Death in the Donner Party

Death in the Donner Party — page 1 — A SHORTCUT WEST 1 Between 1840 and 1860 about 250,000 men women and children moved across North America These emigrating pioneers abandoned crowded eastern states to settle territories in the West They loaded their families and belongings into wagons They set out on a journey that would take them about four months and cover more than 2,000 miles 3,200 kilometers They crossed plains mountains rivers and deserts By 1860 these settlers filled the vast lands of Oregon and California Emigrating pioneers often traveled in covered wagons 4

Death in the Donner Party — page 2 — Sisters clockwise from top left Frances Georgia Ann Leanna and Elitha were four of the five daughters of George Donner They made the trek across country when they were ages four to thirteen In 1846 eighty-seven of those emigrants formed the Donner Party named for its leader’s last name The families of Jacob Donner George Donner and James Reed formed the core of this wagon train They had heard stories about the wonders California held Similar to many other emigrants they wanted to start new lives for themselves there These three families were fairly wealthy Emigrants who made the journey west needed to have money saved The long journey meant a family would not earn any income for months And there would be more expenses when they arrived and set up their homes The three families were from Springfield Illinois In mid-April they set out for Independence Missouri with nine overflowing wagons pulled by oxen They also brought cattle including dairy 5

Death in the Donner Party — page 3 — Hastings’s guidebook described a shortcut to California cows for milk to provide food on the trail and once they reached their destination At Independence they joined forty-six other wagons heading to California then a part of Mexico in the Russell Party This large wagon train started out on the Oregon Trail They sometimes traveled 18 miles 29 km in a single day At night the camps were alive with music dancing and storytelling But this good fortune would soon change Along the trail the Russell Party met a messenger bearing an open letter for the pioneers It was from the adventurer Lansford W Hastings The letter advertised a shortcut to California It promised that Hastings would meet interested emigrants at Fort Bridger in modern-day Wyoming From there he would guide them along the shortcut The pioneers were already familiar with Hastings and his shortcut Some were using his 1845 book The Emigrants Guide to 6

Death in the Donner Party — page 4 — Oregon and California as a guidebook on their journey west Even Jacob Donner carried a copy in his packs Hastings briefly described the shortcut in the book even though he had never actually tried the route himself The trail west split at Little Sandy River There on July 20 Russell’s company parted ways Most families did not want to risk taking the shortcut They continued on the northwestern route toward Fort Hall But the Donners Reeds and a few other families turned southwest toward Fort Bridger Soon this small group elected George Donner as its leader It officially became known as the Donner Party AGES OF THE DONNER PARTY EMIGRANTS Babies ages 1 4 Young adults ages 15 19 Children ages 5 14 Women ages 20 69 Men ages 20 69 16 24 23 15 3 7

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