Welcome to episode 7! In late 1844, the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party was forced to make tough decisions when snow trapped them near Truckee Lake in the Sierra Nevada. With limited oxen and supplies, 17-year-old Moses Schallenberger, along with Allen Montgomery and Joseph Foster, stayed behind to guard abandoned wagons while the rest of the group continued on. Interested in learning more? Read the full story <a href= "https://historyexp.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/S1E7-Three-Men-One-Cabin-Buried-in-Snow-.pdf">here!</a> <a href="https://historyexp.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">History Expeditions Website</a> <a href= "https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8W4I0WKNanXqKDUF-84VF0OwR87B1XOr&si=gtmENxvUYz9P1Rib"> Our Youtube Channel</a> <a href="https://heritageparkmuseum.org/">Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum</a>

S1 E8: The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party and the California Revolt of 1844

History Expeditions

We are discovering American West's tails and trails. We are endurance athletes with a passion for history, bringing history to life through expeditions that combine historical research and adventure.

American West Live!

A bi-weekly minicast that deep dives into the best stories from the American West of 1840-1860. In the mid-1800s a massive migration occurred in America, east to west, fueled by desire for land, economic opportunities, and escaping hardships. Between 1840 and 1860, over 400,000 emigrants traveled the 2,000 miles from Missouri on foot, horseback and wagon and settled on American west coast. The stories of these pioneers, many of which are our ancestors, inspire us with their grit, survival, hardship and heroism. This series will discover those tails from the trails and inspires the next generation.