[1] Although John Read is frequently referred to in local histories as "Reverend", he had no formal seminary training and likely served as a lay minister, preaching on occasion.

[3] John Read and his family fled Northern Virginia in July 1861 after the disastrous Union defeat at the Battle of First Manassas and moved to the safety of Washington, D.C.

[4] Read remained an outspoken abolitionist and Union supporter in a small Virginia village where many residents had strong secessionist sentiments and family members fighting with Confederate forces.

Along with his daughter Betsy, Read established a school in Falls Church to educate the local African American population and the large number of former slaves crossing into Union lines from further south.

In 1864, towns and Union outposts in Fairfax and Loudon Counties were frequent targets of surprise attacks from mounted cavalry from Mosby's Rangers seeking to capture Federal horses, supplies, and prisoners.

On the early morning of October 18, 1864, Captain Richard Montjoy led a contingent of at least 75 men from Company D of Mosby's command on a nocturnal raid into Falls Church.

[13] Montjoy and his men made a hasty retreat and headed west up the Alexandria Turnpike (current Leesburg Pike) toward present day Tysons Corner and Vienna.

Read and Jackson were taken to a pine grove near where the Washington & Old Dominion railroad crosses the Piney Branch tributary of Difficult Run, and shot in the head at close range.

"[14] Jackson miraculously survived the attempted execution with the loss of an ear, and was able to walk back to Falls Church to notify the Read family.

A plaque describing the raid on Falls Church by Mosby's men, entitled "Living in Fear" was placed at 440 West Broad Street as part of the Virginia Civil War Trails system.

Benjamin Read was rescued by Sarah after being shot and left to die by Missouri slave catchers in the "Marias Des Cygnes Massacre".