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How the Irish saved the Donner Party

New movie tells story of America's greatest survival epic

By
PATRICK COOPER
,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 7:17 AM
Updated Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 1:57 PM
Read more: California, United States


The Donner party, now the subject of a new Hollywood movie starring Crispin Glover (Beowulf), is one of the most riveting stories in American western history.

89 pioneers from the East Coast, many of them Irish, set off to cross into California over the Sierra Nevada's in the height of winter. Unfamiliar with the terrain, they became snowed in.

On February 19, 1847, rescuers at last reached the Donner Party.  They had been snowbound in the higher reaches of the Sierra Nevada mountains for months and nearly half the original 89 pioneers had perished from exposure or starvation.

Worse, they had turned to cannibalism.  Their story remains one of the most disturbing chapters in the history of the American West.

Two Irish families, the Breens and the Reeds, were at the center of the story.  Patrick Breen was born in Carlow, his wife Margaret and their seven children had emigrated to Iowa but were anxious to try their luck out west.

In the spring of 1846 they set out for Independence, Missouri to join a group led by George and Jacob Donner heading west to California.  James Frazier Reed, Irish-born and a Protestant also joined the Donner Party in Independence with his wife and their four children.

The Donner Party began its fateful journey in mid May 1846 and reached Bridgers Fort in the southwest corner of Wyoming on July 30.  It was there, however, that the group made the first of two bad decisions.

They decided to take a little known route to the south across Utah.  Unfortunately, they were unaware just how tough a journey it would be across the great Salt Lake Desert.

The “shortcut” cost them valuable time, and by the time they reached Reno, Nevada they were exhausted and waited a week before attempting the crossing of the Sierras. It was a fateful decision.

They made it only as far as Truckee Lake, California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas when the snowstorms came.  Repeatedly they tried to make it over the mountain pass, but failed.  They prepared to wait out the winter knowing they were short of food.

Much of what happened is known only from  the daily diary of Patrick Breen. (original spellings)

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How the Irish saved the Donner Party | IrishCentral


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Most recent comments - See all comments

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Posted by jacersisityourself on Feb 12, 2010, 04:16 PM EST
Typical... just typical of women... always looking after themselves. Ta hell with the men...
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Posted by DaisysMom on Feb 04, 2010, 11:39 PM EST
It's interesting to note that of the 15 people, 10 men and 5 women, who set out to get help, only 7 made it down the mountain...2 men and ALL the women!!
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Posted by JolyJoly on Feb 04, 2010, 03:10 AM EST
This is irrelevant, but I saw a collection of memorabilia of the Donner party, and was struck at how small the people were, compared to the size of people today.
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Posted by sherryovermier on Feb 02, 2010, 11:21 PM EST
There is also a book called Patty Reeds Doll. This book is used in teaching CA state history in grade schools. I have lived near Truckee, CA and highly recommend going and seeing this area. There is a statue that shows how deep the snow pack was that year. It's an amazing story.
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Posted by figtirish on Feb 02, 2010, 12:47 PM EST
incredible story






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