What happened to the Donner Party and who were they?
The Donner Party was a group of approximately 87 American pioneers including men, women and children who set out to travel from Springfield, Illinois to California in 1846. They were part of a larger group of pioneers known as the “California-bounders,” who were attempting to reach California in the midst of the California Gold Rush.
Unfortunately, the Donner Party encountered many difficulties and delays along the way, including getting lost and taking a wrong turn that led them into the treacherous Sierra Nevada Mountains. By the time winter set in, the pioneers were stranded in the mountains and were facing extreme hardship and hunger.
With no way to escape the mountains and limited supplies, some members of the Donner Party resorted to cannibalism in order to survive. Accounts of the event vary, but it is estimated that between 20 and 80 people were cannibalised, primarily from the bodies of those who had already died from starvation or exposure.
Some of them did survive. Out of the approximately 87 people who were part of the group, it is estimated that about half of them survived the winter in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The survivors were eventually rescued by relief parties that were sent to help them, and they were able to make their way to California.
However, many of the survivors suffered from long-term effects of their ordeal, including physical and psychological effects from their experiences in the mountains.
The story of the Donner Party is a grim reminder of the dangers and difficulties faced by pioneers during the westward expansion of the United States in the 19th century. While the acts of cannibalism committed by the members of the Donner Party are widely condemned, they are also seen as a testament to the extreme conditions and desperation that the pioneers faced in their quest for a better life in California.
Many of the survivors of the Donner Party went on to have families and children, and their descendants continue to live in the United States today. The exact number of descendants is not known, but it is believed that there are hundreds or possibly even thousands of people who are related to the members of the Donner Party. They are spread throughout the United States and come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.
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The original photo in the article is at the Bancroft Library at the University of California. It depicts two members of the Donner Party, James F. and Margaret (Keyes) Reed. Margaret died about 1862, and James died in 1874. (See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
