August 2007
This page is under construction so come back often for information. I have listed
the orphans for which we have some information. Sources of information are listed on the RESOURCE
PAGE or after the childs bio.
I am looking for information on all of the Orphan Train Riders. Please
contact me with any information you have at Sharon A. Craig
August 2007
James Alexander
He was born 1/1/1888 in Maine and was taken in by Mason family, and was adopted by them in Jay Co., came to Portland in 1892, married Fanny Swartzentruber and fathered 11 children. He died in 1952.
Information on James(Alexander) Mason from his great grandaughter, Shelli Antisdel
George Bauner
born 1844 in Germany and came to
the US with a brother, his parents had died in Germany. They lived with a
Aunt for a time.They
rode train to Hamilton Co. in 1859, given out in Madison Co. In, to the Sebrell
family. His brother was sent on to California. He enlisted in the
Union 19th Indiana Infantry (Volunteer), leaving the farm and marching off to
war. He was a member of the Iron Brigade. He was taken prisoner at
the Battle of the Wilderness and was sent to Andersonville Prison. He
survived the war and Married Nancy Jane Cook. From 1869,He was a
blacksmith, and raised a family of 6 children. He lived and died
in 1906 in Perkinsville, Madison Co. Indiana. He is buried in the old
Perkinsville Cemetery with wife Nancy and Minnie Bauner Garrison (and twin
grandbabies) nearby. Info from his great great great grandaughter
Connie Atkinson
JAMES GREEN BRADY
b. 5/26/1847 New York and died 12/17/1918 in Sitka, Alaska. Lived with the family of Judge John Green, of Tipton Co. In. He married Elizabeth Jane Patton in 1887 in Sitka, Alaska. Children: John Green Brady Jr., Hugh P. Brady, Sheldon Jackson Brady, Mary Anna Brady and Elizabeth P. Brady. He attended Yale University, and was a Presbyterian minister, missionary, Lawyer and was the
Governor of the territory of Alaska. He is buried in Sitka, Alaska.(Source I3)
MARGARET BROTT
b. c. 1852, New York, lived with the Horace Mallery family and no further information is available.(Source I4and I 1)
ANDREW H. BURKE
b. 5/15/1850 New York, and died 11/17/1918 in Roswell, New Mexico. He lived with the Darwin W. Bulter and Andrew Kline families. He married Caroline F. Cleveland in 1879 in New York Mills, Minnesota. Children: Twins, Ada Burke Mrkvicka and Amy Burke Johnson. He was a Civil War Veteran of Co. D, 75th Indiana Regiment, where he served as a drummer boy. He served as governor of North Dakota from 1890-1893.(Source I3)
THOMAS BURNS
b. 11/22/1850 New York, his parents were John Burns and Mary Kiblain, both born in Ireland. He died 10/13/1920 in Huntington, Indiana. He lived with the James Rees family, and later with the William V. Wheeler family when he was a school teacher. He married Emma B. Ford, no date and place known. No children were found.(Source I3)
JOHN E. BUTLER
Born on August 8, 1850 in Galway, Ireland to Mark and Catherine Butler. By 1857 he had become a street waif in New York City. In 1859 he came on the orphan train to Princeton, Gibson Co. In. where he went to live with M.J. Brady. He was known later as Johnny Butler, the Drummer Boy of the 17th, Indiana Reg. formed in Gibson Co. In. He reenlisted in 1864 in the 120th Reg and served till 1/8/1866 and was honorably discharged. He later moved to Franklin Pa. to work the oil fields and later became President of Butler Oil.. It is known that he took a business course in Vincennes at one time. H died in 1927 in Pennsylvania. Info from the Gibson Co. History, written by Gilbert Stormont and published in 1914 and Martha Earles
EDWARD JOSEPH CARLSON
He was born 8/9/1895 in New York City and rode the train to Franklin Co. Indiana in 1898, where he was adopted by Bernard and Philomena Dahmus in Oldenburg, Ray Twp. Franklin Co. In. He married Ellen Holdener and had two daughters, Mary and Margaret. He died 11/5/1949 in Alton Memorial Hospital, Madison Co. Illinois and was buried in the Cavalry Cemetery, Edwardsville, Madison Co. Il. He died after his clothing was ignited by an electric flash at the Shell Oil refinery in Wood River I.l. Hew was burned over 90% of his body.
IRA G. CLARK,
b.4/3/1885 in Massachusetts, adopted by Henry Edwards, in Howard Co. in 1889, name changed to Ira Claude Edwards. Married to Julia Brower in Howard Co.
CHRISTOPHER COOK
born May1, 1848 in New York City, parents unknown, was a neglected street kid at age 11 . In 1859 he was sent on Orphan Train to Montgomery Co. In and placed with James and Mary Broadie. In October 1864 he enlisted at Indianapolis in the 16th Battery, Indiana Light Artillery, Indiana Volunteers and received a distiguished service honoralbl discharge in July, 1865. He was only 16 when he enlisted and was shown as a farmer. He signed the papers with an X. Soon after the war ended, he went to Kansas and spent time near Lawrence and Fort Leavenworth. Although it is not known what occupation he followed then, he did have a perchance for engaging in saloon brawls and street fights. In 1874 at age 25, he was living and working as a farm laborer in Elk County Kansas on the farm of John Keeper. In 1877 he married Indiana born Amanda Ann Evans, whose father was killed in the Civil War at the battle of Corinth, Mississippi in 1862. Christopher and Amanda lived on the Keeper farm and had two sons. Henry b. 1880 and James b. 1881 and a daughter Cora who died in infancy. Aoon after the birth of James, Amanda and Christopher packed their belongings in a covered wagon and with one year old Henry by their side and newly born James, tucked in a shoe box, they headed to Creek, Colorado. After nearly starving to death, they return to Oak Valley, Kansas where they remained until the turn of the century. In 1901, the family moved to a 160 acre farm that they purchased for $1500 near Roper, Wilson Co. Kansas. They dis- assembled their farm house in Oak Valley and carried it on a wagon to Wilson Co. where they reassembled it. They also transported cattle, horses and a team of mules. During WWI, in partnership with his sons, Christopher bought and sold mules in the surrounding counties and shipped them to the army at Fort Riley, Kansas. Christopher died January 22, 1929, survived by his wife, one son, 11 grandchildren and 1 great grand child. Info from great granddaughter Diane
LEVI LAWRENCE CORNELL
In 1861 he arrived and lived with William Conway in Jefferson County In. He was born 3/7/1851NY. His fathers name was Daniel, his mother Elizabeth, both foreign born his father went to California around the Cape.
He married Louisa Reinier on 9/27/1881 and they had three children He died in 1922 . According to family search's, he had a sister named Emeline. Nothing is known about her.
Information on Levi Correll, from his grandaughters, Waneta Cooper and Reatha Femyer
JAMES L. CORRELL,
b.c. 1851 in New York and lived with the Albert P. Sanders family. No further information is known.(Source I5 and I1)
LUCY DALTON
b. c. 1853, lived with Elijah Cottingham family, died at age 14 in 1870 in Hamilton Co. In, no burial info available .(Source I5, I1and Internet)
CHARLOTTE DOYLE (Mary Lupinski)
b. c. 1917 in New York. at the New York Foundling Hospital. She was adopted by the Lupinski's cause she had dark hair and eyes like their sons. however, she was treated like a maid, not a daughter. She ran away when she was 16 and got pregnant by a man who was later murdered in Calument City, Illinois. She returned to New York and the NYFH where she had her baby girl.and raised her. She died in 1987 of liver cancer. She had 8 more children after marrying.. Info from her grandaughter Pat Konvalinka
CHARLES DUTCHER
born 1/13/1889 in Massachusetts and was given out to the Worthington family in Plymouth, Marshall Co. In. He rode the train with his brother and sisters. One brother John stayed in Massachusetts. Their mother died when Lena was born in 1890 and the all but John were sent to the NEHLW . Their father died in 1894 and the children were put on the train after his death.. Info on the children from ggg grandaughter of William, Esther Murry
GRACE DUTCHER
Born 6/4/1879. and she road the train to Argos, Marshall Co. In. and was placed with the Gould family, she later married the son of the Gould's. Esther Murry
LENA MAY DUTCHER
born May 22, 1890. was sent to Argos and was placed with Minnie Allerman.
WILLIAM HENRY DUTCHER
born 4/18/1894 in Massachusetts. He rode the train with his sister Grace, brother Charles and sister Lena May. William was given out to the Meckling family in Plymouth, Marshall Co., Indiana Info from his ggg grandaughter, .Esther Murry
William Sidney Emay
Born in 1853 in New York. He lived with Cook/Duncan starting in 1862 in Rush Co. In. Taken from the Orange County, NY Poor Farm in Goshen NY to the Childrens Aid Society. He had a sister that was left behing in Goshen, NY.
He was with a group of 35 children escorted by Mr. Friedgen.
Information on William Sidney Emay provided by Becky Higgins
Joseph Riley Finch
Joseph Riley was born August 28,1882 in
Massachusetts. He was given out in Portland, Jay Co. In. in 1892.
He was adopted by Adam Hamilton Finch and Eliza Jane Allen Finch. With his
adopted brother, Selma Finch who was 10 years older, he operated a grocery store
in Portland and in College Corner. He married Vernia Cromer and they had
no children. He died September 18, 1967 In Portland. Information
provided by his great niece Cynthia Finch Powers
JOHN FITZPATRICK,
b.c. 1852, New York, lived with William Slaback family in Tippecanoe Co. In., was in Hamilton Co. in 1870, no further information available. (Source I1, I5, I3)
WILLIAM FLYNN/FLINN
b.c. 1849 New York, lived with Charles Moffit family. He was convicted in 1900/1901 of the murder of John Parker, on the Kerrigan farm, northwest of Noblesville. He
served a term at Michigan City, Indiana Penitentiary. In 1909, it was learned that he was incarcerated at the Sing Sing Prison in New York on a charge of safe blowing. His sentence was for 21 years.
Information on William Flinn/Flynn from the Noblesville Ledger, August 4, 1909, Page 1. Information supplied to the Ledger by Squire David Supple, another Orphan Train Rider
MARY J. FOLEY
b. 8/2/1854 New York, she stated her real first name was Camata and her step-fathers name was Foley. She lived with the John Wheeler family and married James Roudebush, 3/10/1874 in Hamilton Co. In. Children: Elden, Flossie (Kinnamen), Ida (Wood), George, Lou, Nora and Frank. She died 11/5/1927 in Hamilton Co and is buried in the Gravel Lawn Cemetery, Fortville, Hancock Co. In.(Source-I1, I 2, I3, I5, I6) and Christine Driver
JANE FROUD
She was born 1851/1852 in New York and rode the train to Hamilton Co. In, in
1859. She was given out to the family of William and Zeruah Stoops. She died
between Aug. and Oct. 1865 in Hamilton Co. Indiana. In from Zeruah Burk
Stoops will and fred Knudsen
George Washington (Fowler) Fulton
He was born 1/29/1841 in Orange Co New York to Francia and Eliza Fowler. He had siblings Frederick, John, Edward, Josephine and Frances Hope. He was put on a train in 1859 and was taken in by Benjamin Pawling in 1859 in Wabash, Wabash Co. In., He then went to the Hamilton Family and finally with the Rev. Baker family
He moved with the Bakers to Missouri and in 1861 married Nancy Dixon in Caldwell County. He changed his own last name
to Fulton.
WILLIAM HALEY
He was born in 1845 place unknown, may have been Wales/Ireland/New York, he was given out to the Worden family in Monticello, White Co. In., in 1859 Info from his gg grandaughter Kelley
DAVID L. HARRIS
b. c. 1850 New York, lived with William Owens family. Married Margaret A. Owens, 9/3/1871, Kissia Kerr, 7/12/1876, and Emily Myers, 9/14/1878, all in Hamilton Co.
Indiana. Children: Marry (Bolen), Pearl (Shumack). He worked as a farmhand and teacher.
No death information found.(Source I1, I2, I3)
JOHN HIGGINS
b. 4/22/1849 New York, parents were Michael Higgins and Julia Higgins both b. Ireland. He
lived with Samuel Bramble in Tippecanoe Co. In. He married Annie Wittenberg 9/4/1878,
place Unknown. Children: Fredrick B. , Harry L., Ruth B. (Reeve). He was a Civil War Veteran, Co. B, 51st Regiment. He worked as a Tinner, in Insurance and Abstract work,
was the County Recorder and County Attorney of Newton Co. Indiana. (He trained himself in law, while he was Co. Recorder) No death information available (Source I1, I3, I7)
Robert (Unknown )Hurley
He was b.c. 1864 and was taken in by the Hurley's in Hancock Co. In in 1868,
he was four years old when he was put on the train was very well dressed and polite
the Hurleys found him at
Noblesville, but he was so frightened that all he could tell them was he was four and his name was Robbie, therefore his birth name is unknown. The Hurley's took him home and adopted him. He was a teacher.
Information on Robert Hurley fromSue Long
John Robert (Unknown)Koehring
He was born in New York 8/14/1859 and had a twin sister who did not come west
He was given out to the John G. Koehring family who adopted him in Wayne Co. In
He married Anna W. Kamp 10/3/1882 in Richmond, In and they had seven children. He died 5/17/1929 in Richmond, In.
Infor on John Koehring fromLinda
ANDREW LAFFIN
b.c. 1851 in New Jersey. Lived with Thomas Reed family in Hamilton Co. No further information available. May have moved out of state as neither he or the Reed family is listed on 1870 Census in Indiana( I1, I3
HANORA LONG
born in 1852 in New York City to Michael and Mary Long. Michael was in the Navy and died at sea in 1858. Their mother was very ill in gave Hanora and her brother up and she probably died in 1859. She rode the train to Clark Co. in 1861 and nothing more is known about what happened to her. She may have gone to Kansas. Infro provied by g- grandniece Mary Zalesky
MICHAEL LONG
He was born in New York City in 1858 to Michael and Mary Long (see above). He rode the train to Washington Co. In in 1863. He was first placed in a home with a doctor who was very strict, so he ran away. He was then placed with the John Bogle family. In 1880 he was listed as a car builder in Jeffersonville, Clark Co. Indiana. and living in a boarding house. He later went to Nebraska with his foster brother Bob Bogle. He died in Holbrook, Furnas Co. Nebraska on June 10, 1921. He never saw his sister again after she rode the train in 1861. Info provided by his gr. grandaughter. Mary Zalesky
ARTHUR LOWRY
b. 2/5/1854 in New York, lived with the William D. Platter family, Goshen In. Elkhart Co. Never married.
He was a pump maker, bank director and was elected Mayor of the city of Goshen, Indiana. He died 9/17/1919, leaving an estate of $100,000.00, which finally went to the state of Indiana after
no relatives were ever proven.(Source I3, I5)
JAMES MONAHAN
b. 5/3/1880 Boston. Adopted by Joshua Leffel in 1885 in Kosciusko Co.
He had a son James M. Leffel b. 6/22/1909 in North Manchester Indiana. The son had three children who may be living.
JAMES STEWART MOORE
His birth name was
Steware and it is believed that
he had a brother on the train with him. He was born 1859, in New York. He
was adopted by the William and Hanna Moore family in Monroe Co. In by
a priest. He is buried in the Moore Cemetery on Moore's Pike in
Bloomington, Indiana. Information from his great great grandson Jason Haughey
JAMES MURPHY
b. c. 1849 New York, lived with the Andrew Lacy family, no further information found(Source I1, I3, I5)
WILLIAM NEALY/HEALY
b.c. 1851 New York, lived with William Hamble family, no further information found (Source- I1, I3, I5)
Alice Francis Norris
Born 7/22/1883 and was taken in by James Mote family in Kosciusko Co. In. Married Owen Earl Emerick in 1908. Died 3/9/1949.
John Norris
He was born 5/7/1887 and was taken in by William Goshert family in Kosciusko Co. In.
Married Grace Klinger on 5/9/1909 and they had six children. He died 2/3/1971.
Information on Herbert, Alice and John Norris from Flora Warner
Bertha O'Donnell
Birth date unknown, lived with the Breckner's in 1898 in Wabash Co. In.
She was a sister to Florence, and married Asher Long. Had a son name Clarence. She also had a brother named Charles.
Father was Frank O'Donnell of Brockton MA.
Florence O'Donnell
born in 1887 and was taken in by George Ober in Grant Co.In, in 1898, married a man named Mr. David
Had a son named Jerome. Sister to Bertha and also had a brother Charles.
Information on
Bertha and Florence O'Donnell from Marilyn Long
LU/LAURA PLATO
b. c. 1842 New York, lived with E. B. Cole family. Married Jabez L. Miller
6/18/1863 in Hamilton Co. Indiana. No further information found. (Source- I1, I3, I5)
MICHAEL QUILLIAN
b. c. 1848 New York, lived with Leander Grainger family. No further information available. (Source-I1, I3, I5)
JOHN SELIG
b.c. 1850 New York, lived with Calvin F. Mallery family. He apparently left this family and went west to Kansas. (Source- I1, I3, I5)
John Lawrence Smith
He was born in 1861 in New York. and was taken in by John P. Neiderauer in Warren Co. In. in 1867
According to John's bio, he was given to a farm family and put into servitude, he was brutally beaten, and after leaving the farm, he was forced to serve, at age 13 in the family saloon. He ran away when he was 15 and hired himself out to another farm family. He was a teacher, newspaper publisher, Postmaster of Dana, Indiana. He married Kate Jordan and they had two children. He died in 1930 at the age of 70
Katherine Mae Smith
was born 2/22/1864 in New York and
was on an Indiana train, she was taken in by Josiah Grant in Rossville,Il in 1867, she and her brother John Lawrence were seperated, but lived fairly close to each other. In 1881 she moved with the Grant family to Huron, Dakota Territory .She married Isaac Dial in Huron, Dakota Territory in 1886 and they had one child, Laura Belle. She died in Fairbury, Il.
2/14/1961 at the age of 97.
Minnie Smith
She was born in 1866 in NY and was given out in Tippecanoe Co. In.
According to the bios of Katherine and John, Minnie died at the age of one year, at Randell's Island , New York, and was not an Orphan Train Rider. Was it possible that they did not know about their sister being on the same train?
Information on J. L and Kate Smith from Orphan Train Riders, Their Own Stories, Volume Four
JUSTIN STEURER
born in 1893, he was an emigrant. He later became
a medical doctor. He died in 1995 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. His sister
Anna Quenzer Steurer was on the same train and they were given out to Father
Schmitt, in Whitley Co. Indiana
Great Grandson
CHARLES C. STEVENSborn 2/22/1855, he was brought to Carroll Co. Indiana about 1870. He lived with two sisters, Martha and Jane Ashfield. He married Emma R. Beeler and they had 5 children, Cora Belle, Elsie Pearl, Martha Jane, Luella Grace, and George Franklin. Charles died 3/4/1932. Info from his descendent Unknown
DAVID SUPPLE
b.c. 1847 New York, brother of Catherine Supple, lived with Alfred Burroughs family , married Sarah Green 9/26/1872 in Hamilton Co. In. Children: Charlie F., Frank, Laura, Walter, Carl, Harry, Golda and Jesse.
He was a teacher and Justice of the Peace in Hamilton Co. He died 2/6/1912 in Hamilton Co. In. and is buried in Crownland Cemetery, Noblesville, In(Source- I1, I2, I3, I5)
Andrew Charles Tremps
He was born 2/15/1851 in New York and given out to the Yungrich family in Wayne Co. Indiana
He was in the 34th Company escorted by Mr. Fridgen in 1863. Also lived with Thort Turner Family
He married Mary E. Fertig in 1879 and moved to Marion Co.and back to Wayne Co.
He died 4/26/1934 and is buried in Bryants Chapel Cemetery. He had nine children ,seven girls and 2 boys
Information on Andrew Charles Tremps from Frances E. Tremps
Laura Tucker
born June, 1, 1888 in Massachusetts. Was taken in by Milton and Margarette Whaley in Jay Co. In.
Was a twin to Lottie, and sister to Nettie and Florence. Married Emil I Loucke 1/16/1908 in Jay Co.
Lottie Edna Tucker
Born June 1, 1888 in Massachusetts, twin to Laura, sister to Nettie and Florence Taken in by Milton and Margarette Whaley in Jay Co. In. She married John Ullom 2/23/1907 in Jay Co. She died in June 1971 in Jay Co.
Nettie Tucker
She was born 8/12/1884 in Massachusetts. She was given out in Delaware Co. In.
She married Leroy Gateswood George 8/18/1902 in Muncie, In. She died 10/30/1958 in Muncie.
Information on Tucker Sisters from Jenny
CHARLES WARD born Buffalo, New York 3/22/1883, parents may be John and Sarah Ward.
One brother's name is Elmer, born 7/11/1889 in Auburn In. had three brothers, one sister
and was left at orphanage in Mishawaka In. Charles went to Nebraska in 1890 and was raised in Frontier County by J.W. Gerlits family
WILLIAM LAWRENCE WATSON he was born 5/5/1879 in New York and was brought to Grant co. In in about 1895 where he went to work in the glass factories. He had a brother Thomas and his parents names were Susan Riley and Joseph A. Watson. He married Della I. Olinger 12/30/1904 and they had 7 children. He died 10/26/1955. Info from his grandaughter Shelia Watson
John Weldon
Born October 6, 1857 in New York. He is living
with the Obediah Foreman family in Huntington Co. In on the 1860
census.Information from his great granddaughter Katy Hestand
SETH WORTMAN- View his and Frank's story at: Little Boys
Lost
Born 1848 in New York, , lived with Daniel Purcell and Ebenezer Applegate family, He apparently traveled with his brother,Frank who lived in Broad Ripple Indiana with the Purcell Family FRANK WORTMAN
was born in 1845 in New York. He contacted the Children' Aid Society in 1868 looking for one of his siblings, that was the last anyone heard from him.
BLANCE YOUNG
Born May 1887 in Massachusetts, she, her brother elliott and sister Lucy were
sent to Fulton Co. In. in 1893. Their fathers name was George. She
was given out to the Peter Biddinger family. On 7/27/1912 she married
Charles Hall in Fulton Co. In .Dan and
Marcia Ferguson ELLIOTT YOUNG Born July 1884 in
Massachusetts, he and two siisters were sent to Fulton Co. In. in 1893.
According to the 1900 census, he was with the John B. Gregory family in Richland
Twp. On 4/10/1909 he married Alice Slusher in Rochester, In. and
they had one child. Elliott died 2/22/1956 in South Bend, St. Joseph Co. In.Dan
and Marcia Ferguson LUCY YOUNG Born December 8, 1885 in
Massachusetts, she and her brother and sister were sent to Fulton Co. In.
in 1893. In the 1900 census, she is shown with the family of Charles Grey.
On 5/16/1908, she married William E. Maguire in Benton Co. In. and they had six
children. She died August 1972 in Oxford, Benton Co. Indiana.
Dan and Marcia Ferguson
This page is being updated and check back often, Sharon A. Craig
2007