A recent story on the CNN website suggests that a member of the ill-fated Donner Party carried several documents related to Abraham Lincoln on their journey. It appears that muster rolls from the 1832 Black Hawk War - portions with Lincoln's handwriting - were transported to California by James Reed and were considered family heirlooms.
Talk about serendipity - who would have ever considered such a connection between this group of pioneers and a US President? It just goes to show you that there are connections and genealogical information to be found in a variety of places and sources.
See the full story here and play the video below for more information on this fascinating story.
© 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society
Talk about serendipity - who would have ever considered such a connection between this group of pioneers and a US President? It just goes to show you that there are connections and genealogical information to be found in a variety of places and sources.
See the full story here and play the video below for more information on this fascinating story.
© 2010, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society
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