Yolo-Colusa County CA Archives Biographies.....Read, Walter G. 1854 - 1907 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com December 8, 2005, 12:21 pm Author: Tom Gregory WALTER G. READ Of all the pioneers of Yolo county, none gave a larger share of interest and assistance toward its progress than did Walter G. Read, who died while on a trip to Freehold, N. J., April 17, 1907. He was born in Fall River, Mass., February 21, 1854, and was a member of a prominent Massachusetts family, his grandfather, the Hon. Benjamin Read, having been a representative in the legislature of that state. His father, Francis B. Read, was a farmer and merchant of Fall River, but in 1854 took his family to Carlyle, Clinton county, Ill., where they lived until 1872, thence immigrating to California and settling in Colusa county on the site where the town of Arbuckle now stands. Two years later Mr. Read purchased a ranch five miles northwest of Colusa and engaged in general farming, moving in 1880 to Bear Valley, where he resided six years. He then removed to Ellensburg, Wash., and there he passed away when in his seventy-second year. He was survived by six of his eight children, and his wife, who afterwards died in Colusa in October, 1906. She was formerly Angeline Grinnell, a descendant of an old Massachusetts family, and was born in Little Compton, R. I. Walter G. Read was educated in the public schools of Carlyle, Ill., coming in 1872 to California with his parents. Shortly after his arrival in the west he entered Heald's Business College in San Francisco, and upon graduating returned home, where he assisted his father on the ranch, later establishing a farm of his own and raising grain on the Sacramento river with great success for several years. In 1880 he accepted an opportunity to enter a new field and became a salesman in the employ of Walter A. Wood, the manufacturer of harvesters and farming machinery. His territory was extensive, covering the states north from Texas to Canada, and his success was immediate. His knowledge of machinery enabled him to give valuable suggestions to the Wood Company, which lost no time in incorporating his hints in their new models. After nine years of this work Mr. Read traveled about a year on the western coast in the interests of the Wood Company, and in 1891 left the field. He then secured a farm near his father's place and set out an almond orchard. Later he invented and patented an almond huller which he successfully marketed, since it met a long-felt want. This was the beginning of a series of practical inventions which Mr. Read brought to fruition and which he manufactured on his place until his removal to Davis, where he erected a modern shop to meet the rapid increase of business. One of his principal inventions is the Read portable and automatic hay derrick for stacking hay; another, a folding trestle much appreciated by carpenters and paper-hangers. In 1904 Mr. Bead established a mill for the preparation of almonds for the market. This plant is two stories high, 80x120, and has a capacity of five hundred tons of almonds. Here is accomplished every stage of the work of preparing the almonds for commercial use. He also had in his mill a grain-cleaner and steam barley roller. Mr. Bead also invented the Bead apricot pit-cracker and upon its completion operated it in various towns, including Fresno, Davis and Los Angeles, where it was greeted with approbation by those engaged in the almond industry. Mr. Bead will also be remembered as haying successfully grafted the English walnut on the black walnut tree, the experiment occurring in Sacramento valley, many vain attempts 'to that end having been made prior to his efforts. Mr. Read's assistance in securing water rights for the University Farm at Davis was deeply appreciated by those interested in the institution. He spared no pains to aid in the upbuilding of Davis and community and enjoyed a large circle of friends throughout the state. He was a Republican in politics and was a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Modern Woodman. Both he and his wife were actively associated with the Presbyterian Church of Davis, and since his death Mrs. Bead has faithfully carried on the interests of her husband. Upon the destruction by fire of the Bead warehouse in Davis, she at once erected a corrugated iron structure to take its place, a rolling mill being added to the new building. Here also apricot pits were extracted, grain stored and barley rolled. However, in the fall of 1911 the warehouse where the pitcrackers were stored was burned and the two machines were lost. Formerly Mrs. Read was Mrs. Jennie (Drummond) Lillard, born near Davis, and she has one child, Lewis Craig Lillard. She received her early education in the public schools and afterward she graduated from Snell Seminary in Oakland. She is an active member of the Rebekahs and the Eastern Star and is one of the most popular and progressive women in the community. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/read112bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 5.7 Kb