Jennie D. Dee, McLean County

In 1884 a truly tragic event took place which involved a 12 year old New York orphan. Jennie D. Dee had been entrusted to the Robnett family near Centralia. Reportedly, Jennie was greatly liked in the home, but she was moved to another family eventually. Jennie had only lived with that family a few weeks when they became aware of Jennie's condition. (Pantagraph, Apr 23, 1884)

Jennie was pregnant at the tender age of just twelve. She was returned to the Asylum home in Normal and her baby was born there. Unfortunately, such events were not unheard of. The letters of one agent of the Children's Aid Society have been published in a fascinating work: Orphan Trains and Their Precious Cargo: The Life Works of Herman D. Clark. Unfortunately, such events were not unheard of. The letters of one agent of the Children's Aid Society have been published in a fascinating work: In his letters and remembrances Clark stated that many times girls had to be removed from homes because of Jealousy that arose between the woman of the house and the young girl, suggesting that inappropriate attention was often paid to girls. Another newspaper article involving a young woman that emigrated with the Women's Protective Emigration Society in 1858 recorded the brutal and repeated rape of this woman in an Illinois home. Luckily for her, another woman was in the home who could corroborate her tale of the man of the house entering her bedroom at night and violently subduing her. Her shame was so great that a payment from her rapist silenced her and no trial was even held against him.

Although the Pantagraph indicated that charges would be brought against Robnett, no other news article could be found about the issue. Interestingly, there are two Centralia's in Illinois, one in Marion County and one in Clinton County. A family named Robnett could not be found in either of those counties.

Jennie Dee was placed out again, and I do not think her prior experiences could have been told to her new family:

I think that any young girl who had been raped and then went through the trauma of childbirth in 1884 might have emotional issues, a temper being the least of them.