Mini bio written by HistoryForge volunteer:
Some time ago one of our volunteers was watching a documentary, West By Orphan Train (it is still on Netflix), about the trains that took orphans, mainly from New York City, to new families in the Midwest. From 1854 to 1929
In the documentary, one of the men interviewed was himself an “orphan” that was sent out west in search of a new home. This man was born here in Elmira! This sparked our interest in other connections our local history may have with this project. I had been hoping to find him or his family listed in one of our census years, but we are yet to find a census connection.
What we have found is another connection to the orphan trains. Annie Laura Hill, one of the agents that helped place children with new families was found in the 1910 census living with her family in Elmira.
Annie Laura Hill came to Elmira with her parents as a child. Her first job was as a local teacher. (image of the program from Hickory Grove school: https://www.joycetice.com/schools/1898hick.htm). While still in her twenties, Hill found another calling to assist children. She hoped to help those in need of new homes as an agent on the orphan trains.
What was the mission of these orphan trains and who sponsored it?
Orphan trains were thought up by Charles Loring Brace, to give children in New York City a new life with fresh air and opportunities. The New York Aide Society sought to help the numerous children found wandering the streets uncared for in the mid 1800’s. Though the children were listed as “orphans” many children still had at least one parent that was unable to care for them. What was envisioned was a precursor to our modern foster care system.
The solution to an overabundance of children in need of care was to send them to families that would be willing and able to care for more children. They could be sent out of the crowded city to rural families willing to provide the fresh air and family that the children were missing.
Of course, not every story was a success and it must have proven heartbreaking for agents to learn of an undeserving family, or a child that did not find success. A 1910 survey of the children, 87% of them had “done well” in their new homes, while the rest had been unsuccessful (died, been arrested, or returned to NYC).
Orphan trains continued to take children west until 1929. By this time, the west had developed, and many states were reluctant to take in children from the east when they were beginning to suffer the same industrial problems themselves.
The New York Aide Society hired Placing Agents to help give orphans a new start in the world. Placing agents put together groups of orphans that would go west to Kansas, Texas, ect. The agents would stop in designated towns where their arrival was already advertised in the local newspaper and interview families to adopt the children in their care.
There are many unhappy stories that go along with these orphan trains, but there are also many happy stories. I like to think that because of caring agents like Annie Laura Hill there were many more success stories for these children. Hill not only interviewed families before placing children in new homes, she also followed up with the children regularly to ensure their wellbeing. Yearly visits brought her back to check up on her children, and letters were exchanged regularly to ensure they had truly found a better future. Hill continued to send birthday and Christmas cards to her charges for the rest of her life. Many children never forgot her, and sent holiday cards and announcements of their marriages and births of their children.
The requirements for a Placing Agents like Anna at this time were physical strength, sense of humor, love of children, and a missionary spirit. Ms. Anna Hill used all of these skills, satisfying her passion to work with children and find these orphan children a happy home. She retired after 30years of service and over 160 trips out west.
These train missions impacted over 200,000 children's lives and spurred the creation of three museums to preserve the history. Kansas, Iowa and Louisiana are home to the museums. At the Concordia, Kansas museum Hill was commemorated with a statue in her likeness. She was one of the most beloved agents of the New York Aide Society.
In the 1910 Census Anna Laura Hills home was at 312 W 1st Street and she was living with her father, mother, brother & aunt.
National Orphan Train Museum & Research Complex in Concordia ,Kansas
https://orphantraindepot.org/
Historical Marker information on Anna Laura Hill
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=185779
Orphan Train reunion
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/trains/howard.htm