C.H. Bennett was an enrollee of Civilian Conservation Corp of the mid-1930s stationed at Secret Valley, Lassen County. From time to time, the men were permitted leave. In 1936, Bennett and some of his colleagues ventured to San Francisco. It was interesting in the  aspect that the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay Bridges were under construction at the same time.

Tim

In 1862, the John D. Kelley family arrived in Susanville from Washoe Valley, Nevada. The following year they located in the Tule District of the Honey Lake Valley. The property was known for many years as the Dill Ranch, now owned by Jay Dow.

On July 8, 1863, the family went over to Milford for a social visit. Kelley’s nine-year-old son, Elbern and Joshua Bristo Rice, then eleven, went down to play along the shore of Honey Lake. They then ventured out into the lake on a sand bar. Kelley went even further and got into deep water and did not know how to swim. Rice did not know how to swim either, and rushed to get help. By the time Rice returned it was too late, and Kelley had drowned. It was the first death at Milford and the second drowning in Honey Lake.

Tim

P.S. – The historic grandstand at Susanville’s Memorial Park was destroyed by fire last Saturday, July 5, 2025. Hopefully, by the end of the end I will have the history of it.

These nuggets of information were a part of local newspaper exchanges that appeared in Lassen Advocate of August 21, 1914. I thought some would enjoy. This was the happenings in Modoc.

A large freight and passenger steamboat, building for use on Goose Lake is nearly ready to be launch.

Sagehen are so numerous as to be considered a pest by ranchers in the vicinity of Alturas, yet it is a violation of the law to shoot them.

Ey-Ee, chief of the Pit River Indians, who died last week, was knwon among the whites as the “peace chief.” He is credited with having persuaded his tribe not to join the Modocs in their war upon the settlers, 40 years ago.

Tim

Schedule for July 5.

A lot has been written about Atlas Fredonyer early activities in the region. Among other things he filed a land claim in what would later become Susanville, since that town’s founder neglected to do so.

In 1862, Fredonyer was found guilty and sent to prison of a sexual assault charge involving his fifteen year old step-daughter, Sally. Many were of the opinion that Fredonyer did not commit a crime. A petition was circulated and California Governor Stanford pardoned Fredonyer the following year.

After his pardon, Fredonyer seemed to have disappeared, as he never returned back to this region. A few years ago, I finally found out what became of him. He surfaced in a most unusual way in 1880 in San Francisco. Fredonyer it should be noted used the title of “Doctor” to what extent of medical training he had, is not clear.  At this time he was suffering from bowel blockage. He attempted perform his own colonoscopy, which a bottle, which got lodged in the colon.  The heavy set Fredonyer was finally taken to St. Mary’s hospital. A colostomy was performed to remove the bottle.  He did not recover from the procedure and died in San Francisco on August 10, 1880.

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