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Possible Jacob Donner Wagon Piece

Currency:USD Category:Western Americana Start Price:150.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 2,000.00 USD
Possible Jacob Donner Wagon Piece
SOLD
350.00USD+ (80.50) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2015 Sep 26 @ 15:37UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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In 1846, Jacob Donner, with his bother George and James Reed took an ill-fated trip to California. 114 years later, Nevada's famous desert explorer found this piece of iron with the initials J. D. where the Donner's camped near the willows on the Dog Valley summit.


Eliza Donner later recalled that on, or around, Thursday October 29, 1846, George Donner injured his hand while repairing an axle. When writing her book in 1911, Eliza Donner, who was only four years old during the winter of 1846-47, relied on accounts told to her by her older sisters. "In speaking of father's hand, it was cut across the back but not as badly as John says, although it was useless to him. He got it cut while repairing the wagon. We were 12 to 16 miles from the place where we camped for the winter coming down a long sliding hill, father was driving, you and Georgia were in the wagon, your mother and Frances were walking ahead when near the bottom the axel of the fore wheel broke and the wagon tipped down tumbling everything over you two children. Father and Uncle Jake rushed to get you out Georgia was soon drawn through the opening at the back, but you were out of sight, and father feared that you were smothered for you did not answer call. Uncle kept right on pulling things out until he came to you. You would not have stood it much longer so they said. While father and uncle were having a new axeltree, here came two men from our old company ahead of us told of the snow.”



Is the J. D. rally Jacob Donner (Uncle Jake). Is this the piece of iron that broke that caused the injury to George Donner? It would not be uncommon to stamp one's initials on spare parts to keep them straight from fellow travelers. It is not without reason to imagine that George was using a part on his wagon the belonged to his brother Jacob. The provenance seems to fit! But there is no guarantee!

City: Nevada
State: Dog Valley
Date: 1846(?)
HWAC#: : 33020