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Matching family tree profiles for George Donner, s/o Jacob, Donner Party
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About George Donner, s/o Jacob, Donner Party
Survived. "Young George" was the only Donner Party survivor to bear the Donner name very long; the other surviving Donners, his sister and cousins, were all girls who married and changed theirs. He rarely spoke of the disaster.
b. 10 August 1836 in Sangamon Co., IL m. 8 Jun 1862 in Sonoma Co., CA to Margaret Watson
Ch: Albert, Mary E., Cora H. George W., John C., Betty L., Frank M. d. 17 Feb 1874 near Sebastopol, Sonoma Co., CA
Sharing the same name as his grandfather and uncle, this George Donner is often referred to as "George Donner, Jr." to distinguish him from his father's brother. Unfortunately, the use of "junior" creates even more confusion-- Captain George Donner was also a junior, having been named after his own father. Photographs captioned "Captain George Donner" are almost always of this nephew.
After the disaster, George Donner was brought to San Francisco. Hotelier John Henry Brown gave him his board and "Lawyer [Lansford W.] Hastings (the Path Finder) gave him his clothes. The boy had many small presents given him in money, which he saved." James F. Reed was appointed George’s guardian.
Money from their father’s estate was used to purchase lots in San Francisco for George and Mary Donner, but a complicated legal battle ensued that went on for years. George was able to sell his interest in the property at a profit. See McGlashan, History of the Donner Party, 253-257.
"Young George" was the only Donner Party survivor to bear the Donner name very long; the other surviving Donners, his sister and cousins, were all girls who married and changed theirs. He rarely spoke of the disaster.
George lived in Santa Clara County during much of his early adulthood and made his living as a farmer. In 1866 he bought some land in Solano County from his half-brother Solomon Hook, but later settled near Sebastopol in Sonoma County, where some of his descendants still live. George died there in 1874 at the age of 37. He was brought to San Jose and interred at Oak Hill Memorial Park next to his son Albert, who had died in San Jose in 1869. After 130 years of lying in an unmarked grave, George finally got a handsome new monument sponsored by the Native Sons of the Golden West and E Clampus Vitus, which was dedicated on August 15, 2004.
http://user.xmission.com/~octa/DonnerParty/DonnerJ.htm#George%20Donner
GEORGE9 DONNER (JACOB8, GEORGE7, JACOB6, JACOB5 DOWNER, JOHANNES "JOHN" "HANS"4 DANNER, CHRISTIAN3 TANNER, JACOB2 DANNER, MICHAEL1) was born August 01, 1837 in Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois, USA, and died February 17, 1874 in Sebastopol, Sonoma, California, USA. He married MARGARET J WATSON June 12, 1862 in Sebastopol, Sonoma, California, USA. She was born 1842 in Illinois, USA, and died Unknown.
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/e/y/James-Meyer-CO/GEN...
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George Donner, s/o Jacob, Donner Party's Timeline
| 1836 |
1836
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Sangamon Co., IL
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| 1863 |
1863
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1863
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Sebastopol, Sonoma, California
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| 1864 |
1864
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| 1866 |
1866
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Sebastopol, Sonoma, California
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| 1868 |
1868
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Sebastopol, Sonoma, California
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| 1870 |
1870
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| 1872 |
1872
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Sebastopol, Sonoma, California
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| 1874 |
1874
Age 38
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Sebastopol, Sonoma Co., CA
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