USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 39
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letters were not delivered, and the Donner party concluded to take the shorter route.
Approaching the mouth of the Webber. ean- yon, they found a letter sticking in the top of a sage bush from Hastings, the discoverer of the new route. He was then piloting a company through, and proposed to the Donner Company that, if they would send messengers for him, he would return and pilot them through a better way than the one by which they were directed. In response to the letter, Reed, Stanton and Mc- Cutchen, of the Donner party, hastened on to accept the offer of Mr. Hastings. The latter then came back part of the way and after piloting the three men a few miles, gave them directions, and returned to the first party he was piloting through. Reed, Stanton and Mccutchen then returned to their own party, and all went to work, and by digging and cutting timber, made a road passing to the south end of Salt Lake, crossing the outlet of the lake, now called the river Jor- dan. Passing to the northwest around the lake, they were detained a few days by the death, from consumption, of Mr. Halloran, one of the company.
A few more days' travel brought them to the springs where they were to provide water and grass for crossing Hasting's Desert, an akaline desert, destitute of water and vegetation. They were led to believe it was less than fifty miles across, but it proved to be nearer eighty. It was understood that they must travel day and night, stopping only long enough to feed and water the cattle. When about two-thirds of the way across, the stock manifested signs of being ex- hausted, and Mr. Reed was requested to go for- ward until he found water and then report. After traveling about twenty miles be found water, and returning, about eleven o'clock at night, he met his teamsters driving the cattle, having left their wagons. After directing them how to proceed, he went on to meet his family and the remainder of the company. Soon after leaving his teamsters one of their horses sunk down in the road, and while they were endeav- oring to raise it, the cattle scented the water, scattered, and nine yoke of them were never found. Only one ox and one eow remained.
About daylight the next morning, Mr. Reed succeeded in reaching his family, and found them alone, the remainder of the party having continued their journey, none of them having taken their teams from the wagons except Mr. Reed's men. Not knowing that his cattle were lost, Mr. Reed waited with his family all day, expecting some of his men to return and haul
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them to water. Not receiving any information, and their supply of water being nearly gone, he started with his family on foot, carrying his youngest child in his arms. In the course of the night the children became exhausted, so they spread a blanket on the ground and all lay down on it, covering themselves with shawls. A cold wind commenced blowing soon after they lay down, and the children could only be kept warm by having their four dogs lie down against them outside the shawls.
About daylight they moved on, and soon came to a wagon which belonged to Jacob Donner and which contained his family, Mr. Donner having gone forward for water. He soon after returned and took his own and Mr. Reed's family to the source of the supply, where they remained in camp for about one week, spending the time in searching for the lost cattle. The search was unavailing, it being believed the Indians had secured all of them. Mr. Reed, as soon as he became convinced his cattle could not be found, divided among others his pro- visions, except what he could haul in one wagon, and leaving seven wagons on the plains, the party again resumed their journey. Winter was close upon them and the party was hundreds of miles from any human habitation.
After proceeding some days on their journey it was found that provisions were running short. An estimate was made of the quantity it would take for each family. It was now proposed by Mr. Reed, that two of the number should hur- riedly proceed forward to Captain Sutter's, in California, and secure supplies, Mr. Reed becom- ing personally responsible for the payment. William McCutchen, of Missouri, and Mr. Stan- ton, of Chicago, volunteered for this purpose. They started upon their journey and weeks passed without any tiding from them. It was now suggested that Mr. Reed go in advance to see what had become of them, and hurry up supplies.
At this time the two Donner families were in advance of the main body. Walter Herron was with the Donner's and when Mr. Reed over- took them, Herron volunteered to go with him, which offer was accepted. Having but one horse, they rode by turns. Their provisions giv- ing out, they traveled for days without food, except wild geese and other game which they occasionally killed on Truckee river. When they reached the Sierra Nevada mountains, Her- ron wanted to kill the horse, and Mr. Reed per- suaded him from it by agreeing to kill him rather than perish with hunger. That afternoon
Herron became delirious for want of food. They found five beans. Herron ate three of them, and Reed the other two. The next morn- ing they came upon some abandoned wagons, which they ransacked, but failed to find any food. Taking the tar-bucket from one of the wagons, and scraping the tar from the bottom, Mr. Reed discovered a streak of rancid tallow in the bottom, which he made known to Herron, who swallowed a piece about the size of a wal- nut without giving it a smell. Ile swallowed a second piece, and wanted more, which Mr. Reed refused to give him, having himself eaten some which made him deathly sick. They soon after descended into Bear river valley, where they found some emigrants in wagons, who gave them food and relieved their sufferings. They there met Mr. Stanton and two Indians sent by Captain Sutter to aid in carrying provisions. Mr. Reed was so emaciated that Mr. Stanton did not recognize him until they had conversed with each other several minutes. The next morning, October 23, 1846, each party continued their journey. Mr. Reed went on to Captain Sutter's, where he secured thirty horses, one mule and two Indians to aid him in bringing out the sufferers. He was joined by Mr. Mccutchen, who had been separated from Mr. Stanton by sickness. With some flour and meat they started to meet the suffering emigrants in the mountains. After weeks spent in unavailing efforts, they had to return, as men and horses sank out of sight in the snow. It was evident that nothing could be done until spring, the mountaineers all being absent fighting Mexicans, the war with Mexico having commenced the year before, and the natives of Spanish and Indian blood having expressed a determination to exterminate the Americans.
Snow commenced falling the latter part of October, and caught the whole party, not in a body, but scattered along some distance, the ex- tremes being probably a day's journey apart. The following journal, kept by one of the suf- ferers, includes the time from October 31, 1846, to March 1, 1847, and is from the Illinois State Journal, of September 16, 1847:
TRUCKEE'S LAKE, November 20, 1846 .- Came to this place on the 31st of last month; went into the Pass, the snow so deep we were unable to find the road, and when within three miles from the summit, turned back to this shanty, on Truckee's Lake. Stanton came up one day, after we arrived here; we again took our teams and wagons, and made another unsuccessful attempt to eross the mountains, as it continued to snow
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all the time. We now have killed most part of onr cattle, having to remain here until next spring, and live on lean meat, without bread or salt. It snowed during the space of eight days, with little intermission, after our arrival, though now clear and pleasant, freezing at night; the snow nearly gone from the valleys.
Nov. 21-Fine morning, wind northwest; twenty-two of our company about starting to cross the mountains this day, including Stanton and his Indians.
Nov. 22-Froze hard last night; fine and clear to-day; no account from those on the mountains.
Nov. 23-Same weather, wind west; the ex- pedition across the mountains returned after an unsuccessful attempt.
Nov. 25-Cloudy; looks like the eve of a snow storm; our mountaineers are to make an- other trial to-morrow, if fair; froze hard last night.
Nor. 26 .- Began to snow last evening; now rains or sleets; the party do not start to-day.
Nov. 29-Still snowing; now about three feet deep; wind west; killed my last oxen to-day; gave another yoke to Foster; wood hard to be got
Nov. 30-Snowing fast; looks as likely to con- tinue as when it commenced; no living thing, without wings, can get about.
Dec. 1-Still snowing; wind west; snow about six or six and one-half feet deep; very difficult to get wood, and we are completely housed up; our cattle all killed but two or three, and these, with the horses and Stanton's mules, all sup- posed to be lost in the snow; no hopes of find- ing them alive.
Dec. 3-Ceased snowing; cloudy all day; warm enough to thaw.
Dec. 4-Beautiful sunshine; thawing a little; looks delightful, after the long storm; snow sev- en or eight feet deep.
Dec. 5-The morning fine and clear; Stanton and Graves manufacturing snow-shoes for an- other mountain scramble; no account of mules.
Dec. 8-Fine weather; froze hard last night; wind southwest; hard work to find wood suf- ficient to keep us warm, or cook our beef.
Dec. 9-Commenced snowing about eleven o'clock; wind northwest; took in Spitzer yester- day, so weak that he cannot rise without help, caused by starvation. Some have a scant supply of beef; Stanton trying to get some for himself and Indians; not likely to get much.
Dec. 10-Snowed fast all night, with heavy squalls of wind; continues to snow; now about seven feet in depth.
Dec. 14-Snows faster than any previous day; Stanton and Graves, with several others, making preparations to cross the mountains on snow shoes; snow eight feet on a level.
Dec. 16-Fair and pleasant; froze hard last night; the company started on snow shoes to cross the mountains; wind southeast.
Dec. 17-Pleasant; William Murphy returned from the mountain party last evening; Bayless Williams died night before last; Milton and Noah started for Donner's eight days ago; not returned yet; think they are lost in the snow.
Dec. 19-Snowed last night; thawing to day; wind northwest, a little singular for a thaw.
Dec. 20-Clear and pleasant; Mrs. Reed here; no account from Milton yet; Charles Berger set out for Donner's; turned back, unable to pro- ceed; tough times, but not discouraged; our hopes are in God. Amen!
Dec. 21-Milton got back last night from Donner's camp; sad news; Jacob Donner, Sam- uel Shoemaker, Rhinehart and Smith are dead; the rest of them in a low situation; snowed all night, with a strong southwest wind.
Dec. 23-Clear to-day; Milton took some of his meat away; all well at their camp. Began this day to read the "thirty day's Prayers;" Al- mighty God grant the requests of unworthy sinners!
Dec. 24-Rained all night and still continues; . poor prospect for any kind of comfort, spiritual or temporal.
Dec. 25-Began to snow yesterday; snowed all night and snows yet, rapidly; extremely dif- ficult to find wood; offered our prayers to God this (Christmas) morning; the prospect is ap- palling, but we trust in Him.
Dec. 27-Cleared off yesterday; continues clear; snow nine feet deep; wood growing scarcer; a tree, when felled, sinks into the snow, and is hard to be got at.
Dec. 30-Fine clear morning; froze hard last night; Charles Berger died last evening about ten o'clock.
Dec. 31-Last of the year; may we, with the help of God, spend the coming year better than we have the past, which we propose to do if it be the will of the Almighty to deliver us from our present dreadful situation; Amen. Morn- ing fair, but cloudy; wind east-by-south; looks like another snow storm; snow storms are dread- ful to us; the snow at present is very deep.
Jan. 1, 1847-We pray the God of mercy to deliver us from our present calamity, if it be His holy will. Commenced snowing last night, and snows a little yet; provisions getting scant;
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dug up a hide from under the snow yesterday; have not commenced on it yet.
Jun. 3-Fair during the day; freezing at night; Mrs. Reed talks of crossing the moun- tains with her children.
Jan. 4-Fine morning, looks like spring; Mrs. Reed and Virginia, Milton Elliott and Eliza Williams started a short time ago, with the hope of crossing the mountain; left the children here; it was difficult for Mrs. Reed to part with them.
Jan. 6-Eliza came back from the mountains yesterday evening, not able to proceed; the others kept ahead.
Jan. 8-Very cold this morning; Mrs. Reed and others came back, could not find their way, on the other side of the mountains; they have nothing but hides to live on.
Jan. 10-Began to snow last night; still con- tinues; wind west-north-west.
Jan. 13-Snowing fast; snow higher than the shanty; it must be thirteen feet deep; cannot get wood this morning; it is a dreadful sight for us to look upon.
Jan. 14-Cleared off yesterday; the sun shin- ing brilliantly renovates our spirits; praise be to the God of Heaven.
Jan. 15-Clear day again; wind northwest; Mrs. Murphy blind; Lanthron not able to get wood; has but one axe between him and Kies- burg; it looks like another storm; expecting some account from Sutter's soon.
Jan. 17-Lanthron became crazy last night; provisions scarce; hides our main subsistence; may the Almighty send us help.
Jan. 21-Fine morning; John Battise and Mr. Denton came this morning with Eliza. She will not eat hides; Mrs. - sent her back to live or die on them.
Jan. 22-Began to snow after sunrise; likely to continue; wind north.
Jan. 23-Blew hard and snowed all night; the most severe storm we have experienced this winter; wind west.
Jan. 26-Cleared up yesterday; to-day fine and pleasant, wind south; in hopes we are done with snow storms; those who went to Sutter's not yet returned; provisions getting scant; peo- ple growing weak; living on small allowance of hides.
Jan. 28-Commenced snowing yesterday - still continues to-day. Lewis (Sutter's Indian,) died three day's ago; food growing scarcer; don't have fire enough to cook our hides.
Jun. 30-Fair and pleasant; wind west; thaw- ing in the sun; John and Edward Breen went to
Graves' this morning; the - - seized on Mrs.
goods until they would be paid; they also took the hides which herself and family subsisted upon; they retained two pieces only, the balance they have taken. You may judge from this what our fare is in camp; there is nothing to be had by hunting yet, perhaps there soon will be.
Jan. 31-The sun does not shine out brilliant, this morning; froze hard last night; wind north- west. Lanthron Murphy died last night about one o'clock; Mrs. Reed went to Graves' this morning, to look after goods.
Feb. 5-Snowed hard until twelve o'clock last night; many uneasy for fear we shall all perish with hunger; we have but little meat left, and only three hides; Mrs. Reed has nothing but one hide, and that is on Graves' house; Milton lives there, and will likely keep that; Eddy's child died last night.
Feb. 6-It snowed faster last night and to-day than it has done this winter before; still con- tinues, without intermission; wind southwest; Murphy's folks and Kiesburg say they cannot eat hides; I wish we had enough of them; Mrs. Eddy is very weak.
Feb. 7-Ceased to snow at last; to-day it is quite pleasant; Mccutchen's child died on the second of this month.
Feb. 8-Fine, clear morning; Spitzer died last night; we will bury him in the snow; Mrs. Eddy died on the night of the seventh.
Feb. 9-Mr. Pike's child all but dead; Milton is at Murphy's, not able to get out of bed; Kies- burg - gets up; he says he is not able; Mrs. Eddy and child were buried to-day; wind south- east.
Feb. 10-Beautiful morning; thawing, in the sun; Milton Elliott died last night, at Murphy's shanty; Mrs. Reed went there this morning, to see after his effects; J. Denton trying to borrow meat for Graves; had none to give; they had nothing but hides; all are entirely out of meat; but a little we have; our hides are nearly all eat up. With God's help, spring will soon smile upon us.
Feb. 12-Warm, thawy morning.
Feb. 14-Fine morning, but cold; buried Mil- ton in the snow. John Denton not well.
Feb. 15-Morning cloudy until nine o'clock, then cleared off warm. Mrs. -- refused to give Mrs. - any hides. Put Sutter's pack hides on her shanty, and would not let her have them.
Feb. 16-Commenced to rain last evening, and turned to snow during the night, and continued
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until morning; weather changeable-sunshine, then light showers of hail, and wind at times. We all feel very unwell; the snow is not getting much less at present.
Feb. 19-Froze hard last night. Seven men arrived from California yesterday evening with provisions, but left the greater part on the way. To-day it is clear and warm for this region ; some of the men have gone to Donner's camp; they will start back on Monday.
Feb. 22-The Californians started this morn- ing, twenty-four in number, some in a very weak state; Mrs. Kiesburg started with them, and left Kiesburg here, unable to go; buried Pike's child this morning in the snow; it died two days ago.
Feb. 23-Froze hard last night; to-day pleas- ant and thawy-has the appearance of spring, all but the deep snow; wind south-southeast; shot a dog to-day and dressed his flesh.
Feb. 25-To-day Mrs. Murphy says the wolves are about to dig up the dead bodies around her shanty, and the nights are too cold to watch them, but we hear them howl.
Feb. 26-Hungry times in camp; plenty of hides, but the folks won't eat them; we eat them with tolerable good appetite, thanks be to the Almighty God. Mrs. Murphy said here yester- day that she thought she would commence on Milton and eat him; I do not think she has done so yet; it is distressing. The Donners told the California folks, four days ago, that they would commence on the dead people, if they did not succeed that day or the next in finding their cat- tle, then ten or twelve feet under the snow, and did not know the spot or anywhere near it; they have done it ere this.
Feb. 28-One solitary Indian passed by yes- terday; came from the lake; had a heavy pack on his back; gave me five or six roots, resemb)- ling onions in shape; tasted some like a sweet potato, full of tough little fibres.
Feb. 29-Ten men arrived this morning from Bear Valley, with provisions. We all leave in two or three days, and cache our goods here. They say the snow will remain until June.
The above mentioned ten men started for the valley with seventeen of the sufferers; they trav- eled fifteen miles and a severe snow storm came on; they left fourteen of the emigrants, the writer of the above journal and his family, and secceeded in getting in but three children. Lieu- tenant Woodworth immediately went to their assistance, but before he reached them they had eaten three of their number, who had died from hunger and fatigue; the remainder Lieutenant
Woodworth's party brought in. April, 1847, the last member of the party was brought to Captain Sutter's Fort. It is utterly impossible to give any description of the sufferings of the company. Your readers can form some idea of them by perusing the above diary. Yours, etc.,
GEORGE MCKINSTRY, JR. Fort Sacramento, April 27, 1847.
The emigrants thus caught in the mountains died, one by one, until thirty-six of the eighty- one who left Independence in the spring with such high hopes, literally starved to death. The following are the names of those from Sangamon county :
George Donner and his wife, Mrs. Tamsen Donner; Jacob Donner and his wife, Mrs. Eliza- beth Donner; her son, William Hook, sometimes called William Donner; the three sons of Jacob Donner and wife, Isaac, Lewis and Samuel; four unmarried men, Bayless Williams, Milford Elliott, James Smith and John Denton, making a total of twelve from Sangamon county who per- ished from exposure and want of food.
Jacob Donner died among the first. He was a tender-hearted, conscientious man, and it is at- tested that his death was caused more by grief at the present and prospective sufferings of his family, than from disease or want of food. George and Jacob Donner were members of the German Prairie Christian Church. The five surviving children of George Donner, and the three surviving children of Jacob Donner and wife, with their descendents, are among the most respected citizens of California. It is thought Mrs. George Donner was a native of New England-Maine-and was a lady in the highest sense of the word. Some of the citizens of Sangamon county remember her especially on account of her perfect self-control and power to govern. She taught school in the vicinity of Auburn when it was more unusual for a lady to teach than it is now. Some almost full grown, rough, uncouth young men were in her school, and yet she would govern them as thoroughly as if they were children. This self-control seems never to have left her. According to the testi- mony of Mr. Reed, who, after his own family had been rescued, visited the two camps of the Donners, to find Mrs. Jacob Donner and George Donner helpless, and no means of removing them. They were prepared to leave provisions, and a man at each camp to care for the sick, and used every argument to induce Mrs. George Donner to go with them, but with the full knowledge of the probabilities that she would lose her own life, she utterly refused, prefering
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to meet death in the discharge of her duty to her husband rather than save her own life by seem- ing to abandon him in his hour of peril; and so she died, as truly a martyr as though she had been burned at the stake.
Other acts of heroisms are too numerous to mention, but the following will suffice:
Ifiram O. Miller proved to be courageous and efficient through all. Milford Elliott could have saved his own life, and having neither wife, children or any other blood relative among the sufferers, no blame could have been laid to his charge if he had saved himself by pushing through, but he would not abandon helpless women and children, and his life paid the for- feit. The Eddy family, of Belleville, Illinois, was totally obliterated.
All that is known of C. T. Stanton is that he was from Chicago, Illinois. History does not, very probably, record the name of a greater hero. It does not appear that he was in any way related, or even acquainted, with one of the sufferers previous to their departure from the States. He aided many of them on their way, and after their calamities came upon them pushed his way through the mountains and reached Sutter's fort, where he was absolutely safe; but he knew there were men, women and children perishing with cold and hunger, and knowing this, there was no rest for him. He secured supplies of food and mules, enlisted the sympathies of two of the unlettered children of the forest, and all pushed on, days and weeks, through storms and snow-drifts, until even the two savages, prompted by him, fell a sacrifice in the cause of humanity. Savages, did I say? I reverently withdraw the word. Their conduct would put to shame thousands who have been reared under the best of Christian influences. There can be no more exalted evidence of humanity than to give one life with the hope of rescuing others from impending death. Mr. Stanton was one of the party of fifteen who attempted to pass out of the mountains, starting December 16, 1846. He was weak and ema- ciated, as all were, and on the twenty-first of December became snow-blind, and that night failed to reach the camp. The whole party lay in camp the next day waiting for him, but he never came. A party of men who went in the mountains the next summer to bring out the goods belonging to the Donner and Graves chil- dren, found his bones at the very tree where they left him on the twenty-first of December. They were chewed and broken in small pieces. The only way they could recognize them to be
Stanton's was by a letter from his sister in one of his pockets, with some tobacco, the latter having prevented the wild beast from destroy- ing every evidence of identity. There was also a pistol that had been loaned to Stanton by Mr. Fallen, the man who found his remains. No one of those who perished was more sincerely mourned by the survivors than Mr. Stanton. Mr. Reed left this testimony to his worth: "Poor Stanton, who had no relative in the cara- van to draw him back, but from the noble dis- position he had, and the kind feelings he entertained for myself and family, and another person who had befriended him, induced him to return with provisions, and he lost his life as a noble PHILANTHROPIST. * His kindness saved my little ones from starvation."
As already stated, James F. Reed, after he had been baffled in his attempt to reach the camp of the suffering emigrants, had returned to Captain Sutter's, where he became satisfied that it would be utterly impossible to do anything more for them until spring. He was advised by Captain Sutter to proceed to Yerba Bueno-now San Francisco - and make his case known to the naval officer in command. Arriving at San Jose, he found the San Francisco side of the bay occupied by Mexicans. Here he joined a com- pany of volunteers, and took part in the battle of Santa Clara; that opened the way to San Francisco. There he was enabled to raise by voluntary contributions, $1,000 in the town and $300 from the sailors in port, with which he purchased supplies, which were placed on board a schooner, in command of Midshipman Wood- worth, who took all to the mouth of Feather river, where men and horses were procured for carrying relief to the emigrants. On their way to the camp they met a party coming out with women and children, among them Mr. Reed's wife and two children, his other two children, Martha and Thomas K., having been left in camp in charge of a Mr. Glover of the rescuing party, who volunteered to stay with and care for them, assuring Mrs. Reed that he was a Free Mason and knew her husband to be such, and that he would rescue her children or die in the attempt. He was as good as his word, protected and cared for the children until they were rescued by their father, and soon all the mem- bers of the family were re-united and rejoicing over their great deliverance. Mr. Reed's was the only entire family who left Sangamon county, all the members of which lived to reach their destination, and they did it without any one of them being driven to the necessity of
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