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THE ORPHAN TRAIN PROJECT
Topics: orphans, history
Posted by BostonGal Fri Dec 21, 2007 10:16:07 PST
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The Orphan Trains began about 10 years before the Civil War and

lasted for about 75 years. In that time about 150,000 children from

3 to 13 years of age were placed in rural homes.*

 

In the mid-1800s there were about 10,000 homeless children living on the streets of New York City. They survived by stealing, begging or joining gangs for protection. They were always hungry and cold, never having enough clothing and sleeping wherever they could. No government help was available, no welfare, food stamps, homeless shelters or foster homes.

Most orphanages accepted children but only when a family member

could pay for their support. There was a Foundling Hospital but it

only cared for children from birth until 4 years of age.

 

In 1853, a minister, Charles Brace and other concerned people

founded the Children’s Aid Society. Their desire was to do more than just give these poor children food and shelter.

They set up schools to teach them a trade and show them right from wrong but there were just too many children to help that way. The Children’s Aid Society began sending these homeless city children to families in rural Midwest in hopes they would find better lives.

 

The trains taking these poverty stricken children away from New York City became known as the Orphan Trains. Children who were chosen for the Orphan Trains were not told until the night before that they were going. They were given a bath and allowed to pick out one or two changes of secondhand clothing.

The children stayed on the Orphan trains for about three days,

sleeping on hard seats or stretched out on a cold floor under the

seats. Each train carried about 125 of this living, innocent cargo.

Most of the children chosen to travel on the Orphan Trains had at

least one living parent but if one had died, the surviving parent

often could not support and care for the children.

 

Orphan Train children needed much courage. Most were leaving behind at least one parent and many were separated from their brothers and sisters as well. The Children’s Aid Society believed the children would be better off if their new lives were completely separated from their old ones.

The children were not allowed to communicate with their living parent or other family members. Sadly, most children never knew what happened to their parents just as most parents never knew the fate of their children. Many of these little ones worked in factories and others were forced into the streets.

Some Orphan Train children found good homes with loving families but experts estimate that about one-quarter of the kids ended up with families who were mean or who used them as unpaid servants. If a child was found to be mistreated, Children’s Aid agents usually, but not always, found him or her a new home.

 

It is believed that there are at least 200 Orphan Train children

still living. One, by the name of Clara, just recently turned 100

years of age. She was about 7 years old when her parents and a

sister were killed trying to cross a river in New York State. She

and her siblings were split up and sent to different families in

Kansas. They were fortunate in that they ended up in loving families who allowed them to keep in touch with one another throughout their lives. Clara eventually married and moved to Texas.

Many have searched much of their adult lives for their families.

Some brothers and sisters were finally united when they were in

their 70s. So long the search, so little time left.

            

        ***

*Major source of information:

The Mini Page- Betty Debnam, editor and creator,

and Mary Ellen Johnson, founder of Orphan Train Heritage Society of America.

(personal comments)

There has been so much suffering in this world but it is

particularly tragic when innocent children are involved. Doesn't it

make your heart leap with joy to know that soon there will be no

more orphans? Did you know that? They will belong, they will be loved, they will be happy. Their home will be a beautiful earthly paradise that will satisfy their every need. They will never know hunger again, not physically, not spiritually. God has promised—Isaiah 65 :17;  Revelation  21: 3, 4; Psalms 37:10,11,29

 

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