History of California, Volume XXII, Part 57

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816

USA > California > History of California, Volume XXII > Part 57

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On June 2, 1847, the remnants of the Donner property were sold for the benefit of the children. N. Helv. Diary, MS., 59. According to the Alta, June 22, 1868, the first railroad train from the east had among its passengers a woman who, as a little girl, had been one of the Donner party. Many relics of the party were dug up in 1879; and a cabinet with some 200 of these articles was kept at Truckee for a time. S. J. Pioneer, Nov. 15, 1879. According to newspapers of the same year, there was a plan to erect a monu- ment at Donner Lake to the memory of the party.

543

GENERAL REFLECTIONS.

ular horror excited by the cannibalism of the Donner party.

Of the 36 men, 21 women, and 30 children making up the original party of 87, there perished 22, 5, and 12 respectively, or a total of 39, while the survivors numbered 48. For biographic mention of each, as of members of the different relief parties, I refer the reader to my Pioneer Register and Index in these vol- umes. About 30 were still living in 1880. In June 1847 General Kearny and his party, including Fallon and Bryant, on their way to the east, gave burial to the remains of such vietims as they could find; and this work was completed in September by the return- ing' Mormons of the battalion.

In thus recording the experiences of this ill-fated company, I have designedly made no attempt to paint in words the horrors of their journey. The plain facts are sufficiently horrible. I have also omitted for the most part all allusions to individual acts seem- ing to justify censure or eulogy. Such acts of both classes have been attributed to nearly every adult in the party, and to some of the rescuers. Soon after leaving Fort Bridger dissensions arose between par- ties, cliques, and families; serious quarrels ensued before the time of their greatest trials; and the preju- diees thus developed colored all later testimony. There is not an original narrative which does not show traces of the writer's personal likes and dislikes, or which does not contain directly or indirectly accu- sations or complaints. It is neither possible nor de- sirable to investigate the details. Doubtless most committed errors of judgment, were moved by their troubles to say and do foolish things, or were driven in the insanity of starvation to petty acts of apparent cruelty and selfishness; but on the other hand, there were few, if any, who did not on one occasion or an- other show traits of heroic self-sacrifice. Most of them ate human flesh, and they did right; it was the necessity, not the act, that was deplorable; and the

544

PIONEERS-DONNER PARTY-THE MORMONS.

few who at the prompting of stomach or conscience refused the revolting food deserve no special com- mendation. These immigrants acted as others would have done under like circumstances, though under a competent leader and with unity of purpose and action they might have escaped the worst of their mis- fortunes. I think McGlashan has done wisely in suppressing disagreeable details and dwelling on the noble deeds of each member; but his kindly exagger- ation of praise, no less than the disgusting accusa- tions of other writers, is unsuited to my work. Yet it is well to note the self-sacrifice of Stanton and Mrs Donner, the manly efforts of Reed and Eddy, and the bravery of the rescuers from California; also to point out that the killing of Snyder, so far as we may know, was an act of self-defence; and that the most serious charges against Keseberg had but slight foundation in fact.

One phase of the Mormon migration to California has already been noticed in a chapter devoted to the battalion of volunteer soldiers.31 This battalion marched from the far west, but the migratory move- ment was intended to include the whole church, and there were many of the faith living in the eastern states. In a farewell message to saints in the east, dated at New York, November 8, 1845, Orson Pratt explained the general plan to migrate en masse be- yond the limits of "this wicked nation," and called upon the brethren to sell their property, purchase teams, and go to Nauvoo for a start with the rest in the early spring. Such as might not be able to pro- vide a proper outfit for the overland journey-and it was clearly set forth that poverty-stricken saints would not just now be welcome at Nauvoo-were counselled to take the cheaper route by sea; and it was an- nounced that Elder Samuel Brannan would be left in

31 See chapter xviii. of this volume. See also Hist. Utah, this series, for a general account of the Mormon movement westward.

545

BRANNAN'S COLONY.

charge of this emigration to charter a vessel, or half a dozen vessels if necessary, and start in January for the Pacific coast.32 Brannan was a native of Maine, who after a residence in the west-during which he had imbibed the true faith, but had been wellnigh killed by fever and ague-returned to New York to publish the Prophet and preach to the saints of the metropolis. He was a man of more ability and zeal than high principle; still few better could have been selected to lead this people around Cape Horn to the land of promise.

Very soon the ship Brooklyn of 450 tons, Richard- son master, was chartered at $1,200 per month; and the rate of passage for adults was fixed at $50, though an additional sum of $25 was required for subsistence. It was hoped, however, that more favorable terms could be secured for later companies, since a New York merchant proposed to carry Mormons at $16 per ton, if he could secure the carrying of certain government stores. There were over 300 applicants for passage on the Brooklyn, but most of them were too poor to pay the sum required, and had to remain behind, though some were aided by contributions from richer brethren. A large supply of implements for farmers and mechanics-enough for 800 men, as was estimated, with a view to later accessions to the colony-was put on the ship, which carried also three flouring mills and a printing-press, with all the mate- rial pertaining to the Prophet newspaper. Books, especially those for school use, were not forgotten; and 179 volumes from a benevolent lawyer of Brook- lyn were added to the library at the last moment. 33

32 Nov. 8, 1845, Pratt's message, in Nauvoo Times and Seasons, v. 1043.

33 Nauvoo Times and Seasons, vi. 1094, 1112-14, 1126-8, including Bran- nan's announcements, explanations, and instructions to the faithful about preparations for the voyage, and prompt assembling at New York. Also a series of rules and regulations for conduct on the trip in 21 articles. I. M. Vancott was the man who gave 179 volumes of Harper's Family Library. A negro cook and steward were employed at $16 and $18 per month. Exact dates in the preparations of Nov. to Jan. are not clear, from the fact that most of the items in the Times and Seasons are taken from the N. Y. Messen- ger without naming dates of the latter.

HIST. CAL., VOL. V. 35

546

PIONEERS-DONNER PARTY-THE MORMONS.

The whole number of emigrants finally leaving New York was 238,34 including 70 men, 68 women, and 100 children. They were chiefly American farmers and mechanics from the eastern and middle states, and included a few-just how many it is impossible to state -- who were not Mormons. I append a list of names. 35

3i According to my list in next note, though as will be seen there are a few uncertain items in the matter of children. Kemble, Twenty Years Ago, says there were 238 souls, about a dozen not being Mormons. Eagar says there were 236, all Mormons but Frank Ward. The Times and Seasons, vi. 1126, makes the number 230, with 3 or 4 not Mormons.

33 I have three lists of the Mormon immigrants, the most complete of which is that published in the Honolulu Friend, July 1, 1846, as a passenger list on the arrival of the Brooklyn at that port. Another was made before the vessel left N. Y., and is found in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons, vi. 1113; but many changes were made apparently before departure. The third list is one made out by Wm Glover, Mormons in Cal., MS., in I884, with notes as to what became of the different members. There were probably a few non-Mormon passen- gers not named in the following list. See a biographic notice of each member in my Pioneer Register and Index.

Brannan's company of Mormon immigrants, 1846: Isaac Addison, wife, and daughter; Silas Aldrich (died at sea), wife Prudence, son Jasper, and daughter; Wm Atherton and wife; Julius C. Austin, wife, and 3 children; Samuel Bran- nan, wife, and child; Alondus L. D. Buckland, and mother Hannah D. Buck- land; Newell Bullen, wife, and 3 children; Charles C. Burr, wife, and child; Nathan Burr and wife; John Cade (possibly Kincaid) and wife; Sophia P. Clark; Abram Combs, wife, and 3 children; Mrs Fanny M. Corwin; John Eagar, Lucy Eagar, and daughter (perhaps 2) Mary Eagar, Thomas Eagar; Ehas Ensign (died at sea), Miss Eliza Ensign (died at sea), Jerusha Ensign and son; Wm Evans, wife, and 4 children; Joseph R. Fisher, Mary Ann Fisher: Jerusha Fowler, and 4 children (a child of John (?) Fowler died at sea); Win Glover, wife, and 3 children; Isaac Goodwin, wife (died at sea), and 6 children; Jonathan Griffith, wife, and 2 children; Mrs Mary Hamilton (and perhaps children); A. G. Haskell; Jacob Hayes; Joseph Hicks; John M. Horner and wife; Elisha Hyatt, wife, and son; Cyrus Ira (or Irea); John Joyce, wife, and child (perhaps 2); Mrs Isabella Jones; Ed. C. Kemble; George Kittleman, John Kittleman, Sarah Kittleman, Thomas Kittleman, Wm Kittleman, wife, and 6 children; Richard Knowles, and wife; Samuel Ladd (or Johnson); Emmeline A. Lane; Isaac Leigh (or Lee), and wife; James Light, wife, and child; Angeline M. Lovett; Patrick McCue, wife, and 4 children; Earl Mar- shall and family; Moses A. Meder, wife Sarah D., and child; Barton Mowry, wife, and 2 sons; Origin Mowry and family (?); Rinaldo Mowry; Ambrose T. Moses, wife, and 4 children; Miss Mary Murray; Edwin Narrimore, Mercy M. Narrimore (apparently remained at Honolulu for a time), and child; Joseph Nichols, wife Jcrusha, and child (a child also died at sea); Lucy Nutting; Howard Oakley; E. Ward Pell, wife, and 2 daughters; Robert Petch, wife, and 2 children; John Philips; Peter Pool, Mary Pool, Elizabeth Pool; Chris- tiana Read, Hannah T. Read (Jimison ?), and child, John Reed, Rachael Reed; Isaac R. Robbins, wife, and 2 children; John R. Robbins, wife, and 2 chil- dren (2 children died at sea); Henry Rowland (Roulan, or Rollins) and daughter (?), Isaac Rowland; Eliza Savage; James Scott; George W. Sirrine, John J. Sirrine, wife, and child; Horace A. Skinner, wife, and child; Amelia Smith; Orrin Smith, wife, and 6 children; Robert Smith, wife, and 2 children; Zelnora S. Snow; Mary Sparks and family; Quartus S. Sparks, wife, and child;

547

THE ELDER'S SCHEMES.

Besides superintending preparations for the depart- ure of this particular company, Elder Brannan de- voted much attention to the general welfare of the whole Mormon people in their new western home, and this not altogether to the neglect perhaps of his own interests and those of certain friends. He dis- covered, or pretended to have discovered, that the government would probably take steps to prevent the Mormon migration, on the ground that they intended to take sides with either Mexico or England against the United States. But the shrewd Samuel also dis- covered a remedy for all prospective misfortune. He learned that Amos Kendall and certain influential as- sociates, acting through one Benson as agent, and claiming President Polk as a 'silent party' to the project, would undertake to prevent all interference if the Mormon leaders would sign an agreement "to transfer to A. G. Benson & Co. the odd numbers of all the lands and town lots they may acquire in the country where they may settle." Accordingly such a contract was drawn up by Kendall, signed by Bran- man and Benson, witnessed by Elder Appleby, and sent to President Young for approval. In relation to this matter, I am unable to say whether Brannan was made to believe by certain men for their own in- terests that the saints were in danger and that they had influence with the government, being thus in- duced to sign the contract for protection, or whether

Daniel Stark, wife, and 2 children; George Still, wife, and 3 children; Simeon Stivers; Wm Stout, wife, and child; Jesse A. Stringfellow; Thomas Tompkins, wife, and 2 children; Frank Ward (not a Mormon); Caroline Warner and 3 children; George K. Winner, wife, and 6 children (a child died at sea).

The list in Times and Seasons contains the following names, not in the Honolulu list, of persons who probably could not finally raise the passage money: Dan. S. Baldwin, Manena Cannon, Jonas Cook, James Embly, J. M. Farnsworth, Wm Flint, Joseph France, John Hairbaird, Wm Mack, Stephen H. Pierce, Wm C. Reamer, Dan. Richardson, Charles Russell, Susan A. Searls, James Smith, Sam. Smith, and Simeon Stanley. One Ferguson, an Irishman from Waterford, is named by Maguire. Irish in Amer., 269. Lin- coln is named by Findla, Statement, MS., 3-4, as a Mormon preacher. Clark, of ' Clark's Point,' S. F., is called a Mormon by Sherman. Mem., i. 52. Mar- shall and Oakley are not named in the Honolulu list, though there is no doubt about their coming. Ladd was known as Johnson in Cal.

545

PIONEERS -- DONNER PARTY-THE MORMONS.

the scheme was one devised by the crafty elder him- self as a means of becoming a partner in the proposed speculations of Benson & Co. in California. Brigham Young and his council declined to approve the con- tract, and no very serious results to the Mormons ensued; but the war with Mexico may have inter- fered with the plans of the speculators, of which noth- ing more is known. It is noticeable that Lansford W. Hastings was a Californian agent in this affair, and that he also represented it as a project secretly supported by the government. 30

It was on February 4th that the Brooklyn sailed from New York with her load of emigrants. She was not a fast sailer, but excellent preparations had been made for the comfort of the passengers. Elaborate regulations had been drawn up for all the details of

36 Tullidge's Life of Brigham Young, 18-24, contains the best account of this matter, with quotations from original documents. In his letter of Jan. 26th to Young, Brannan says: 'I had an interview with Amos Kendall, in company with Mr Benson, which resulted in a compromise'-a previous let- ter of the 12th had made known the impending danger to the saints -- 'the conditions of which you will learn by reading the contract between them and us. . . K. is now our friend, and will use his influence in our behalf in connec- tion with 25 of the most prominent demagogues in the country. You will be permitted to pass out of the states unmolested. . . I shall select the most suitable spot on the bay of S. F. for the location of a commercial city. When I sail, which will be next Saturday at one o'clock, I shall hoist a flag with "Oregon" on it. . . I am aware that it (the contract) is a covenant with death, but we know that God is able to break it and will do it. The children of Israel in their escape from Egypt had to make covenants for their safety and leave it for God to break them; and the prophet has said, "As it was then so shall it be in the last days. ". . . Mr Benson's address is No. 39 South St., and the sooner you can give him answer the hetter. He will spend one month in Washington to sustain you, and he will do it, no mistake. But everything must be kept silent as death on our part, names of parties in particular. I now commit this sheet to the post, praying that Israel's God may prevent it from falling into the hands of wicked men.' In a postscript to a copy of the contract he says: 'It is no gammon, but will be carried through if you say "amen." It was drawn up by Kendall's own hand; but no person must be known but Mr Benson.' In his journal Brigham Young writes: 'The council considered the subject, and concluded that as our trust was in God, and that as we looked to him for protection, we would not sign any such unjust and oppressive agreement. This was a plan of political demagognes to rob the Latter-day Saints of millions, and compel them to submit to it by threats of Federal bayonets.' March 3d, Hastings to Larkin, predicts great things for Cal. from the vast tide of immigration. Benson & Co. are about to establish a great commercial house in Cal. and will send two ships a year, bringing immigrants free of charge. This is a confidential govt arrangement, B. & Co. not really bearing the expense. The motive of the govt will be clear to L. Larkin's Doc., MS., iv. 55.

549

VOYAGE OF THE BROOKLYN.

routine conduct, and there were days when several of the rules were not broken. Strict attention was paid to the duties of religion; yet before the end of the voyage four leading members had to be excommuni- cated for improper views and conduct, or what seemed such to the immaculate Samuel.37 Besides these spir- itual backsliding there were ten deaths, and two births, the infants being named Atlantic and Pacific. In each ocean a storm put all in danger. Once Cap- tain Richardson gave up the vessel as lost; but the Mormons paid no heed to such terrors, for were they not in the keeping of the Lord, and bound for a land

of promise? It is even claimed that faith somewhat strengthened them to bear the pangs of sea-sickness. The last storm struck the ship when she was near the latitude of Valparaíso, and trying to make that port, driving her back nearly to the cape. The first an- chorage was at the island of Juan Fernandez on May 4th. But here they got for nothing the supplies that would have cost dear at Valparaiso.33 After five days they continued their voyage, arriving at Honolulu on June 20th, and remaining there ten days, being hos- pitably welcomed, and honored by Mr Damon with a kindly notice in the Friend.30 Here they met Com- modore Stockton, about to sail for Monterey, and learned something of the prospect that California would soon be occupied by the United States. Much of the time during the remainder of the voyage was

37 Brannan's letter in Liverpool Millen. Star, ix. 307. Elder Pell, B.'s counsellor, was one of the culprits. 'Wicked and licentious conduct' was shown by 'evidence of the most disgusting character,' if we may credit B. The trial was after leaving Honolulu.

38 I have a copy of a letter from one of the passengers, written at Juan Fernandez on the 5th, and describing the voyage to that point as pleasant and uneventful.

39 Honolulu Friend, July 1, 1846, including, as we have seen, a list of the Mormons. Quoted also in the Millennial Star, ix. 39-40. John P. Gregson, then on the Erte, in a letter of 1875, says one of the Mormon elders and fam- ily remained at Honolulu on account of ill health, and conversed freely with the writer about the plans of the saints. Glover says that Orrin Smith's fam- ily was the one left at the islands. Mrs Narrimore and son arrived at S. F. in 1847 on the Don Quixote, and may therefore have remained at Honolulu.

550

PIONEERS-DONNER PARTY-THE MORMONS.

spent in military drill, with a view to possible hostility on the part of the Mexicans.40

The arrival at San Francisco was on July 31st, and of course there was not the slightest opposition to the landing from United States officials, as there would probably have been none had the Californians been still in power, though it is true that immigrants from the western states had not given the Mormons a good name.41 Brannan and his associates were doubtless somewhat surprised to find the stars and stripes float- ing over their land of promise, and it is even possible that the pious elder's first remark, as reported, was, " There is that damned flag again "1 But it has been the fashion greatly to exaggerate their disappoint- ment. Could the Mormons have established them- selves, fifty or a hundred thousand strong, in the country while it was yet a Mexican possession, it might have better suited their plans, since it would have given them a vantage-ground for negotiations with the United States. Possibly in certain contin- gencies they would have acted against that govern- ment had their interests seemed to require it; but that they expected or desired such a state of things may

4º Glover names Ladd and Robt Smith as teachers of tactics; and says the drill continued until Capt. R., fearing a mutiny, stopped it. Kemble says the teacher was a deserter from the U. S. army. Eagar represents the arms as having been bought at Honolulu on the advice of Stockton.

Wm Glover's Mormons in California is a MS. record of the voyage and all connected with the immigrant company, written from memory in 1884, at the request of Franklin D. Richards, and furnished for my use by the latter. It is of especial value in its information on what became of the different members, and is supplemented by a letter of July 31, 1884. Twenty Years Ago. The 'Brooklyn' Mormons in California, is a very complete narrative of the whole matter, probably the best extant, published in the Sacramento Union, Sept. 11, 1866, and written by one of the company, whom I suppose to have been E. C. Kemble. John Eagar's brief narrative is a MS. furnished by Mr Rich- ards, with Glover's Mormons. It is not of great value, containing several erroneous statements. In the Times and Seasons, vi. 1126-7, is a full account of circumstances attending the departure from N. Y. Brief account by the 'wife of Col Jackson,' in T'ullidge's Women, 445-8. Californian songs of the Mormons, in Young's Wife No. 19, p. 111, 116-17; Marshall's Through America, 179-80. Mention of Brannan's company may be found in most works on early California.

41 March 2d, Gov. Pico to assembly, on rumors of an intended Mormon immigration. Olvera, Doc., MS., 14-15; Dept. St. Pap., MS., ix. 16-17. March 4th, Larkin to U. S. sec. state, on the same reports, which he repre- sents as having caused much fear. Larkin's Off. Corresp., MS., ii. 42.

-- 1

1 --- 1

------- 1

i 1 - -

--- --- ! i

551

ARRIVAL AT SAN FRANCISCO.

well be doubted. There had been nothing secret or mysterious about their purpose to occupy California, but they had hoped to be first in the field, and mas- ters of the situation, the grantors not recipients of favors in their dealings with a government that had not protected them against the mobs in Missouri and Illinois. Yet, though they had not expected the war to break out so soon, they must have known what was likely to happen before they left the states; news at Honolulu had left but slight doubt as to the result; and now, if not entirely pleased, they were prepared to make the best of the situation, taking comfort from the thought that they had at least escaped complica- tions with the Mexicans, and had saved a considerable sum in duties that would have had to be paid on their cargo.

Thus San Francisco became for a time very largely a Mormon town. All bear witness to the orderly and moral conduct of the saints both on land and sea. They were honest and industrious citizens, even if clannish and peculiar. There was no practice of polyg- amy to excite animosities. They had a few months' provisions left on disembarking, but they owed some- thing on their passage money. After camping for a time on a vacant lot, some went to Marin county to work as lumbermen and thus pay their debts; others were put in possession of the old mission buildings; all sought work at whatever tasks presented them- selves, making themselves generally useful; while a party of twenty was sent into the San Joaquin valley to prepare for the coming of the Nauvoo saints by the overland route. Many of them appear in the town records of 1846-7 as the grantees of building lots. Yet all was not tranquil in the community. Four had been expelled from the church on the voyage, as before remarked, and three more soon after landing. Some of the company made complaints against Bran- nan, whose misdeeds are not clearly specified, but who was apparently exonerated after a legal investiga-

552

PIONEERS-DONNER PARTY-THE MORMONS.

tion. Before the end of 1846 twenty "went astray after strange gods, serving their bellies and lusts," as the elder expressed it; that is, they declined to fol- low his instructions. In January 1847 Brannan be- gan the publication of the Yerba Buena California Star, using the material of the old Prophet office; and it was continued through this year and the next. It was not issued as an organ of Mormonism but as a news- paper, though I think some special 'extras' were de- voted to church affairs, not being generally circu- lated. 42

Brannan wrote from Yerba Buena on the 1st of January: "We have commenced a settlement on the River San Joaquin, a large and beautiful stream emptying into the bay of San Francisco; but the families of the company are wintering in this place, where they find plenty of employment, and houses to live in; and about twenty of our number are up at the new settlement, which we call New Hope, ploughing and putting in wheat and other erops, and making preparations to move their families up in the spring, where they hope to meet the main body by land some time during the coming season." 43 The site of New

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of California, Volume XXII, Part 57

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe Publication date: 1885-1890 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers Number of Pages: 816

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe
Publication date: 1885-1890
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : The History Company, publishers
Number of Pages: 816