The image held in the minds of most individuals as they visualize the influx of settlers into Kansas territory in the late 19th and early 20th centuries probably resembles something along the lines of the opening 45 seconds of the 1970s television series Little House on the Prairie. Although the TV show was set in Minnesota, the image remains of a smiling, happy, eager family traveling by covered wagon to a world of promise and fulfillment.
However, there was a distinct population of Kansans who arrived by train, alone, frightened to tears and often without any hope that life would ever provide any degree of love or stability. These were children from New York City who had been abandoned, orphaned or abused. They had no one to care for them and nowhere else to go, so they were shipped west by train to see where their fates would lead.
For some of the children, their train trip west was the answer to their prayers and the prayers of so many others. For some children, unfortunately, the dream of a happy family waiting at the end of the line turned into a nightmare.
In many cases, the youngsters were placed with or adopted into loving families, and then of course, other times not. Many times the farm families simply needed more children to work the land and help with household chores. The children were considered an investment, just like horses or mules, or worse, free labor just like the slaves.
Of these children who came to Kansas, a little girl named Alice would eventually become a child psychologist to help other disenfranchised children. A little boy named John would be decorated for service in the Army Medical Corps during World War II. Another boy, who called himself Kansas Charley, would be hung for double murder by the age of 17.
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Stories of these children and more are documented at the National Orphan Train Museum in Concordia, Kansas.
Bruce N. Meyer photo
--From my new book, Myths & Mysteries of Kansas.
Comments
Everyone who comes from a loving family should read this to know how lucky she is.