...... DID YOU KNOW ...... That Isom Denton (son of David and Elizabeth Gwin Denton) married on July 17, 1826 to Elizabeth Lincoln, A first cousin to Abraham Lincoln. That Jim Thorpe, the famous Indiana athlete, ties in with the Dentons through his wife Iva Miller, who was a great-granddaughter of Josiah and Catherine Sehorn Denton. That A John Denton left Sangamon County, Illinois with the ill-fated Donner Wagon Train He perished in the mountains before reaching California. ( Some entries to the Diary of the Donner Party ) From the diary of Patrick Breen. Eddy's Journal of the Snowshoe Party Log Entries for January, 1846 Thursday, December 17, 1846 "Thursd. 17th Pleasant sunshine today wind about S-E bill Murp returned from the Mountain party last evening Bealis died last night before last Milt. & Noah went to Donnor 8 days since not returned yet, thinks they got lost in the snow John Denton here today" Monday, December 28, 1846 "Monday 28th Snowd. last night cleared off this morning snowd. alittle now Clear & Pleasant" In 1891, Virginia Reed wrote: "During the closing days of December, 1846, gold was found in my mother's cabin at Donner Lake by John Denton. I remember the night well. The storm fiends were shrieking in their wild mirth, we were sitting about the fire in our little dark home, busty with our thoughts. Denton with his cane kept knocking pieces off the large rocks used as fire-irons on which to place the wood. Something bright attracted his attention, and picking up pieces of the rock he examined them closely; then turning to my mother he said: 'Mrs. Reed, this is gold.' My mother replied that she wished it were bread. Denton knocked more chips from the rocks, and he hunted in the ashes for the shining particles until he had gathered about a teaspoonful. This he tied in a small piece of buckskin and placed in his pocket saying, 'If we ever get away from here I am coming back for more.'" Log Entries for January, 1847 Thursday, January 21, 1847 "Thur.sd 21 fine morning wind W did not freze quite so hard last night as it has done, John Battice & John Denton came this morning with Eliza she wont eat hides Mrs. Reid sent her back to live or die on them, Milt. Got his tow froze the donoghs are all well" Wednesday, February 10, 1847 "Wednd. 10th beautiful morning Wind W. froze hard last night, to day thawing in the Sun Milt Elliot died las night at Murphys Shanty about 9 Oclock P.M. Mrs Reid went there this morning to see after his effects John Denton trying to borrow meat for Ellen Graves had none to give they have nothing but hides all are entirely out of meat but a little we have our hides are nearly all eat up but with Gods help spring will smile upon us" Thursday, February 11, 1847 "Thursd 11th fine morning wind W. froze hard last night some clouds lying in the E. looks like thaw John Denton here last night very delicate, John and Mrs Reid went to Ellen Graves this morning" Friday, February 12, 1847 The snow was bout fifteen feet deep and soft. Sunday, February 14, 1847 "Sund 14th fine morning but cold before the sun got up, now thawing in the sun wind S-E Ellen Graves here this morning John Denton not well froze hard last night John & Edw.d burried Milt. this morning in the Snow" Monday, February 15, 1847 In 1847, Daniel Rhoads wrote to his father-in-law: "After we reached the mountains the snow was 5 to 25 feet deep. We made snow shoes out of pine boughs. Thursday, February 18, 1847 we suppose the snow to be 30 foot deep--" Friday, February 19, 1847 In 1847, Daniel Rhoads wrote to his father-in-law: "We were seven days going to them. The people were dying every day. They had been living on dead bodies for weeks." In 1873, Daniel Rhoads dictated an account for Prof. Bancroft: "At sunset on the 16th day we crossed Truckee lake on the ice and came to the spot where we had been told we should find the emigrants. We looked all around but no living thing except ourselves was in sight and we thought that all must have perished. We raised a loud halloo and then we saw a woman emerge from a hole in the snow. As we approached her several others made their appearance in like manner coming out of the snow. They were gaunt with famine and I never can forget the horrible, ghastly sight they presented. The first woman spoke in a hollow voice very much agitated & said 'are your men from California or do you come from heaven.' ... We gave them food very sparingly and retired for the night having some one on guard until morning to keep close watch on our provisions to prevent the starving emigrants from eating them which they would have done until they died of repletion." Wednesday, February 24, 1847 "Wend. 24th froze hard last night to day Cloudy looks like a storm wind blows hard from the W. Commenced thawing there has not any more returned from those who started to cross the M.ts" The First Relief continued over the mountains: "24th started 3 men on ahead of the Company--We had travelled about two miles when one man gave out (John Denton) I waited for him some time but in vain he could go no further I made him a fire and chopped some wood for him when I very unwillingly left him telling him he should soon have assistance but I am afraid he would not live to see it travelled 7 miles and camp" [Denton was left by the Trail in Summit Valley, near present Norden. The Party continued to camp on the Yuba River near present Kingvale.] In 1873, Daniel Rhoads of the First Relief wrote an account for H.H. Bancroft: "On the third day John Denton exhausted by starvation and totally snow-blind, gave out. He tried to keep up a hopeful & cheerful appearance, but we knew he could not live much longer. We made a platform of saplings built a fire on it, cut some boughs for him to sit upon and left him. This was imperatively necessary." William Graves wrote in his 1877 article "Crossing the Plains in '46": "about noon, the third day John Denton got snowblind, and could not travel, so we had to leave him on the snow, to suffer the worst of deaths." ****** USE BROWSER BACK BUTTON TO RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS PAGE ******