Merle, I had been off the list for several years, but am back on now since a good friend sent me a recent post of yours regarding the Donner/Danner/Tanner families. I have researched the family for a number of years as I am a Donner descendant. I think I can be of help to you and am asking you for help with your information that George Donner Sr. was born in York County, Pa. and that he was a grandson of Michael and a son of Jacob and Elizabeth Boechtel. I have never been able to prove the parentage of George Sr. although I always suspected he was a brother to Samuel. I am familiar with this Jacob and Elizabeth from my research, but had not made the connection. Do you have some proof of his parentage or is this a theory because of the Brethren connection? I first found him in Rowan County, thanks mainly to Adelaide Fries books which are in the Houston library. I followed them into Jessamine County, Ky. and then on to the various counties in Indiana, and to Illinois. After they arrive in Jessamine daughter Lydia married James Walters in 1806, Elizabeth married William Walters 1808, George, Jr. md. Susannah Holloway 1809, Susannah md. Micajah Organ 1817. George Jr. who goes on to be infamous as the Capt. of the Donner party married Susannah who was the daughter of Nathan Holloway and Mary Hunter - Mary Hunter was the proven daughter of Jacob Hunter, Sr. and his wife Mary Smith, daughter of Peter Smith who was also a Brethren. George Davidson, who signed the permission for George Jr. and Susannah Holloway to marry was her stepfather . By 1817 I find George Sr. in Jefferson County, Indiana and during the same time frame George Jr. has gone to Decatur County, Ind. as do Elizabeth & William Walters and Lydia and James Walters. Elizabeth and William and James Walters are all buried in Kingston Cemetery, Fugit Township, Decatur County, Ind. Lydia and her children settle in Sangamon County, Illinois and she is buried at West's Cemetery in Auburn Township as is Susannah. John is buried in Portland Oregon and I know Tobias is buried in Central Illinois, probably either Menard or DeWitt County, but have not located a site for him. You already know Mary and John Dick are at Thayer Cemetery and of course George and Jacob died in the mountains. . I have always wondered about the connection between George, Sr. and John Tanner who I have read a lot about. Do you have any idea what the connection was? The children of Captain George Donner and his first wife Susannah Holloway were: Mary [called Polly] born Abt. 1810 md. George Weaver and 2nd Adam Harmon. Died 4 October 1896, buried Fell Cemetery, Libertyville, Iowa William born 3 May 1812 married Elizabeth Hunter, died 22 July 1867, buried Oak Hill Cemetery, Springfield, Sangamon, Ill. Sarah born 13 April 1813, md. John Torrence, died September 1849 buried Taylor Cemetery, Sangamon County, Illinois [This is my line] Lydia married John Vancil and is buried somewhere in Idaho according to old family information Elizabeth born 19 Feb. 1817, married Absolom Harmon, buried Old Berlin Cemetery, Sangamon County, Illinois Susannah born 6 April 1818 md. Barneybeth Marshall Blue, died 8 August 1894 buried Hurds Chapel Cemetery, Laclede, Mo. Obviously I have a lot more information on this family so I would be pleased to try and answer any question or fill in any blanks for you. Thank you for any assistance you might offer. Jo Ann Schmidt **************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)