The first Anglo-American settler in the area was Pearson Reading, who was given a land grant by the Mexican government in 1843. Rather than drive the Native Americans out, as was commonly done at the time, Reading befriended them and taught them agricultural skills. Shasta County was created in 1850, and by 1852 large numbers of settlers had begun to arrive in search of gold and other precious ore. After the Wintoon War of 1858-59, almost all Wintu were either dead or forced onto reservations. The first recorded mention of the Kennett site was in an article from the Daily Alta California dated June 7, 1852, announcing that gold had been discovered in Backbone Creek, which became the location of Kennett. One of the first Anglo-American men to settle in this location was John Sisk, who arrived in June 1857 via the Lassen Trail.