Bio of Read, Charles R. (b.1821) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm and Carol Judge
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Read, Charles R., the pioneer independent white settler of Wabasha county,
if not of that portion of the northwest now included in the territorial
limits of Minnesota, was born in the parish of Farnsborough,
Somersetshire, England, March 20, 1821. In 1839 he came to Canada with his
brother's family, spending his first winter in Little York (now Toronto),
and the following season locating in the old Niagara district, near the
forks of the Chippewa, some forty or fifty miles from its entrance into
the Niagara river. From there at sixteen years of age young Read came into
the United States. Returned to Canada the following year, 1838, in the
army of invasion that crossed the frontiers during the Canadian rebellion
of 1837-8. Was taken prisoner, and narrowly escaped hanging. Experiencing
the queen's clemency (on account of his youth), he came to the United
States; enlisted in the army for the defense of the southwestern frontier,
and was in service in the Indian Territory and Texas until 1844, when he
settled at Nelson's Landing, just opposite Read's Landing (named in his
honor), and to which he came three years later, 1847. The after history of
Mr. Read is closely interwoven with that of the locality named for him
that it will be found incorporated. Mr. Read had a very early acquaintance
with public affairs in this county. He was the first justice of the peace
appointed in this section after the organization of the territory,
receiving his commission from Gov. Ramsey in 1850. He was county
commissioner upon the organization of the county in 1853, and held that
position either by appointment or election until the year 1860, serving as
the first chairman of the board of supervisors for Pepin township, and so
by virtue of his office was county commissioner (virtually). He was major
of the 6th Inf. Regt. From 1861-3, and in that capacity was temporarily in
command of the defenses on the frontier for some weeks. He was also
elected colonel of the 8th regt., state militia, May 3, 1863, but the
regiment was soon legislated out of existence. He was married June 7,
1849, at Read's Landing, to Miss Sarah Williamson, by whom he had twelve
children, eleven of whom are living. Mrs. Read died January 3, 1879, after
a married life of thirty years, which Mr. Read declares to have been to
him one of almost unalloyed happiness. The children now living are: Jane,
born June 27, 1851; C. P. (the only one married), born November 7, 1853;
Wm., born June 30, 1857; Geo. W., born March 12, 1859; Ed. M., born
October 10, 1860; Emily O., born November 6, 1862; H. B., born April 26,
1864; Frank M., born October 14, 1865; Silas S., born April 13, 1867;
Ralph R., born October 13, 1870; H. H., born June 20, 1872. Mr. Read
resides on the old homestead, about one mile from the landing, on a
beautiful elevation overlooking the entire prairie between the Minnesota
bluffs and the Mississippi river, as far down as the Zumbrota river,
taking in the swell of the bluffs on the Wisconsin shore, and affording a
lovely view of Alma, twelve miles distant, at the foot of the twelve-mile
bluffs, one of the grandest ranges of cliffs on the upper Mississippi
river.