What happened to the orphan children and widowed wives of the Donner Party? Were they on their own in California? Were they pariahs once tales of cannibalism got out?

by chikindiner
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I was able to find little detail about most of the orphans.

  • Mary Murphy, age 13 (orphan): Went on to California and married 3 months later. She later divorced and remarried, settling in Marysville, California, which her second husband founded and named for her.
  • William Murphy, 11, (orphan): returned to Missouri (presumably to live with family) and went to law school, then settled in Marysville, California.
  • Mary Graves, 20, (orphan/adult): went on to California and married 3 months later. Her husband was murdered a year later and his murderer was the first person executed under California law.
  • Mary Donner, 7, (orphan): was adopted by a couple in California
  • Eliza Donner, 3, (orphan): lived with her married older sisters
  • Georgia Donner, 4, (orphan):was adopted by a couple in California
  • William Hook, 12, (orphan): died from overeating shortly after rescue

http://www.donnerpartydiary.com/survivor.htm http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/What-happened-to-the-survivors-of-the-Donner-6837732.php#photo-9419004 https://www.sierracollege.edu/ejournals/jsnhb/v4n2/houghton.html