23, 1897

Lumber Manufacturing - The Republican Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 14, 1897

Work in the Woods - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 5, 1897

The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 13, 1897

Death of Enright - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, December 6, 1897

A Boom in Lumber - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 22, 1898

Mill Closed Down - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 26, 1898

The Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 19, 1898

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 22, 1898

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 28, 1898

The Terry Lumber Company - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 2, 1898

A Bad Accident - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, August 3, 1898

The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 22, 1898 (building new bunker at Round Mountain.)

The Terry Lumber Mill - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 23, 1898

Railroad to the Roost - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 28, 1899

That Railroad Rumor - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 31, 1899

Bridge the Sacramento - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, February 11, 1899

Mills Start Up Soon - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 11, 1899

1900 U.S. Census

Disputed Street Way - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, January 11, 1900

Old Terry Mill Is Now In Full Blast - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 2, 1901

Day and Night - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 21, 1901

Dr. Coffey Marries A Belle in Sacramento - The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, July 10, 1902

A Farm for Breeding Blue-Blooded Horses - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 13, 1903

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 1, 1903

J.E. Terry's Dogs Capture Honors - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 17, 1904

Incendiaries Burn Terry's Lumber Yard - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 20, 1904

One of Terry's Mills Has Closed - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 4, 1904

Fell From Terry Lumber Flume and Badly Hurt - The Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 4, 1904

Redding Lumber to Bella Vista - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 6, 1905

Both Mills Will Run Night and Day - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, June 26, 1906

Went North to Buy Lumber - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 8, 1906

Terry's Mill Swept Away by a Raging Flood of Water - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, November 5, 1906

Terry Mill Will Start Up Monday - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 25, 1906

Lost in Woods and Perished -  The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 27, 1906

Day and a Quarter Shifts - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 19, 1907

The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 9, 1907

Terry’s Mill Started Up - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 9, 1907

Lumber Plants of Northern California - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 20, 1907

Lumber Season Ends at Round Mountain - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 10, 1907

1910 U.S. Census

Fire Wipes Out Shasta Plant - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, June 16, 1910

Repair Timber Railroads - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, July 27, 1910

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 5, 1911

Bank of Shasta Fails for $300,000 - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 26, 1911

Deposits Fell Off $382, 000 In A Year - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 27, 1911

Bank of Shasta County Closed Its Doors Saturday - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, March 28, 1911

Bank Situation Is Uncleared - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 30, 1911

Depositors of Bank Assemble and Complete Permanent Organization - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 7, 1911

Bank of Shasta County and First Savings Bank of Shasta in Liquidation - The Courier-Free Press of Redding, April 10, 1911

Bank Collapse Due to Huge Overdraft - The San Francisco Examiner newspaper of San Francisco, April 10, 1911

Terry Promises to Make Good to Bank - The Sacramento Star newspaper of Sacramento, April 10, 1911

Affairs of Bank of Shasta to be Wound Up by Banking Board - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, April 10, 1911

None of the Public's Business Says Terry - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 11, 1911

Shasta Bank's Wreck Worse Than Thought - The San Francisco Examiner newspaper of San Francisco, April 11, 1911

Terry Said to be Coming Through - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 13, 1911

Mitchell Thinks Facts Were Misrepresented - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 14, 1911

Depositors Committee Confers with Directors and Bank Stockholders - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, April 15, 1911

Bush Tells About Big Loans - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento,

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, April 18, 1911

$46,000 Will Go to Pay the Depositors - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 5, 1911

Bank of Shasta's Deals Explained - The San Francisco Examiner newspaper of San Francisco, May 6, 1911

J.E. Terry Takes the Financial Situation Very Much to Heart - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 17, 1911

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 19, 1911

Bank Depositors Hold Big Meeting - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 20, 1911

Big Borrowers Threatened with Prosecution by the Shasta Bank Depositors - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 21, 1911

Terry to Pay $100,000 And Give Securities for Balance of Loan - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 30, 1911

Grand Jury Probing Terry $205,000 Loan - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 20, 1911

Terry Tried to Withdraw His $100,000 Offer - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, June 20, 1911

Reason for Trying to Withdraw Offer - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 10, 1911

Tells Why He Withdrew $100,000 Compromise - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 11, 1911

J.E. Terry - Wendling Conspiracy to Defraud Bank of Shasta County - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 16, 1911

Bank of Shasta Shortage is $110,386.75 - The Sacramento Bee newspaper of Sacramento, January 23, 1912

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 1, 1912

R.R. Extension to Ingot - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, March 24, 1912

Impressions of the Day at Terry’s - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 16, 1912

The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, August 23, 1912

Anderson Enjoys Prosperity - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, December 20, 1912

Survey Party Goes Out on Terry Road - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, February 8, 1913

Reorganizing Terry Lumber Interests - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 7, 1913

Shasta Land and Timber Company Organized with Capital of One Million - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, May 9, 1913

Terry Organizes Big Lumber Company - The Sacrament Bee newspaper of Sacramento, May 9, 1913

Terry Interests Are Reorganized - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, May 9, 1913

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 27, 1913

Traction Engine Stripped of Cogs Backs Down Hill - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 6, 1913

Twenty Million Feet Cut During 1913 at Terry’s Mill - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, December 10, 1913

Shasta Land & Timber to Resume Work Right Away - The Searchlight newspaper of April 11, 1916

Terry Mills to Be Opened Soon - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, June 27, 1916

Terry Property Being Inspected - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, July 29, 1916

Bella Vista Mill Employs 300 Men - The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento August 6, 1916

Starting Up at Terry's - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, March 27, 1917

Morse Originator of Famous Shasta Lumber Flume - The Chico Record newspaper of Chico, May 5, 1917

Notice of Commissioners Sale of Real Property - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, November 1, 1918

Terry Holdings Are to Be Sold November 23 - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, October 12, 1918

Terry Property is Sold for $180,000 - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, November 24, 1918

The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, July 17, 1919

Buying What's Left of Terry Property - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, September 27, 1919

1920 U.S. Census

Terry Timber Property Reported Sold to Red River Lumber Company - The Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 15, 1920

Terry Lands Are Sold to Walker Company – The Red Bluff Daily News newspaper of Red Bluff, January 17, 1920

Walkers Improving Lumber Property – The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, January 27, 1920

Red River Lumber Company Purchases Terry Land Mill - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 12, 1920

$23,080.12 Taxes Paid to Redeem Terry Property - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 26, 1920

Red River Lumber Company Will Employ 500 Men; Railroad Purchased - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, March 31, 1920

Huge Prices for Lumber Stirs Industry - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, May 21, 1920

Creditors Get Last Payments - The Courier-Free Press newspaper of Redding, September 24, 1920

The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, March 20, 1921

The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, March 1, 1922 (oil)

May Develop Terry Timber – The Sacramento Union newspaper of Sacramento, January 28, 1920

1930 U.S. Census

Pioneer Woman, 100, Honored; O' Shaughnessy Passes 70 Mark - The San Francisco Examiner newspaper of San Francisco, May 29, 1934

Joseph Terry Dies Suddenly - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, June 3, 1934

Funeral is Held in Capital for Joseph E. Terry - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, June 4, 1934

California, U.S., San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 for Joseph E Terry Book No: 27 - Page: 305

U.S., Family History Books for Joseph Emmet Terry

A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern California: Including Biographies of Many of Those Who Have Passed Away

Mrs. Laura Terry, Pioneer of 1856, Succombs - The San Francisco Examiner newspaper of San Francisco, April 5, 1938

Terry - The San Francisco Examiner newspaper of San Francisco, April 6, 1938

Flumes, Steam Tractors Hauled Lumber in Early Days - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 17, 1947

The Red River Legend Lives - The Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, January 22, 1981

Today In History - The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper of Redding, November 28, 2000

LEGENDARY MINING LORE: GOLD NUGGETS OF HISTORY

Newcomers Frederic Rochon, a native of New York, and his Canadian partners Levi Longfield, and John Hayett, arrived from lower California and settled at Shasta together in the early months of 1870. After their arrival, they immediately located a placer mining claim on Spring Creek. After that, their mining activities took-off with them earning fair wages from this mining claim prior to making the biggest discovery of their lives. Then, on June 25, 1870, this trio discovered the largest gold nugget ever found along the channel of Spring Creek, about where the present-day town of Keswick is today.

They had successfully removed a large boulder in a bar on the channel of the creek, beside a Cottonwood tree which was growing on the bank above them, with their mining tools, when Rochon immediately picked up a lucrative gold nugget with his hand. This gold nugget contained no quartz, nor any other substance, as it was pure gold. Excitement rang out amongst themselves, and they immediately widen their perimeter before leaving the area in hopes of finding more specimens of gold nuggets. 

Then, they departed their mining claim to return home to Shasta where this gold nugget was placed on a scale at a local business. It weighed in as being fifteen pounds and four and a half ounces in gold. It was then valued at $3,200. Up-to-this-date, the main theory was that the mining claims along Spring Creek had been “worked-out", and this find created a brand-new mining boom to Spring Creek but eventually the excitement died out.

This gold nugget gave Rochon fame and fortune with state wide media coverage. Rochon barely credited his partners with any glory nor profit from this discovery. Some media outlets claimed that this was the largest gold nugget ever found in Shasta County history. 

As for Longfield and Hayett they departed the area and never returned. Rochon trusted the gold nugget to be handled by Doctor Benjamin Shurtleff, of Shasta, and his wife, Mrs. Ann (Griffith) Shurtleff who helped Rochon get it properly assayed, documented and photographed. It was their son George Shurtleff who took it to San Francisco with him for exhibition purposes on behalf of the owner and he immediately returned it to Rochon upon his return to Shasta.

There are two stories of how this gold nugget was sold, one version claims that it was sold to Charles McDonald, of Shasta, for $3,600, and the other version claims that it was sold to Santin & Everett, of San Francisco, for $3,200. Rochon eventually moved from Shasta to Round Mountain after selling this gold nugget, and later on, he relocated from Round Mountain to Bells, in Shasta County. Then, in November of 1873, another miner not affiliated with Rochon found a $300 gold nugget near the location of Rochon’s discovery site, and Rochon was in the news again because of this discovery.

Rochon worked in various careers during his lifetime, he was a laborer, a miner, a lumberman, and a carpenter. Rochon died at the Shasta County Hospital in Redding, on November 25, 1907, at the age of ninety-four years old. Years later, in 1921, Rochon's gold nugget was remembered when local residents Joseph Miller and John Stein found a gold nugget weighing nineteen pounds and two ounces along Motion Creek which was valued between $4,500 and $5,200. However, various reports claimed it weighed more than that, which wasn’t the case, immediately it became the largest gold nugget ever found in Shasta County, up-to-that-time. This gold and lore tale are a few of the legendary mining stories of Shasta County.

Above: gold in a scale being weighed, obviously not as large as the gold nuggets mentioned in this article but it gives you a visual of how gold was weighed. Courtesy of Shasta Historical Society.

Resources: 

1870 U.S. Census

A Big Specimen And How It Was Found - The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, July 2, 1870

That Nugget - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, July 7, 1870

Shasta County - The Marysville Daily Appeal of Marysville, November 22, 1870

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 29, 1870

The Shasta Courier newspaper of Shasta, November 29, 1873

1876 Great Register of Shasta County

1880 U.S. Census

Largest Nugget Of Gold - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 26, 1898

That Spring Creek Nugget - The Daily Free Press newspaper of Redding, May 28, 1898

Redding - The Chico Record newspaper of Chico, August 29, 1906

Fredrich Rochon -The Colusa Daily Sun newspaper of Colusa, November 27, 1907

Frederic Rochon in the California, U.S., Death Index, 1905-1939

Gold Nugget Worth About $4,500 Found In Redding Section - The Sacramento Daily Union newspaper of Sacramento, February 15, 1921

$5,200 Gold Nugget From Shasta County Melted At SF Mint - The San Francisco Call newspaper of San Francisco, February 15, 1921