Across the Plains in the Donner Party: A Personal Narrative of the Overland Trip to California

The Donner-Reed Party set out from Independence, Missouri, in May 1846 aiming for California.

Of the eighty-seven members who set out only forty-survived to reach their destination.

Lack of supplies and brutal weather forced the group of migrants to their extremes, even leading some of the group to cannibalism.

Much has been written by historians of the Donner Party since the tragic events occurred, but it is rare that we get the opportunity to hear of the events from someone who was there.

Virginia Reed Murphy was thirteen years old when she joined her family in the expedition to California.

Her step-father, James Frazier Reed, was one of the leading figures of the emigrants and so Virginia was able to witness major decisions of the group at close hand.

“Lively, unpretentious, and full of human interest, it tells the story of the Donner party as seen by a young girl, and has the additional virtues of being comprehensive yet relatively brief.” Kristen Johnson, Unfortunate Emigrants

“The only narrative published by a survivor of the ill-fated party.” Southwestern Journal of Education

“An important contribution to Western history.” University of Chicago School Review

“Well written, and pleasant reading.” The Literary World

After Virginia had survived her ordeal she settled with her family in California. She became the first woman to engage in the fire insurance business. Virginia Street in downtown San Jose is named after her. She published her account of the expedition in Century Magazine in 1891 and passed away in 1921.

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