Tragic Donner Party Survivors
Members of Ill Fated 1846 Wagon Train Who Lived Through Ordeal
Apr 23, 2009
That some Donner Party members ate the flesh of those who died is not the first incidence of people driven to cannibalism in order to survive. It also happened during the “starvation time” in Jamestown, Virginia. Yet, this has not negatively characterized the Jamestown chapter in history to the extent it has that of the Donner Party.
Survivors are listed by approximate order of arrival in California. For some, this is unknown.
- 1 preceded party to California
- 2 survivors of snowshoe party
- 3 rescued by first relief party
- 4 rescued by second relief party
- 5 rescued by third relief party
- 6 rescued by fourth relief party
List of Donner Wagon Train Survivors
Walter Herron (Reeds’ teamster), 25, 1; James F. Reed (prominent party member), 46; Mary Graves (daughter of Graves), 20, 2; Sarah Fosdick (Jay Fosdick’s wife, daughter of Graves), 22, 2; Amanda McCutchen (William McCutchen’s wife), 24, 2; Harriet Pike (William Pike’s wife, Mrs. Murphy’s daughter), 21/2; Sarah Foster (William Foster’s wife, Mrs. Murphy’s daughter), 23, 2; William Foster (Sarah Foster’s husband), 28/2; William Eddy (only Eddy family survivor), 28/2; Margaret Reed (James Reed’s wife), 32/3; Virginia Reed (Mrs. Reed’s daughter by former marriage), 12, 3; James Reed Jr. (James Reed’s son), 5, 3; Elitha Donner, 14, 3, and Leanna Donner, 12, 3 (George Donner’s daughters by previous marriage); George Donner (son of Jacob Donner), 9, 3.
William Murphy (son of Mrs. Murphy), 11,3; Mary Murphy (daughter of Mrs. Murphy), 13?, 3; Naomi Pike (daughter of Pikes, granddaughter of Mrs. Murphy), age 3, 3; William C. Graves (Graves son), 18; Eleanor Graves (Graves daughter), 15, 3; Lovina Graves (Graves daughter), 13, 3; Phillipine Keseberg (wife of Lewis Keseberg), 32, 3; Edward Breen (son of Breens*), 13?, 3; Simon Breen (sons of Breens*), 9?, 3; Eliza Williams (hired girl for Reed, sister of Baylis), 25, 3.
Noah James (Donners’ teamster), 20, 3; Mrs. Wolfinger (wife of _(?)_ Wolfinger), age not known, 3; Solomon Hook (Elizabeth Donner’s son by previous marriage), 14, 4 Martha (Patty) Reed (daughter of Reeds), 8, 4; Thomas Reed (son of the Reeds), age 3, 4; William McCutchen (went to Sutter’s Fort with Stanton), 30 1; Patrick Breen* (Irish member of the party), 40, 4/5; Margaret Breen (Patrick’s wife), 40, 4/5, and these Breen children: John Breen, 14, 4/5, Patrick Breen Jr., 11?, 4/5, James Breen, 4, 4/5, Peter Breen, 7?, 4/5 and Isabella Breen, 1, 4/5.
Nancy Graves (Graves daughter), 9, 4/5; Jonathan Graves (Graves son) 7, 4/5; Elizabeth Graves (Graves daughter), 1, 4/5; Mary Donner (Jacob Donner’s daughter), 7, 4/5; Simon Murphy (Mrs. Murphy’s son), 10, 5; Frances Donner (George Donner’s daughter), 6, 5; Georgia Donner (George Donner’s daughter), 4, 5; Eliza Donner (George Donner’s daughter), age 3, 5; John Baptiste (George Donner’s teamster), 23, 5; and, Lewis Keseberg (German member of party), 32, 6.
Survivor Eliza Donner Became Wife of San Jose Mayor
Survivor statistics indicate that almost twice as many women survived as men. Most settled in California. Survivor Eliza Donner wed Sherman Houghton, who became mayor of San Jose. Their home was submitted for historic landmark designation, but - run down, boarded up and lived in by the homeless - burned down in July of 2007.
(A companion article lists Donner Party members who died.)
* Patrick Breen kept a diary, a prime source which became edited by George R. Stewart and used by him in an account of the Donner Party titled Ordeal by Hunger (1936).
SOURCE: The Orange County, California, Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 26, No.2 (June, 1989). Its sources included “Donner Memorial State Park: Teacher’s Handbook” (Government Publication).
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