seberg
says a bill setting aside a ward in the State Asylum for his two
children, passed the Legislature, but received a pocket veto by the
Governor. Sacramento County gives them eighteen dollars a month. Their
helplessness and violence render it impossible to keep any nurse in
charge of them longer than a few days. Keseberg is very poor. He has
employment for perhaps three months during the year. While his wife
lived, she took care of these children; but now he has personally to
watch over them and provide for their necessities. While at work, he
is compelled to keep them locked in a room in the same building. They
scream so loudly while going into the spasms that he can not dwell near
other people. He therefore lives isolated, in a plain little house back
of his brewery. Here he lives, the saddest, loneliest, most pitiable
creature on the face of the earth. He traces all his misfortunes to that
cabin on Donner Lake, and it is little wonder that he says: "I beg of
you, insert in your book a fervent prayer to Almighty God that He will
forever prevent the recurrence of a similar scene of horror."

Chapter XXI.

Sketch of Gen. John A. Sutter
The Donner Party's Benefactor
The Least and Most that Earth can Bestow
The Survivors' Request
His Birth and Parentage
Efforts to Reach California
New Helvetia
A Puny Army
Uninviting Isolation
Ross and Bodega
Unbounded Generosity
Sutter's Wealth
Effect of the Gold Fever
Wholesale Robbery
The Sobrante Decision
A "Genuine and Meritorious" Grant
Utter Ruin
Hock Farm
Gen. Sutter's Death
Mrs. E. P. Houghton's Tribute.

Zealous in sending supplies and relief to the suffering Donner Party,
earnest in providing shelter, clothing, and food to all who were
rescued, Captain John A. Sutter merits more than a passing mention in
this history. From the arrival of Stanton at Sutter's Fort with the
tidings that a destitute emigrant train was en route for California
until the return of the fourth relief party with Lewis Keseberg, Captain
Sutter's time, wealth, and influence were enlisted in behalf of the
party. Actuated only by motives of benevolence and humanity, he gave
Stanton and the various relief parties full and free access to whatever
he possessed, whether of money, provisions, clothing, mules, cattle,
or guides. With all due deference to the generosity of Yerba Buena's