Here are a couple of great sites about the Orphan Trains: Orphan trains of Kansas http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/carrie/kancoll/articles/orphans/ "Beginning in 1854, charitable institutions in New York City began sending orphans on trains to the west to find new families, feeling that the children would fare better out west than on the streets of New York. Orphan trains arrived in Kansas between 1867 and 1930, and some 5000-6000 children were placed in Kansas homes..... ~~~~~~ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/orphan/ The American Experience "In 1853, Brace founded the Children's Aid Society to arrange the trips, raise the money, and obtain the legal permissions needed for relocation. Between 1854 and 1929, more than 100,000 children were sent, via orphan trains, to new homes in rural America. Recognizing the need for labor in the expanding farm country, Brace believed that farmers would welcome homeless children, take them into their homes and treat them as their own. His program would turn out to be a forerunner of modern foster care. " ~~~~ http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/carrie/kancoll/articles/orphans/or_hist.htm The History of the Orphan trains. ~~~~ Linda -----Original Message----- At 03:29 PM 8/8/2000 EDT, you wrote: ....... Family stories tell of him being an orphan and riding an orphan >train west. Could this be? Any information would be more than I have now!! >Thanks, Gina in Iowa > >