Doubt Cast on Donner Party Cannibalism

[heyitsmonk]

Original Article:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10828045/

RENO, Nev. - There’s no physical evidence that the family who gave the

Comments

[rimrunner]

“The Donner family ended up getting the stigma basically because of the name,” said Julie Schablitsky, one of the lead authors. “But of all the people, they were probably the least deserving of it.”

Based on what I've read of this historical episode, I thought this was pretty common knowledge? It was the Donner Party because George Donner was its nominal leader, not because members of the Donner family engaged in cannibalism. Though it's nice to have physical confirmation.

Lewis Keseberg, on the other hand, acquired quite a reputation, though it may have been undeserved.

[rhapsody_98]

I'm having trouble figuring out who really cares about survival cannibalism from 150 years ago. So your great-grandad ate his cousin to survive. That must totally mean you're a cannibal, too! Right.

[thestrokesln]

Totally. Why dwell, it's history.

[lunza]

I grew up in a town named after a Donner Party survivor and I know some of the Donner Party's descendants, so it's not exactly ancient history to us. Still, I wonder what people expected -- if you have only one source of food left, and the choice is to use it or starve, what the hell do you do? Piously starve?

[dylanmonster]

Exactly!
It's either that or die.

[sollersuk]

So no Donner kebabs?