The Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate | Page 3

CLARK AND JOHN BAPTISTE
III
THE REPORT OF THOMAS FALLON--DEDUCTIONS--STATEMENT OF EDWIN BRYANT--PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES
IV
LEWIS KESEBERG
INDEX
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
S.O. Houghton Eliza P. Donner Houghton The Camp Attacked by Indians Our Stealthy Foes Governor L.W. Boggs Corral Such as was Formed by Each Section for the Protection of its Cattle Fort Laramie as it Appeared When Visited by the Donner Party Chimney Rock John Baptiste Trubode Frances Donner (Mrs. Wm. R. Wilder) Georgia Ann Donner (Mrs. W.A. Babcock) March of the Caravan United States Troops Crossing the Desert Pass in the Sierra Nevadas of California Camp at Donner Lake, November, 1846 Bear Valley, from Emigrant Gap The Trackless Mountains Sutter's Fort Sam Brannan's Store at Sutter's Fort Arrival of Relief Party, February 18, 1847 Donner Lake Arrival of the Caravan at Santa Fé On the Banks of the Sacramento River Elitha Donner (Mrs. Benjamin Wilder) Leanna Donner (Mrs. John App) Mary Donner George Donner, Nephew of Capt. Donner Papooses in Bickooses Sutter's Mill, Where Marshall Discovered Gold, January 19, 1848 Plaza and Barracks of Sonoma One of the Oldest Buildings in Sonoma Old Mexican Carreta Residence of Judge A.L. Rhodes, a Typical California House of the Better Class in 1849 Mission San Francisco Solano, Last of the Historic Missions of California Ruins of the Mission at Sonoma Gold Rocker, Washing Pan, and Gold Borer Scene During the Rush to the Gold Mines from San Francisco, in 1848 Post Office, Corner of Clay and Pike Streets, San Francisco 1849 Old City Hotel, 1846, Corner of Kearney and Clay Streets, The First Hotel in San Francisco Mrs. Brunner, Georgia and Eliza Donner S.O. Houghton, Member of Col. J.D. Stevenson's First Regiment of N.Y. Volunteers Eliza P. Donner Sacramento City in the Early Fifties Front Street, Sacramento City, 1850 Pines of the Sierras Col. J.D. Stevenson General John A. Sutter St. Catherine's Convent at Benicia, California Chapel, St. Catherine's Convent The Cross at Donner Lake General Vallejo's Carriage, Built in England in 1832 General Vallejo's Old Jail Alder Creek Dennison's Exchange and the Parker House, San Francisco View in the Grounds of the Houghton Home in San Jose The Houghton Residence in San Jose, California
NOTE
I wish to express my appreciation of the courtesies and assistance kindly extended me by the following, in the preparation of the illustrations for this book: Mr. Lynwood Abbott, "Burr-McIntosh Magazine," Mr. J.A. Munk, donor of the Munk Library of Arizoniana to the Southwest Museum, Mr. Hector Alliot, Curator of the Southwest Museum, the officers and attendants of the Los Angeles Public Library, Miss Meta C. Stofen, City Librarian, Sonoma, Cal., Miss Elizabeth Benton Frémont, Mr. C.M. Hunt, Editor "Grizzly Bear," the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine's Convent at Benicia, Cal., and Mrs. C.C. Maynard.
E.P.D.H.

THE EXPEDITION OF THE DONNER PARTY

CHAPTER I
THE PACIFIC COAST IN 1845--SPEECHES OF SENATOR BENTON AND REPORT OF CAPT. FRéMONT--MY FATHER AND HIS FAMILY--INTEREST AWAKENED IN THE NEW TERRITORY--FORMATION OF THE FIRST EMIGRANT PARTY FROM ILLINOIS TO CALIFORNIA--PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOURNEY--THE START--ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF CIVILIZATION.
Prior to the year 1845, that great domain lying west of the Rocky Mountains and extending to the Pacific Ocean was practically unknown. About that time, however, the spirit of inquiry was awakening. The powerful voice of Senator Thomas H. Benton was heard, both in public address and in the halls of Congress, calling attention to Oregon and California. Captain John C. Frémont's famous topographical report and maps had been accepted by Congress, and ten thousand copies ordered to be printed and distributed to the people throughout the United States. The commercial world was not slow to appreciate the value of those distant and hitherto unfrequented harbors. Tales of the equable climate and the marvellous fertility of the soil spread rapidly, and it followed that before the close of 1845, pioneers on the western frontier of our ever expanding republic were preparing to open a wagon route to the Pacific coast.
After careful investigation and consideration, my father, George Donner, and his elder brother, Jacob, decided to join the westward migration, selecting California as their destination. My mother was in accord with my father's wishes, and helped him to carry out his plan.
At this time he was sixty-two years of age, large, fine-looking, and in perfect health. He was of German parentage, born of Revolutionary stock just after the close of the war. The spirit of adventure, with which he was strongly imbued, had led him in his youth from North Carolina, his native State, to the land of Daniel Boone, thence to Indiana, to Illinois, to Texas, and ultimately back to Illinois, while still in manhood's prime.
By reason of his geniality and integrity, he was widely known as "Uncle George" in Sangamon County, Illinois, where he had broken the virgin soil two and a half miles from Springfield, when that place was a small village. There