Donner Party Survivor in Rose Memorial Cemetery

A large “Red Men” fraternal order monument at Rose Memorial Cemetery in Fort Bragg includes the name “J.A. Whipple” and several other local men of note, A. Dashiell, A.E. Wierimaa and T.O. Matthews. His wife, Hattie Foster Whipple, is buried nearby, with her mother, Sarah Ann Charlotte Murphy Foster, a survivor of the Donner Party, and the family of her sister, Minnie Foster Markle.

Born November 24, 1826, Sarah Ann Charlotte Murphy and her husband, William McFadden Foster were members of the ill-fated Donner Party in the winter of 1846-47. They were traveling west with their young son, George, and Sarah’s mother.

After being stranded in the snow at Truckee (now Donner) Lake for two months, provisions were running low. Desperate to get help, 15 of the strongest people were selected (10 males and 5 females), including Sarah and William Foster. Later called the “Forlorn Hope,” the group left on December 16, 1846, swearing to get across the mountains and into California, or die trying.

Somehow, seven (two men and all five women) survived the 33 days of travel, which brought them to Johnson’s Ranch, 35 miles east of Sutter’s Fort, on January 17, 1847...*

Sarah A.C. Murphy Foster’s three-year-old son, Jeremiah “George” Foster, was left behind with his grandmother, Levinah Murphy, in the Murphy Cabin at Donner Lake, but both perished. After her husband, William M. Foster died in 1874, Sarah moved to Mendocino County.**

Three of Sarah Foster’s four daughters married men from Kibesillah, and lived in the area for many years. In the 1880 census in Ten-Mile Township, “S.A.C. Foster,” mother-in-law, was living with her daughter Minnie (Mrs. R. Bruce) Markle and family, not far her daughters Georgia C. (Mrs. H.T.) Powell and family, and Hattie and James Whipple.***

Another daughter, Alice Smith, later lived in Fort Bragg. Sarah A.C. Murphy Foster died in San Francisco on December 16, 1906, a few months after the Earthquake and Fire.