Orphan Train History

Friday, February 15, 2013

On January 29th I had the pleasure of meetiing and talking with Brittany Faux and Anna James of Willkes Barre, PA. Together the girls are working on a documentary for NATIONAL HISTORY DAY all about the ORPHAN TRAIN MOVEMENT.

Anna's mom graciously took the day to drive them here to Delaware where we spent several hours discussing the history of the Orphan Trains as well as Oliver's story as an orphan train rider. Brittany and Anna are two very bright girls who have competed together in the past, always with some level of success!

In addition to interviewing me, they have met with a former director of the Children's Aid Society and spoken with another author, Renee Wendinger (EXTRA! EXTRA! The Orphan Trains and Newsboys of New York) as well as her mother Sophia Kaminsky who was an orphan train rider to Minnesota in 1917.

I feel certain that their completed documentary will be fabulous and with their permission, I hope to share it with you here after the competition!

GOOD LUCK GIRLS!!!!

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ORPHAN TRAIN RIDER PROFILE

VERY SPECIAL TWINS

Nellie & Nettie Crook rode an orphan train from NY to central Kansas in 1911 at the age of six. Their mother, who was French Canadian and born in Vermont, married a farmer from New York at the age of 16. Nellie remembered the day in 1910 when she and Nettie, along with their little brother Leon, were taken away. "Mother had Nettie on one knee and me on the other. I said 'Moma, why are you crying?' She said, 'I'm not crying,' and she was trying to smile. But just then the man came with the dray wagon to take us to the orphanage."

In the orphanage, although the children had separate beds, every morning the craetakers would find Nellie in bed with Nettie. They lived there for nine months, never seeing their brother Leon since boys and girls were kept separated.

On September 11, 1911, the girls left Kingston Orphan's Home, leaving Leon behind. They traveled with name tags, a blanket and a brown sack with a sandwich. Their clothes, although too large, were clean. Arriving at the station in Kansas City, Nellie and Nettie were put on stage to sing "Jesus Loves Me" to draw a crowd. Thanks to the kindness of escort Anna Laura Hill, the twin sisters were not separated as most siblings were.

Nellie and Nettie were placed with the Chapin's in Canton Kansas. They had no children of their own and Mr. Chapin was very kind. Mrs. Chapin however was cruel to the girls. When word of their harsh treatment reached the Children's Aid Society, the girls were picked up from school and placed on another train - this time to McPherson - where they lived with an older couple in their 60's who cared for them properly.

Both Nellie and Nettie graduated from college, helping each other by taking turns working while the other completed her studies. They married, raised families and lived into their 90's.

My first profiled rider is my grandfather OLIVER NORDMARK who, along with his younger brother EDWARD, rode the orphan train from the Children's Village Orphanage on Long Island NY to Bern, Kansas in search of a home. The year was 1906 and Oliver was 8 years old - Edward 5. In Bern, they were fortunate to be placed together with Henry Blaur and his wife who lived on a farm a mile out of town. Unfortunately, it was an unsuccessful placement. Having no children of their own, the Blaurs were not prepared for the rigors of raising 2 young boys who always seemed to find ways to get into trouble - throwing eggs at the barn, chasing the hogs with barn slats, etc. After one year, the Children's Aid Society was called to remove the boys and they traveled further west on the train to Mankato, KS where they were lined up on the stage of the Mankatko Opera House and chosen by 2 separate farmers. They would not see one another again until Oliver was nearly 18 and Edward was 15. Find out more by reading my books, available at http://www.orphantrainbook.com/ !

Orphan Train History

Orphan Train Rider

Friday, February 15, 2013

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