Agnes, You do a good job of describing the difficulties that parents faced in the last century. The family I am researching is that of John W. Marshall found in the Gwaltney township area of Alexander County. His wife, who died in 1895, was Sarah Jane Nance Marshall. My grandmother was raised by a Warlick family in the Hildebran area of Burke Co. Another sister was raised by a family named Burke. They are said to have been missionaries to Mexico. I don't know if this is correct. The youngest, a boy, was adopted by a Barringer family in Troutman, Iredell Co. I have pretty good information on the Warlicks and the Barringers. Nothing on the Burkes. As far as I can see, John and Sarah Marshall had no connection to these families. So, it is not clear how the arrangements were made. There's a lot my mother would like to know about her mother's life that seems to fall into a black hole created by the death of her mother's mother. For example, my grandmother was not really sure what her name was. She thought it was Zula, but had seen it once as Zulia. She did not know if she had a middle name. I am hoping that records related to the placement of these children might answer some questions. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Brenda