THE DONNER PARTY, 1846-47
FORMER RESIDENTS OF EASTERN RAY COUNTY WERE INVOLVED IN THE RESCUE
In the spring of 1846, Thomas Rhoads, Sr., his wife, Elizabeth Forster Rhoades, thirteen of their children and 35 members of their extended family which included their daughter-in-law, Amanda Esrey and three of her brothers, left Ray County, Missouri, for California. Family tradition has it that Thomas Rhoades, Sr., was a Mormon and had been asked by Brigham Young to assess possible route the Mormons could use to travel west.
The Rhoades group split into two parties at Big Sandy River in Wyoming with one group taking the Greenwood Cutoff route to Ft. Hall and then turning onto the California Trail at Raft River. Thomas, Sr., took the rest of his family over the new Hastings Cutoff by way of Great Salt Lake and rejoined the California Trail just below Elko on the Humboldt River in Nevada. This was the same route the Donner Party traveled two weeks later. When the Rhoades family learned the Donner Party was trapped in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, John and Daniel Rhoades and the Esrey brothers were members of the group which went back to rescue them.
Several members of the Esrey family remained on property in Ray County near Hardin and have descendants in this area. Some related families are Holsinger, Grove, Stratton and Trenchard.
If you would like to learn more about these interesting Ray County people and historic events, plan to attend the program given by Dan Esarey, currently of St. Louis, Missouri. Dan welcomes participation with the audience, questions and answers.
This program will be held at the Ray County Museum,
901 West Royle Street
Richmond, Missouri
1:00 P.M., Saturday, October 11
This program is jointly sponsored by the Ray County Genealogical Association and the Ray County Historical Society. The program is free and the public is invited.
Refreshments will be provided.
(information provided by Bernie Rhoades, great-great grandson of Thomas Rhoades,Sr.)
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