Virginia Reed

Have you ever had to push through something just to survive? Well this 13 year old brave pioneer girl did. Virginia Reed traveled west with the famous Donner Party on April 14, 1846. Her second dad killed someone and got banned from the Donner party, so it was hard on her mom because they were all alone. Her family spent the winter in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with no heat and had to hunt for food. 

Virginia was born 1833 in Virginia and wanted to go to California with the Donner Party because of Margret’s (her mom) frail health and headaches. Margret sadly died in her 40’s when Virginia was about 18 and had to take care of the other three children and she was treated like the mom. Virginia got married in her 30’s and had no children.

Virginia died of old age when she was 87. She loved her family, which were her husband and the Donner Party because they all helped her survive. Virginia spent the little pastime that she had writing in her journal about her hard life. She really tried and loved everyone around her. She was very courageous and was one of the many people who braved the hard conditions to go west in the 1800’s.

Virginia Reed is a hero because she let us know how hard it was to brave the hard conditions of moving west. She really tried and didn't give up. She was brave and helped everyone including her mother.