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Donner Party
The Donner Party was a group of California-bound pioneers that encountered severe weather in the Sierra Nevada and many died. Only 48 of the 87 party members arrived in Sacramento alive.
114 Questions
What mountain range did the Donner Party get stuck in for the winter?
48 of 87 pioneers survived the trip. Near Truckee Lake, Northwest of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the border of North California and Nevada, the Party could go no further. Most survived by cannibalizing their family members and others who died of starvation in what is now known as The Donner Pass.
What challenges would the Donner party face on their trip?
1) desert
2) ran out of water
3) ran out of food
4) blizzard began
Why do you remember the Donner Party?
The Donnor Party happened during a very important part of American History. It was the journey west to expand the countries boundries, and explore new land. The Donnor Party was doing something that has been an obsession of human kind as long as we have existed. We want to discover and explore as far as possible. The reason they stand out from other pioneers' is because the cannibalism that occured during their entrapment in the Sierra Nevada's. But that is just the faucet to the story. The story of canabalism pulls people in, but they real story of how many people suffered and fought for their lives against mother nature is what keep the story present in our history. The Donnor Party is an interesting study because so many factors caused the story to unfold and events to occur. There is also a mistery about what actually happened, and they unknown is very appealing to human kind.
How did the story of The donner Party help to strike down the myth of frontier idealism?
The Donner Party revealed what could happen, if things went wrong. Previous stories were always about the wonderful things that could happen when settlers went west, such as adventure and the possibility of finding one's destiny. The story of the Donner Party showed the dark side. The tale of cannibalism, and the loss of nearly half the party, took much of the glamour away from going west.
Who were the Donner Party members?
George, 60, brought his third wife, Tamsen, 45, their three children, Frances, 6, Georgia, 4 and Eliza, 3, and George's two daughters from a previous marriage, Elitha Cumi, 14, and Leanna, 12.
Jacob Donner, 56, and his wife Elizabeth, 45, brought their five children, George, 9, Mary, 7, Isaac, 5, Samuel, 4 and Lewis, 3, and Mrs. Donner's two children from a previous marriage, Solomon Hook, 14, and William Hook, 12.
The Reed family consisted of James Frazier Reed, 46, his wife Margaret W. Reed, 32, and their three children, Martha (called Patty), 8, James Jr., 5, and Thomas, 3. Also part of the family was Mrs. Reed's daughter from a previous marriage Virginia Backenstoe Reed, 13, and Mrs. Reed's mother Sarah Keyes, 75. Accompanying the family were five employees: a servant, Eliza Williams, 25, her half-brother Baylis Williams, 24, and three teamsters: Milford (Milt) Elliott, 28, Walter Herron, 25 and James Smith, 25. Hiram Miller also travelled with the Reeds as an employee.
The Breen family consisted of Patrick Breen, 51, his wife Margaret (Peggy), 40, and their seven children: John, 14, Edward, 13, Patrick, Jr., 11, Simon, 9, Peter, 7, James, 5, and Isabella
William Eddy, 28, was a carriage maker from Belleville, Illinois. With him was his wife Eleanor, 25, and their two children James, 3, and Margaret, 5. The Eddys had one wagon.
Lavinia Jackson Murphy, 50, widow of Jeremiah Burns Murphy of North Carolina, travelled with her seven children. Five were young: Landrum, 15, Mary, 13, Lemuel, 12, William, 11 and Simon, 10. The two eldest were married with children of their own: Sarah, 23, and her husband William Foster, 28, had a son George, 4. Harriet, 21, and her husband Willam Pike, 25, had two children, Naomi, 3, and Catherine, 1. The Murphys had two wagons.
Lewis (or Louis) Keseberg, 32, and his wife, Philippine, 23, left their Ohio home with a daughter, Juliane (called "Ada"), 3. Their son, Lewis, Jr., was born on the Trail.
A man named Wolfinger, about 26, and his wife Doriss, 19, had one wagon. Perhaps travelling with the Wolfingers, or perhaps travelling in their own wagon, at least for part of the journey, were two partners Augustus Spitzer and Joseph Reinhardt, about 30.
William McCutchen, 30, from Jackson County, Missouri, was travelling with his wife Amanda, 30, and their daughter Harriet, 1
Franklin Graves, 57, from Sparland, Illinois, and his wife Elizabeth, 47, travelled with their nine children. The eldest daughter, Sarah, 22, was with her husband Jay Fosdick, 23. The other children were Mary, 20, William, 18, Eleanor, 15, Lovina, 13, Nancy, 9, Jonathan, 7, Franklin, Jr., 5, and Elizabeth, 1. The Graves had three wagons, one driven by their teamster John Snyder, 25
Charles Stanton, 35, was born in Pompey
Luke Halloran, about 25, was a merchant from Missouri. Halloran was suffering from consumption, and had been put out by his former companions. He approached the Donners at the Little Sandy River in Wyoming, and rode in their wagons.
Somewhere along the trail Antonio, about 23, a shepherd from New Mexico, joined the Donners.
At Fort Bridger, the Donners hired Jean Baptiste Trudeau, 18, as an additional hand
Why did the Donner Party end in disaster?
They tried to take a shorter route to California but instead it took longer and was more difficult and that was their downfall. As Virginia Reed who survived advised - "Don't take no shortcuts and hurry along as fast as you can."
When did the donner party get to California?
The Donner Party took place between May of 1846 and February of 1847.
Where was the donner party final destination?
to the gold rush because it was 1847 the year of the gold rush and they were going to california it says in the book read it find the answer like me a smart history loveing 8 year old
What is the year of when the Donner party started traveling?
On April 16, 1846, nine covered wagons left Springfield, Illinois on the 2500 mile journey to California, in what would become one of the greatest tragedies in the history of westward migration. The originator of this group was a man named James Frasier Reed, an Illinois business man, eager to build a greater fortune in the rich land of California. Reed also hoped that his wife, Margaret, who suffered from terrible headaches, might improve in the coastal climate. Reed had recently read the book TheEmigrants' Guide to Oregon and California, by Landsford W. Hastings, who advertised a new shortcut across the Great Basin. This new route enticed travelers by advertising that it would save the pioneers 350-400 miles on easy terrain. However, what was not known by Reed was that the Hastings Route had never been tested, written by Hastings who had visions of building an empire at Sutter's Fort (now Sacramento.) It was this falsified information that would lead to the doom of the Donner Party.
Reed soon found others seeking adventure and fortune in the vast including the Donner family, Graves, Breens, Murphys, Eddys, McCutcheons, Kesebergs, and the Wolfingers, as well as seven teamsters and a number of bachelors. The initial group included 32 men, women and children.
With James and Margaret Reed were their four children, Virginia, Patty, James and Thomas, as well as Margaret's 70-year-old mother, Sarah Keyes, and two hired servants. Though Sarah Keyes was so sick with consumption that she could barely walk, she was unwilling to be separated from her only daughter. However, the successful Reed was determined his family would not suffer on long journey as his wagon was an extravagant two-story affair with a built-in iron stove, spring-cushioned seats and bunks for sleeping. Taking eight oxen to pull the luxurious wagon, Reed's 12-year-old daughter Virginia dubbed it "The Pioneer Palace Car."
The donner party tried to survive by?
Well, you have the obvious answer - eating the deceased members of their party to survive.
Other attempts to survive included sending a group out to try to snow-shoe to find help in the Sacramento Valley / Sutter's Fort.
Ral Donner died on April 6, 1984, in Chicago, Illinois, USA of lung cancer.
Why Were the murderers of Joseph Smith part ot the Donner Party?
They weren't. None of the known members of the mob that killed Joseph Smith were in the Donner Party.
The Donner Party did have two families which had connections to Mormonism. There has been some disagreement as to whether they were practicing Mormons or if they had left the religion at an earlier time, but none of them were party to the murder of Joseph Smith.
Did the Donner party eat dead bodies?
Unfortunately, yes. It was either do this or die in the wilderness.
What problems do wagon trains face?
Ascending OR descending steep trails, the fording of deep, wide, or fast-moving rivers, broken axles, and getting stuck in ruts or mud or sand were all problems that individual wagons had to overcome on the great venture west. Wagon trains still had to be able to keep their accompanying livestock nearby while protecting them from wolves, mountain lions, bears, and the occasional wild, rogue native American raiding parties. Watering places for the animals and 'sticking together' were of prime importance. Traveling at the right time of year to avoid the mountain snow was an important lesson driven home by the horrible misfortunates of the doomed Donner Party (See the Related Link[s] listed below). Many wagon trains avoided the rigors of the Oregon Trail by taking the southern, Santa Fe Trail instead.
What day did the Donner party end?
June 1847 is the day that it ended.The month and the year is known ,but the date in the month is unknown.I had checked it in websites but it didn't say what date it ended.
What did the donner party survivors do once hey reached California?
Once the Donner Party survivors reached California, they sought refuge in settlements and joined local communities, primarily in the Sacramento Valley. Many of them found work in agriculture or other trades to rebuild their lives after the harrowing experience. Some survivors also recounted their story, contributing to the broader narrative of westward expansion and the challenges faced by pioneers. Ultimately, they aimed to create a new life in the promising environment of California.
Yes, there were a number of survivors, maybe half of the original complement. It is a tragic accident of history to call this incident a Party, which usually is something joyful and upbeat, not extreme hunger, survival problems- and cannibalism.
Did the donner party know the mountain pass?
The Donner Party was aware of the Sierra Nevada mountain pass, but they underestimated the challenges it presented. They initially followed established routes, but after taking a shortcut suggested by Lansford Hastings, they became trapped in the mountains during an early winter storm. Their lack of preparation and understanding of the terrain ultimately contributed to their dire situation.
Did the donner party have guns?
Yes, the Donner Party had guns. Members of the group carried firearms for hunting and protection during their journey to California in 1846-1847. However, the harsh conditions and scarcity of game limited their ability to use these weapons effectively for sustenance. Ultimately, the party faced extreme hardships, leading to tragic outcomes.
