Joseph Shephard, Orphan Train Rider
In 1887 a seven year old boy was sent to Illinois by the New York Juvenile Asylum. Little Joseph Shephard, called Josie by his family,...
Christopher and Nellie Hogan
Some guardians were truly benevolent toward the children and tried to help them get a good education. Nellie Hogan came to Macon County...
Agnes Vivian Crawford, McLean County
Agnes Vivian Crawford began life at Randalls Island, New York City, where she lived with her mother and twin sister, Mary. It was not the...
Ruth, Annie and William Jenkins, Will County
The first letter (1877) concerning the Jenkins family names only Ruth, who was seven years old and living with the Rev. O. C. Dickinson....
Girls Industrial Home Inmate, Gertrude Richards
Gertrude's road to the Girls Industrial Home started in Terre Haute, Indiana at the Rose Orphan Home in Terre Haute, Indiana. From there...
William Masterson, Pike County
In April of 2019 a reader, Patricia Bastianelli, forwarded me scanned copies of her ancestors' letters. There were two sets of letters,...
Daniel Curran, McDonough County
Daniel Curran was the employee of Thomas Bennett of Colchester, Illinois. Mr. Bennett had good opinion of Daniel as a studious young man...
Henry Rice, Stephenson County
Henry Rice (b. 1868) was sent to Illinois in 1876 at age seven. He was placed with Lewis and Georgianna Moses near Buckeye Center in...
"Local" Orphans
Not all children who were indentured out to farmers were from the East Coast "Orphan trains" -- In the town where I live,...
William E. Quick, Whiteside County
William E. Quick (1877 - 1951) was sent to Illinois in 1888. He lived with the John F. Seavy family near Morrison, Illinois. Mr. Seavy...
