Orphan Train Rider Weddings, 1897

In the 1897 Report, the Asylum announced the weddings of eight girls who had been sent west.

Isabella Carr married Joseph Boyer of Elliott, Illinois on February 19, 1897, but before the ink was even dry on the certificate, the marriage broke apart. The Gibson City Courier reported just four weeks later that the marriage had been ended. Joseph Boyer married again in November of the next year, but no trace of Isabelle could be found. Isabella's parents were James Carr and Matilda Bader.

Lillie Grimes married Vincent Angell in Randalia, Iowa in 1897. No marriage license could be found, but Vincent Angell had lived with this family in Rockvale, Ogle County, Illinois in 1880. In 1900 Lillie and Vincent were living in Denver, Colorado with one child, Leroy. When Vincent registered for the draft in 1917 he was living in California and his family contact was Carrie Angell. Vincent died in 1939 in Cook County.

Annie Dickson was the daughter of Thomas and Jane Johnson Dickson. She was born in Liverpool, England. William Smith was born in McLean County and married Annie October 9, 1897. They had 8 children: Charles, Albert, Florence, Russell, Earl, Mary, Anna and Hazel. William was a farmer in McLean County. Their surviving children all lived in Heyworth and Leroy. Annie died June 4, 1973 at the age of 91.

Annie Evans and Frank Bowman were married in 1897 and appeared together in the 1900 census with a daughter, Cora Bowman. Oddly, Frank, Anna and Cora Bowman all appear in the 1905 New York census along with a second daughter Mary. In 1910, Frank is living again in Ogle County listed as a single man. No further trace of Annie is found.

Emma Myer and Cyrus Wolf are not traced any farther than the 1900 census, where Cyrus was listed as house painter and decorator.

Minnie Busse married Norman H. Leader in Monmouth, Illinois and appeared with him in the 1910 census. They operated a restaurant in Monmouth and had no children. Minnie was a native of Germany and her parents were William Busse and Catherine Wilkins according to her marriage license. Minnie's given name was Jacobena and she died July 15, 1922.

Frances Wood married Frederick Most, a German immigrant. She was 34 years old when they married and by the time of the 1900 census they had not yet had any children. In 1910 they were living in Middletown, Ohio. Fred was a farmer (1900), laborer (1910) and in his old age, a watchman (1930). He was listed as a widower in 1930.