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Donner Party

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Donner Party

The Donner Party, sometimes called the Donner–Reed Party, was a group of American pioneers who migrated to California in a wagon train from the Midwest. Delayed by a multitude of mishaps, they spent the winter of 1846–1847 snowbound in the Sierra Nevada. Some of the migrants resorted to cannibalism to survive, mainly eating the bodies of those who had succumbed to starvation, sickness, or extreme cold, but in one case murdering and eating two Miwok guides. The Donner Party originated from Springfield, Illinois, and departed Independence, Missouri, on the Oregon Trail in the spring of 1846. The journey west usually took between four and six months, but the Donner Party was slowed after electing to follow a new route called the Hastings Cutoff, which bypassed established trails and instead crossed the Rocky Mountains' Wasatch Range and the Great Salt Lake Desert in present-day Utah. The desolate and rugged terrain, and the difficulties they later encountered while traveling along the Humboldt River in present-day Nevada, resulted in the loss of many cattle and wagons, and divisions soon formed within the group. By early November, the migrants had reached the Sierra Nevada but became trapped by an early, heavy snowfall near Truckee Lake (now Donner Lake) high in the mountains. Their food supplies ran dangerously low, and in mid-December some of the group set out on foot to obtain help. Rescuers from California attempted to reach the migrants, but the first relief party did not arrive until the middle of February 1847, almost four months after the wagon train became trapped. Of the 87 members of the party, 48 survived. Historians have described the episode as one of the most fascinating tragedies in California history and in the record of American westward migration.

Tables

Members of "The Forlorn Hope" · Snowbound › "The Forlorn Hope"
Antonio†
Antonio†
Name
Antonio†
Age
23‡
Luis†
Luis†
Name
Luis†
Age
19‡
Salvador†
Salvador†
Name
Salvador†
Age
28‡
Charles Burger*
Charles Burger*
Name
Charles Burger*
Age
30‡
Patrick Dolan†
Patrick Dolan†
Name
Patrick Dolan†
Age
35‡
William Eddy
William Eddy
Name
William Eddy
Age
28‡
Jay Fosdick†
Jay Fosdick†
Name
Jay Fosdick†
Age
23‡
Sarah Fosdick
Sarah Fosdick
Name
Sarah Fosdick
Age
21
Sarah Foster
Sarah Foster
Name
Sarah Foster
Age
19
William Foster
William Foster
Name
William Foster
Age
30
Franklin Graves†
Franklin Graves†
Name
Franklin Graves†
Age
57
Mary Ann Graves
Mary Ann Graves
Name
Mary Ann Graves
Age
19
Lemuel Murphy†
Lemuel Murphy†
Name
Lemuel Murphy†
Age
12
William Murphy*
William Murphy*
Name
William Murphy*
Age
10
Amanda McCutchen
Amanda McCutchen
Name
Amanda McCutchen
Age
23
Harriet Pike
Harriet Pike
Name
Harriet Pike
Age
18
Charles Stanton†
Charles Stanton†
Name
Charles Stanton†
Age
30
† died en route * turned back before reaching pass ‡ estimated age
† died en route * turned back before reaching pass ‡ estimated age
Name
† died en route * turned back before reaching pass ‡ estimated age
Name
Age
Antonio†
23‡
Luis†
19‡
Salvador†
28‡
Charles Burger*
30‡
Patrick Dolan†
35‡
William Eddy
28‡
Jay Fosdick†
23‡
Sarah Fosdick
21
Sarah Foster
19
William Foster
30
Franklin Graves†
57
Mary Ann Graves
19
Lemuel Murphy†
12
William Murphy*
10
Amanda McCutchen
23
Harriet Pike
18
Charles Stanton†
30
† died en route * turned back before reaching pass ‡ estimated age
Members rescued by first relief · Rescue › First relief
Elitha Donner
Elitha Donner
Name
Elitha Donner
Age
14
Leanna Donner
Leanna Donner
Name
Leanna Donner
Age
12
George Donner, Jr.
George Donner, Jr.
Name
George Donner, Jr.
Age
9
William Hook†
William Hook†
Name
William Hook†
Age
12
Margret Reed
Margret Reed
Name
Margret Reed
Age
32
Virginia Reed
Virginia Reed
Name
Virginia Reed
Age
12
James Reed, Jr.
James Reed, Jr.
Name
James Reed, Jr.
Age
6
Edward Breen
Edward Breen
Name
Edward Breen
Age
13
Simon Breen
Simon Breen
Name
Simon Breen
Age
8
William Graves
William Graves
Name
William Graves
Age
17
Eleanor Graves
Eleanor Graves
Name
Eleanor Graves
Age
14
Lovina Graves
Lovina Graves
Name
Lovina Graves
Age
12
Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy
Name
Mary Murphy
Age
14
William Murphy
William Murphy
Name
William Murphy
Age
10
Naomi Pike
Naomi Pike
Name
Naomi Pike
Age
2
Philippine Keseberg
Philippine Keseberg
Name
Philippine Keseberg
Age
23
Ada Keseberg†
Ada Keseberg†
Name
Ada Keseberg†
Age
3
Doris Wolfinger
Doris Wolfinger
Name
Doris Wolfinger
Age
20
John Denton†
John Denton†
Name
John Denton†
Age
28
Noah James
Noah James
Name
Noah James
Age
20
Eliza Williams
Eliza Williams
Name
Eliza Williams
Age
31
† died en route
† died en route
Name
† died en route
Name
Age
Elitha Donner
14
Leanna Donner
12
George Donner, Jr.
9
William Hook†
12
Margret Reed
32
Virginia Reed
12
James Reed, Jr.
6
Edward Breen
13
Simon Breen
8
William Graves
17
Eleanor Graves
14
Lovina Graves
12
Mary Murphy
14
William Murphy
10
Naomi Pike
2
Philippine Keseberg
23
Ada Keseberg†
3
Doris Wolfinger
20
John Denton†
28
Noah James
20
Eliza Williams
31
† died en route
Members rescued by second relief · Rescue › Second relief
Isaac Donner†
Isaac Donner†
Name
Isaac Donner†
Age
5
Patty Reed
Patty Reed
Name
Patty Reed
Age
9
Thomas Reed
Thomas Reed
Name
Thomas Reed
Age
4
Patrick Breen*
Patrick Breen*
Name
Patrick Breen*
Age
51
Margaret Breen*
Margaret Breen*
Name
Margaret Breen*
Age
40
John Breen*
John Breen*
Name
John Breen*
Age
14
Patrick Breen, Jr.*
Patrick Breen, Jr.*
Name
Patrick Breen, Jr.*
Age
9
James Breen*
James Breen*
Name
James Breen*
Age
5
Peter Breen*
Peter Breen*
Name
Peter Breen*
Age
3
Isabella Breen*
Isabella Breen*
Name
Isabella Breen*
Age
1
Elizabeth Graves†
Elizabeth Graves†
Name
Elizabeth Graves†
Age
45
Nancy Graves*
Nancy Graves*
Name
Nancy Graves*
Age
9
Jonathan Graves*
Jonathan Graves*
Name
Jonathan Graves*
Age
7
Franklin Ward Graves, Jr.†
Franklin Ward Graves, Jr.†
Name
Franklin Ward Graves, Jr.†
Age
5
Elizabeth Graves*
Elizabeth Graves*
Name
Elizabeth Graves*
Age
1
Mary Donner*
Mary Donner*
Name
Mary Donner*
Age
7
Solomon Hook
Solomon Hook
Name
Solomon Hook
Age
15
† died en route * came out with John Stark
† died en route * came out with John Stark
Name
† died en route * came out with John Stark
Name
Age
Isaac Donner†
5
Patty Reed
9
Thomas Reed
4
Patrick Breen*
51
Margaret Breen*
40
John Breen*
14
Patrick Breen, Jr.*
9
James Breen*
5
Peter Breen*
3
Isabella Breen*
1
Elizabeth Graves†
45
Nancy Graves*
9
Jonathan Graves*
7
Franklin Ward Graves, Jr.†
5
Elizabeth Graves*
1
Mary Donner*
7
Solomon Hook
15
† died en route * came out with John Stark
Members rescued by third relief · Rescue › Third relief
Eliza Donner
Eliza Donner
Name
Eliza Donner
Age
3
Georgia Donner
Georgia Donner
Name
Georgia Donner
Age
4
Frances Donner
Frances Donner
Name
Frances Donner
Age
6
Simon Murphy
Simon Murphy
Name
Simon Murphy
Age
8
Jean Baptiste Trudeau
Jean Baptiste Trudeau
Name
Jean Baptiste Trudeau
Age
16
Name
Age
Eliza Donner
3
Georgia Donner
4
Frances Donner
6
Simon Murphy
8
Jean Baptiste Trudeau
16

References

  1. There are no written records of native tribes having crossed the desert, nor did the migrants mention any existing trail
  2. Tamsen Donner's letters were printed in the Springfield Journal in 1846. (McGlashan, p. 24)
  3. While Hastings was otherwise occupied, his guides had led the Harlan–Young Party through Weber Canyon, which was not the
  4. The route that the party followed is now known as Emigration Canyon. (Johnson, p. 28)
  5. In 1986, a team of archaeologists attempted to cross the same stretch of desert at the same time of year in four-wheel d
  6. The location has since been named Donner Spring where the Donner Party recuperated, at the base of Pilot Peak. (Johnson,
  7. Reed's account states that many of the travelers lost cattle and were trying to locate them, although some of the other
  8. In 1871, Reed wrote an account of the events of the Donner Party in which he omitted any reference to his killing Snyder
  9. The branch of Miwoks from the California plains region were the Cosumne, between where Stockton and Sacramento are locat
  10. The cabins were built by three members of another group of migrants known as the Stevens Party, specifically by Joseph F
  11. This drawing is inaccurate in several respects: the cabins were spread so far apart that Patrick Breen in his diary came
  12. Sources give dates ranging from January 9 to January 12. (McGlashan, 1947 Stanford edition, Editor's foreword, pp. xii–x
  13. Virginia Reed was an inconsistent speller and the letter is full of grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes. It was p
  14. Grayson stated in his 1990 mortality study that one-year-old Elizabeth Graves was one of the casualties, but she was res
  15. Johnson, pp. 62, 130.
  16. McGlashan, p. 16; Stewart, p. 271.
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