Dr. Zetus N. Spalding (1819-1898) was a Civil War physician and was best known to generations of Lassen County residents of being the founder of the iconic Spalding Drug Store, that institution had spanned a little over 100 years. He served as Lassen County Superintendent of Schools from 1871 to 1879. In the late 1860s, he was elected twice as County Coroner. For many years, he also held a non-elected position as County Physician, who provided aid to the indigent and incarcerated.
His favorite pastime was that of fishing the Susan River. One Tuesday morning in May 1898, he went fishing as usual, left in the morning and but this time failed to return home in the afternoon. By evening, a group of some thirty men assembled and went in search of him along the banks of the Susan River where they found his body near the old Bremner dam about a quarter mile upstream from Hobo Camp.
His, John B. Spalding took over Spalding Drug. He was an avid outdoorsman. Many may not be aware, but the store up until World War II carried a full line of fishing poles, tackle, along guns and ammunition.