Orphan Trains
Orphan trains were the brainchild of Charles Loring Brace, a minister who was troubled by the large number of homeless and impoverished children in New York city. A massive influx of new immigrants had crowded the city, and a series of financial panics and depressions in the late 19th century created unemployment. As a result, tens of thousands of destitute children ended up on the street.
In New York City, in 1850 there were estimated 10,000 to 30,000 abandoned and orphaned children. These children were nick-named "Street Arabs" because of their wandering ways. Brace was motivated by some European examples to start the Orphan Train program which "placed" around 200,000 with suitable families. The Orphan Trains operated from 1854 to 1929,
Two state Governors come west through the Orphan Train program but many more lived as indented servants. Most at some level between the two extremes in places through the Midwest.
The Orphan experience can be best explained the song Orphan Train.
Orphan Train Lyrics
Once i had a darlin mother, though i can't recall her name
I had a baby brother, who I'll never see again
Oh the children's home is sending us out on the orphan train
To try to find someone to take us in
Take us in
We have rode the orphan train
Take us in we need a home we need a name
Take us in
Oh won't you be our kin
We are lookin for someone to take us in
I have stolen from the poorbox, I begged the city streets
I've swamped the bars and poolrooms, for a little bite to eat
Had my daddy's old green jacket and these rags upon my feet
I've been lookin for someone to take me in
Take us in
We have rode the orphan train
Take us in we need a home we need a name
Take us in
Oh won't you be our kin
We are lookin for someone to take us in
And the children home they gathered us, me and all the rest
They taught us to sit quietly until the food was blessed
Then they put us on the orphan train, they sent us way out west,
to try to find someone to take us in
And the farmers and their families rode in from miles around
We lined up on the platform of the station in each town
And one by one we parted, like some living lost and found
And one by one we all were taken in
Take us in
We have rode the orphan train
Take us in we need a home we need a name
Take us in
Oh won't you be our kin
We are lookin for someone to take us in
Now there's a many a good doctor or a teacher in your school
There's many a fine preacher who can teach the golden rule
Who started out an orphan sleeping in the freezing rain
Who life began out on the orphan train
Take us in
We have rode the orphan train
Take us in we need a home we need a name
Take us in
Oh won't you be our kin
We are lookin for someone to take us in