What do all of the following people have in common?

Charles Berger, Patrick Breen, Margaret Breen, John Breen, Edward Breen, Patrick Breen, Jr., Simon Breen, James Breen, Peter Breen, Isabella Breen, Jacob Donner, Elizabeth Donner, George Donner, Jr., Mary Donner, Isaac Donner, Lewis Donner, Samuel Donner, George Donner, Sr., Tamsen Donner, Elitha Donner, Leanna C. Donner, Frances Eustis Donner, Georgia Anna Donner, Eliza Poor Donner, William Hook, Solomon Hook, Patrick Doland, John Denton, Milton Elliot, William Eddy, Eleanor, Margaret Eddy, and James Eddy, Jay Fosdick and Sarah Fosdick, William Foster, Sarah Foster, George Foster, Franklin W. Graves, Sr., Elisabeth Graves, Mary Graves, William C. Graves, Eleanor Graves, Lovina Graves, Nancy Graves, Jonathan B. Graves, Franklin W. Graves, Jr., Elizabeth Graves, Jr., Noah James, Lewis S. Keseberg, Philippine Keseberg, Ada Keseberg and Lewis S. Keseberg, Jr., Mrs. Lovina Murphy, John Landrum Murphy, Lemuel Murphy, Mary Murphy, William G. Murphy and Simon Murphy, Mrs. Amanda Mcutchen and Harriet McCutchen, Mrs. Harriet Pike, Nioma Pike and Catherine Pike, Mrs. Margaret Reed, Virginia Reed, Martha J. Reed, James F. Reed, Jr., and Thomas K. Reed, Joseph Rhinehart, Charles Stanton ,John Baptiste Trubode, August Spitzer, James Smith, Samuel Shoemaker, Bailis Williams, Eliza Williams, Mrs. Woolfinger, Antonio, Lewis and Salvador.

All of these people were a part of the Donner Party….a fateful journey that took this large group of people from Springfield, IL to Independence, MO.  Some of the above families wouldn’t join until Missouri…and I’m sure many wish they never had. From there, it was certain death for many, for the survivors, a lifetime of anguish and nightmarish memories.

The Donner party was named this for the “Captain” of the group, Mr. George Donner. 

Many thousands before had made this exact trip, what was it about this group that made them unable to complete the 2000 mile trip from Illinois to Oregon and then on to California?  Was it Hastings Trail, a supposed short-cut?

I would love to hear from my readers.  I’ll include some links here to help you in researching this, but I want to hear what you all think.  Was it the “short-cut” that did them in, or was this group doomed from the beginning?  Please email me at genlady@genlady.com.

• We’re Hitting the Trail!
• The Fateful Journey of the Donner Party
• The Donner Party Tragedy
• New Light on the Donner Party

These are only a few possible links. Go to your favorite search engine and find more, there are many to be found on the Donner Party. There is even a mail list at Rootsweb specifically for the Donner Party research. Donner-Party List

I can’t wait to hear from everyone!

Filed under: American Tragedy