Fresno County CA Archives Obituaries.....Harlan, Elisha February 27, 1919
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The Fresno Morning Republican, February 28, 1919
"Pioneer of 1846 Crosses Divide"

Elisha Harlan, as Boy of 8, Preceded Ill-Fated Donner Party

Elisha Harlan, one of Riverdale's oldest and most respected citizens, 
and one of California's pioneers, passed away yesterday [27 Feb 1919] noon.  
He had reached the advanced age of 81 years.  Mr. Harlan had been 
a resident of California since 1846, coming here when 8 years old with his 
father, George Harlan, from Niles, Mich.

In the early  40s, George Harlan, Mr. Harlan's father, came into possession 
of a little book descriptive of Oregon and California.  He decided to move 
west.  In the fall of 1845 with his family and his goods he started for the 
west.  He had about 150 cattle and ten wagons.  They wintered at Lexington, 
Mo., and in the spring advanced to the edge of the settled country on the Kaw 
river in Kansas.  Here they rested for a few weeks and allowed the cattle to 
fatten upon the fine grass.  Other emigrants joined them here until more than 
500 wagons were assembled.  Then all started west together under the leadership 
of Captain Ahren.  But it soon became apparent that so many wagons and animals 
could not well travel together on account of scarcity of forage, so at the risk 
of falling prey to the Indians, they split up into small caravans of a score or 
so of wagon each.

At Fort Bridger Mr. Harlan met Mr. Hastings, the author of the book that had 
led him to start to California.  Mr. Hastings told him of a cutoff that would 
save about 300 miles of travel, and Hastings offered to guide the party there.  
Four trains took the short route, these being the Piles, Donald, Harlan, and 
Donner parties in the order named.  When the Harlan train reached the [Weber] 
canyon they found it badly overgrown with willows, but, seeing that the Piles 
and Donald trains had driven right over the bushes, they followed and succeeded 
in getting through.  But Hastings, who was traveling with the Harlan party when 
he saw how the canyon had grown up with underbrush, posted a notice on a tree 
for the Donner train that they would find another route up over the top of the 
mountains that was longer but probably safer.  The Donner party took the 
advice, got caught in the snow at the summit [of the Sierra Nevada] and many of 
the party perished.

The Harlan party and the other two parties pressed on through the cutoff.  
Once their way was so blocked by boulders that all had to set to work to road 
making for several days.  They went for several days, at one time without water 
and many of their cattle died.  At last when people and animals were almost 
famished, they came to a little stream of pure, fresh water.  Finally, late in 
the fall, they emerged from the Sierras on Bear river.  From there they went 
direct to Sutter's Fort, now Sacramento.  They were in Santa Clara mission 
during the closing days ofthe Mexican war and every man, woman, and boy of the 
mission at one time assisted the little garrison in attacking and defeating an 
army of Spaniards who were sent to capture the place.

Elisha Harlan was only a boy of 8 years of age while these stirring scenes were 
being enacted but the experience of those days were indelibly, in stamped upon 
his memory.

At an early age he began to make his own livelihood, principally, in farming 
and stock raising.  He located first at Missions San Jose, then near Lorenzo, 
then Calistoga, then at San Ramon.  In 1860 he bought land near Kingston on the 
lower Kings River where he engaged in stock buying and selling.  In 1869 he 
moved to the vicinity of Riverdale where he homesteaded 160 acres, to which he 
added by purchase until the time of his death he owned about a thousand acres 
besides many cattle on his extensive pasture range near Paso Robles.  For 
eighteen years he was the Riverdale postmaster [incorrect, his wife Lucy Harlan 
was postmaster].  Thirteen years age he move onto a farm on the Grant where he 
resided until his death.

September 14, 1871 Mr. Harlan was united  in Marriage with Lucy Hobaugh, who
survives him.  They had four children Jerome and Leroy, farmer and stockman 
living near Riverdale.  Mrs. Irene Hancock of Laton, and Mrs. Aleda Sherrill, 
wife of Rev. J. Sherrill of Chico.  One sister, Mrs. Mary Smith, of Livermore, 
age 94 survives him.

Funeral services will be held at the home Sat. [1 Mar 1919] at 1:30 p.m."


Additional Comments:
"The Fresno Morning Republican," Fresno, California
Friday, February 28, 1919.  Page 5, Column 1.


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