The Orphan Trains

The Orphan Trains book cover — Table of Contents In this book you will read about the orphan trains from three perspectives From 1854 to 1929 orphan trains brought orphans and poor children from the crowded East Coast to better homes in the Midwest and West Each perspective is based on real things that happened to real people who experienced the orphan trains As you’ll see the same event can look different depending on one’s point of view Chapter 1 4 James Sinclair Orphan Chapter 2 1 2 Nancy King Midwestern Farmer Chapter 3 2 0 Anna Lane Placing Agent Look Look Again 30 Glossary 3 1 Learn More 3 1 Index 32 About the Author 32

The Orphan Trains — page 1 — 4 1 After Mama died from tuberculosis in 1909 Papa tried to take care of me But he got hurt while working on the docks in New York City later that year Soon after he lost his job and didn’t have any money to buy food or pay rent on our room Papa took me to a Children’s Aid Society orphanage in 1910 He told me he would come back to get me when he got well and had a job James Sinclair Orphan

The Orphan Trains — page 2 — 5 again I hated going there I wasn’t an orphan I had Papa He made me go though The day Papa took me to the orphanage I was scared It was a huge redbrick building with so many windows I was afraid I would get lost in there I hung on to Papa’s hand and begged him not to leave me But he said he couldn’t take care of me right now I tried to be brave at the orphanage I knew that many children had to live on the streets At least at the orphanage I had someone to take care of me After I had been there about six months a man named Mr Adams talked to some of us A goal of the orphan trains was to get children out of crowded orphanages and place them with families who could raise them

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