I think he may have been sent to relatives who had a ranch, or was on one of the many orphan trains that took kids all over and left them with families to be cared for. This was sometimes done legally, sometimes not. I have read where young boys on the way to the store for their mother were taken and put on a train headed west. This was due to the large amount of abondoned children in the larger, eastern citites. This was the city's way of handling the problem of begging, pick-pockets, etc. You may want to try to pick your ancestor up on a census in the Stockton area. In 1990 he should be on a census for Stockton city, probably in a boarding house? He may have been enumerated at the school. The 1900 census soundex should give you his location. Marge http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/home.htm Margie Campbell's Web Page http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/Calif/ History of Stockton State Hospital (Stockton, CA) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/ICGS/ Iron county, MO Genealogy Society Page http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/cem/Napa State Hospital Oversight Hearing & Links to organizations who need our help to save old cemeteries. Stockton State Hospital Cemetery page Host of: Iron county Missouri (MOIRON) mail list Hermes family name list Wenstrom family name list ----- Original Message ----- From: <Llcz210@aol.com> To: <CASANJOA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 7:18 PM Subject: [CASANJOA] Stockton in the 1880's > Hello All, > > I have a letter from my ggrandfather, Robert Buchanan Curtis b. March 4, > 1873, and need some clarification. He wrote this letter himself to his > employer, John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance. The notes in quotes I added for > clarity. > > "At age 13(just orphaned) I was sent to California(1886) where I lived on a > ranch - attended school in the winter time and did a man's work until I was > about 17. When I finished Public School, I took a business College Course at > Stockton, Calif., and graduated and then attended a Normal Institue - there > until I was 21 when I returned to New York and entered the Dry Goods business > with my brother." > > My questions are: Is anyone aware of a ranch that would also be a orphanage? > What college would be in Stockton in the 1880's and what is a Normal > Institute? It is a mystery as to why he was sent to California when he had > family in NY. > > Thank you, > Linda > > ______________________________

Check the city directories for Stockton/San Joaquin county. He should show on one of these, and it will give who he is living with. Marge http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/home.htm Margie Campbell's Web Page http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/Calif/ History of Stockton State Hospital (Stockton, CA) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/ICGS/ Iron county, MO Genealogy Society Page http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/cem/Napa State Hospital Oversight Hearing & Links to organizations who need our help to save old cemeteries. Stockton State Hospital Cemetery page Host of: Iron county Missouri (MOIRON) mail list Hermes family name list Wenstrom family name list ----- Original Message ----- From: "Margie Campbell" <margecam@pacbell.net> To: <CASANJOA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, March 04, 2002 8:12 AM Subject: Re: [CASANJOA] Stockton in the 1880's > I think he may have been sent to relatives who had a ranch, or was on one of > the many orphan trains that took kids all over and left them with families > to be cared for. This was sometimes done legally, sometimes not. I have > read where young boys on the way to the store for their mother were taken > and put on a train headed west. This was due to the large amount of > abondoned children in the larger, eastern citites. This was the city's way > of handling the problem of begging, pick-pockets, etc. > You may want to try to pick your ancestor up on a census in the Stockton > area. > In 1990 he should be on a census for Stockton city, probably in a boarding > house? He may have been enumerated at the school. The 1900 census soundex > should give you his location. > > Marge > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/home.htm > Margie Campbell's Web Page > > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/Calif/ > History of Stockton State Hospital (Stockton, CA) > > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/ICGS/ > Iron county, MO Genealogy Society Page > > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/cem/Napa > State Hospital Oversight Hearing & Links to organizations who need > our help to save old cemeteries. > Stockton State Hospital Cemetery page > > Host of: > Iron county Missouri (MOIRON) mail list > Hermes family name list > Wenstrom family name list > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Llcz210@aol.com> > To: <CASANJOA-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 7:18 PM > Subject: [CASANJOA] Stockton in the 1880's > > > > Hello All, > > > > I have a letter from my ggrandfather, Robert Buchanan Curtis b. March 4, > > 1873, and need some clarification. He wrote this letter himself to his > > employer, John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance. The notes in quotes I added > for > > clarity. > > > > "At age 13(just orphaned) I was sent to California(1886) where I lived on > a > > ranch - attended school in the winter time and did a man's work until I > was > > about 17. When I finished Public School, I took a business College Course > at > > Stockton, Calif., and graduated and then attended a Normal Institue - > there > > until I was 21 when I returned to New York and entered the Dry Goods > business > > with my brother." > > > > My questions are: Is anyone aware of a ranch that would also be a > orphanage? > > What college would be in Stockton in the 1880's and what is a Normal > > Institute? It is a mystery as to why he was sent to California when he had > > family in NY. > > > > Thank you, > > Linda > > > > ______________________________ > > ______________________________