I’m reposting this four-year old blog from May of 2014, because Trumpism has made it necessary to get all important art and history items out of the area and into safe zones, away from the anti-history and anti-intellectualism of Trump World.
My entire plan is to find a good home for the Donner collection, which now includes a first edition of the book, which was in its time a best-seller.
The two most vital and memorable incidents in early California history are the Donner Party and the ’49er Gold Rush. I don’t even have to tell you what those are about. If you’re like most Americans, especially Californians, you’ll know.
I happen to be a member of the family known in California as “The Donner Party” and I have a number of Donner Party memorabilia that could well be instrumental in discovering what actually happened at Donner Pass. Was there cannibalism? Maybe these documents will tell the story; they’re waiting for historians to get hold of them, and maybe YOU could be the one to make that happen!
This collection of the UNPUBLISHED LONG-LOST DONNER PARTY PAPERS is perhaps the most important historical discovery related to early California history in this century, and is now available for sale to some lucky person. The collection is all original documents — and the collection includes many letters, Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes and other early photographs, magazine & newspaper articles, gold “California Fractionals” and other memorabilia which may solve many of the remaining mysteries related to the Donner Party Tragedy. Here’s a partial listing…
The deal is, you have to sign an agreement that you will make copies of the originals plus the 1912 typewritten transcriptions available to scholars, and to donate it to the California State Museum after you pass. Those are the only requirements.
All original documents are included, along with the vintage 1912 typewritten transcriptions, with translations into modern standard English spelling and punctuation, from the phonetic guesswork of the 19th century writers.
1. A Letter Dated March 18, 1852 To Sister Eliza from Georganner (Georgia Ann Donner). Eliza and Georgia Ann were daugthers of George Donner and Tamsen Eustis Dozier Donner. 4 Pages on Folded Sheet, 9 3/4″ x 15″. Includes 1912 typewritten of the above letter.
2. A Letter Dated November 4th (no year, probably 1857) to Sister Eliza from Georgia Donner. 4 Pages of text on 2 double-sided sheets of lined school writing paper, 8″ x 10″.
3. A Letter Dated February 21st (no year, very likely 1866) to Eliza from Georgia Donner. This is part of a longer letter that no longer exists or was never completed. 2 pages on 1 sheet of lined school paper, 8″ x 10″.
4. A Letter Dated April 28th, 1897, to Sister Eliza from Georgia Donner Babcock. 4 Pages of Text on 1 folded sheet of lined school paper, 9 7/8″ x 14 3/4″.
5. A Letter Dated October 5, 1898, to Sister Eliza from Georgia Donner Babcock. 4 Pages of Text on 2 sheets of lined school paper, 8″ x 10″.
6. A Letter Dated December 9, 1899 to Sister Eliza from Georgia Donner Babcock. 6 Pages on 3 sheets of lined school paper, 8″ x 10″.
7. A Letter Dated March 6, 1912 to Mrs. L.O. Houghton (Eliza Donner) from Martha Jane Reed Lewis. 4 Pages on 4 sheets of wove paper stock, 6 1/8″ x 10 1/2″. The Original Draft of this letter at Sutter’s Fort.
8. COPY of a Letter to Martha Jane Reed Lewis from Eliza P. Donner Houghton, March 18, 1912. 2 Pages typed in 1912, on 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper.
9. A Letter Dated May 16, 1912 from Ida Babcock (Daughter-in-Law of Georgia Donner Babcock, wife of Frank Babcock). 8 Pages of Text on 2 sheets of folded paper, 6 1/2″ x 10 1/4″.
10. A Letter Dated August 5, 1927 from Frank Babcock (son of Georgia Donner Babcock) to Clara. 4 Pages of Text on 1 folded sheet of wove paper, 7″ x 10 3/4″.
11. A Letter to Mrs. James F. Cunningham from Patricia Ferm, Secretary Hazen & Jaeger Funeral Homes, Inc. Spokane, Washington, June 8, 1976.
12. A Letter from Ann Houghton Smith (grand-daughter of Sherman O. Houghton and Eliza Donner Houghton) to Mr. Paul Donner Spencer (great-great grandson of Georgia Donner Babcock), May 20, 1987. 2 Pages of Text on 2 sheets of wove paper, 5 3/4″ x 7 3/4″, with envelope. Enclosed is a copy of a picture; the original states on the back, “Mrs. Jos. Donner”.
13. A Letter to Paul Donner Spencer and Eve Paige Spencer from Doris Wilder Shera (great grand-daughter of George & Tamsen Donner, grand-daughter of Frances E. Donner Wilder) Dated July 16, 1987. 4 pages of Text on 1 folded sheet, 7″ x 10″.
14. A Letter from Ann Smith, July 6, 1990, to Paul Donner Spencer. 1 1/2″ Pages of Text on 1 sheet of wove note paper, 7″ x 9″.
15. A Photograph — Georgia Donner Babcock, 2 1/2″ x 4 3/8″, Wright’s Art & Portrait Gallery, No. 284 Santa Clara Street, San Jose, California.
16. A Photograph — Georgia Donner Babcock, 4 1/4″ x 6 1/2″, The Elite Studio, 818 Riverside Avenue, Spokane, Washington.
17. Mrs. Christian Mary Brunner with Georgia & Eliza Donner, 4 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ in paper frame, 7″ x 9″, Identified by Letter #14.
18. News Clipping: Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Donner Party, Los Angeles Times, August 13, 1932.
19. News Clipping: Girls of the Golden West — Mrs. Margaret Breen. “History contains no finer chaper of faith and courage than heroine of Donner Party wrote while death lurked in the snow.” — Anna Sommer, 1933.
20. News Clipping: Kin of Girl Saved from Donner Party Fate Visits Salt Lake City. (Mrs. Frank B. Babcock). Exhibit in Salt Lake City depicting details of the Nevadas tragedy induces group to confer with S.U.P. Head. Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utah, August 18, 1936.
21. News Clipping COPY: The Donner Party — an Odyssey of the Pioneers of 1846. “A fortunate co-incidence adds to our ranks a “Son” of the Donner Party Pioneers, Ben Donner Babcock.” — The Pioneer, September/October 1936, a photocopy of the original, 2 pages.
22. News Clipping: Daughter of Donner Succumbs — Death of Mrs. Leanna C. Donner-App. “Only two now remain of historic and ill-fated Donner Party, 1940.
23. News Clipping Mourn Pioneer — Death of Mrs. Leanna Charity Donner App at age 95, with current photo and drawing of the tragedy scenario, 1940.
24. News Clipping: Tragedy Survivor Discovered — “Last of Donners breaks Lifetime Rule not to talk.” Photo of Mrs. Leanna Charity Donner App and film actress Mary Brian with short article, June 11, 1939, in pencil, 1940 in ink.
25. News Clipping: Launching Ceremony Tonight to Honor Noted State Pioneer Sherman Otis Houghton. Long Beach Press-Telegram, February 4, 1944.
26. News Clipping COPY: Donner Party Meets Tragedy & a Map of Routes Taken by Early Explorers — Utah Centennial, 1847-1947. A photocopy of the original, 2 pages.
27. News Clipping: Tales of the Golden West —“This Donner Party Repast was Filling”, by Joe Smith, Sacramento Bee, December 20, 1970.
28. News Clipping: Breaks Another Record —Re: Mrs. Julia Cooley Altrocchi, author of “The Snow-Covered Wagon”, an epic poem of the Donner Party. unidentified newspaper, no date.
29. News Clipping: University Archives Used in Donner Party Documentary. —University of Wyoming’s American Heritage Center. no date.
30. DONNER PARTY PEDIGREE CHART. Compiled by James F. Cunningham, Dated January 15, 1976.
Other family items are included in the sale, related to the Donner Party and succeeding family generations, including many unclassified and unsorted antique photographs and other documents, but these give the general idea.
Personal profit from family papers? No, thanks. I already turned down $15 million from the California Lottery, and I’m happy I did.
I see this collection as a very important collection, and any wealthy California History Buff would and should give their eye-teeth to acquire it, and donate it to a worthy museum, and the money goes to a good cause — our ashram project, which includes several ashrams out of the country — I have recently applied for and received a passport to make this possible.
Sure, I can go to Sotheby’s or Christie’s with this collection — I have a very good relationship with them through the past 55 years of art dealing — but I want to alert folks that this exists. Perhaps other hoards of early California history will turn up as a result. I have some ideas in relation to this. I believe firmly that there will never be as incredible a collection of Donner Party memorabilia and private papers as this in the foreseeable future.
Make an offer I can’t refuse.
So, casting this to the winds — a message in a bottle.
See You At The Top!!!
gorby