Somewhere out there,
Someone's saying a prayer,
Then we'll find one another,
In that big somewhere out there.

My mothers birth name was Bessie Risley. She was adopted by my grandparents in 1916. There name was William & Clara Zoeller at Falls City, Ne. Her birth date is March 31 1910 and her adoption papers show her birth date as March 31 1911. Social Security used the 1910 date when she started taking her S S .Richard Malcolm

My grandparents, John and Mary Bruns adopted a girl, Ann Cowan, from an Orphan Train. The Bruns family lived in St. Helena, Nebraska. John: 1833-1894; Mary: 1842-1922.
I am seeking information about Ann Cowan for the family history. Thank you.
M. Geralda Schaefer
(if you have information on Ann, please contact the Orphan Train co-ordinator.)

I am looking for any information on my grand father AMBROSE VINCENT KEARNS, born March 29, 1900, to a KATE KEARNSand PATRICK TULLY, in New York City. He was placed with the New York Foundling Hospital at birth and sent to a AGNES CASSIDY, in Holt County Nebraska in 1903. He was there until 1913, possibly going by the name of LAWRENCE CASSIDY. In 1913 he was placed with LOUIS and MARY SEEP in Janesville, Wisconsin. We are looking for any information on either family and also the name of the family who lived at 1426 Main Street, Fremont, Nebraska in 1918. We think this may be a foster sister. Any information will be appreciated. Thank you. Scot and Tracy Montgomery

Great Grandfather, Ambrose Kearns came in on the Orphan Train from New York to Nebraska. Seeking any info. He settled in Wessington Springs, SD. Born on 8/1899. Lars Poling

I am looking for information on my mother, who is deceased and came to Nebraska on the Orphan Trains. Her name was Ann Teresa Flynn (we think), and she was taken in by Joseph and Theresia Ulrich, of West Point, Nebraska, to be a companion to their only daughter, Mary Theresia Ulrich, who is now also deceased. She was baptized a Catholic in New York City, and arrangements for her placement were made through the parish priest. She traveled from the New York Foundling Hospital as an infant to West Point, Nebraska around 1911 or 1912. She grew up in West Point, Nebraska, and graduated from the Catholic High School in West Point. Her foster parents educated her because she was crippled, walked with a limp, and they thought she would have to support herself. She first became a teacher in a one-room school in West Point, and then obtained a Master Degree from the University of Nebraska in Sociology. She was Cuming County Director of Public Welfare for a while, and did many other jobs in her life. She was also a life time friend of my godmother, Mrs. Joseph (Catherine Walters) Tichota, also deceased, formerly of Beemer, Nebraska. My mother would probably be around 88 years old now if she had lived. Did anyone know her? Kathy Laughlin

I'm looking for a distant relative of mine. His name was Robert Flahavan and he was sent over from Ireland around 1853 to his parents, James and Anne Flahavan, but he never arrived and according to letters written in 1853 and 1854 by his grandmother Anne Scanlon of Aghanagran, County Kerry she was very upset with her daughter and my GG grandmother Ellen Scanlon Shanahan for not meeting the boat. The boy was about 5 to 10 years old and was accompanied by a John McMahon (Mahoney?), the second husband of Bridget Scanlon, still another sister of my GG grandmother. We have no further information and have often wondered if he got to New York safely. I am exploring the option that he arrived and wound up on one of the orphan trains. Does this ring any bells for anyone? Jim Roslund

I am looking for information regarding Forest Delos Burnham (Burnham is his adopted name), born in 1879, adopted before age 3 (1882) by Julius James Burnham and Mary Prall Smith Burnham of Aplington, Iowa. Family history says he was a boy from an Orphan Train. Several years later he was asked to leave the Burnham house. He is listed in no family records, except in the will of Julius James Burnham, which left him $100 "to be paid to him by my executrix as soon as the same can be done from the funds of my estate and within the year after my decease (2/15/1915)." At the time the will was written, Forest was 37 years old and living in Seattle, WA. Doreen E. Duba

: My father, Wilfred Hughes Roy, was on an orphan train and adopted in Nebraska by Frank and Emily Harris Roy. His name was Willie Highes and he may have had a brother who was raised by a Catholic Orphan's Home, somewhere in Nebraska, I believe. He was sent by the Children's Aid Society in NYC, and his birthdate was listed as May 8, 1911. Charlotte Louise Roy

My Grandfather George Valentine Dunseath took a train from New York City Foundling Hospital and arrived in Julesburg NE on 05/14/1925. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Lacher of Oshkosh, NE adopted him. Our family has made various attempts at locating records and info. on him - all unsuccessful. We believe he was born 02/14/1914. Randy Pringle

I am trying to locate records concerning my grandmother, Marie Helena McMahon, who was an Orphan Train Rider from Nebraska (probably Sutton, Clay County) to Merrysville, Louisiana between 1905 and 1920. She was born in Lead, Lawrence County, South Dakota, January 17, 1904. Her parents were Patrick Joseph McMahon (b. 1872, Ireland) and Amy (Johnsson-Lilliedoll) McMahon (b. 1878, Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois). She had an older sister named Vesta, born January 24, 1902, also born in South Dakota. Family word of mouth stories say that the parents died (no idea where, when or how) and the girls were sent to live with an aunt and uncle who were farming outside of Sutton, Nebraska, and that THEY then died. They were shuttled around to relatives who did not particularly want them, and then were split up. Vesta stayed in Nebraska and lived with relatives. Marie was put on an orphan train to Merrysville, Louisiana, possibly to live with relatives there. A second story says that Joe McMahon deserted the family in South Dakota, and that Amy returned to Nebraska with the girls, and soon after died. On the 1920 Census for Sutton, Marie was back from Louisiana, living with Nels and Gertrude Lilliedoll, listed as their niece. I am seeking the probate records which declared the girls orphans, and any possible information on the death (or whatever) of their parents. I would be very grateful for any information you can find, and more than willing to pay whatever expenses or costs you might have. Please email me with costs before sending documents. Michelle Brown

I think my grandfather, Lynn Armstrong Warner, was an Orphan Train rider to Nebraska. There were 4 brothers in all. One of the brothers was Lewis Warner. Another brother, name unknown, supposedly went on to be a professional boxer. My grandfather was raised on a farm by a family named Booth. That's all I know. Lynn Armstrong and my father, Lynn Joseph Warner, are both gone now. Can someone fill in the blanks for me?

Lynn Michael Warner

My gr. grandmother; Caroline Elizabeth ZWIEBEL was supposedly adopted as was her brother Benjamine. They were supposedly born in N.Y or East 1871 & 1873 respectatively. I have not had any luck with my research of them, but hopefully someday will gleen the answers. Mary Davies-Huhman

My great grandmother was Hattie Rose Hawkins, from New York. Our family story is that Hattie and her brother were brought to Nebraska on the Orphan Train. Their parents were supposedly killed in a fire was one story. Hattie arrived in Richardson County. I have a copy of her marriage license that stated she was 18 at the time she married which was August 4, 1902 to Edward Gustevson in Richardson County, NE. Our family story is also that she was one of the older of the children that were on the train to arrive so I don't think she was probably in Richardson County for very many years before she married and was not adopted that we know of. W.M. Schlosser and Emma Schlosser were witnesses to the marriage. Frank Hawkins was her father. One story is that she was taken in by the Schlosser family (Al and Lena). I have not been able to verify this. Edward Gustevson was a servant on the Schlosser farm in the 1900 census and he came from Sweden. Have not found Hattie as of yet in the Nebraska 1900 census. Both Ed and Hattie were residence of Dawson, Richardson County, Ne at the time of their marriage. I have a lot of info about her children. Brenda Lawless Daniel

My Grandmother Madeline Bateman and her brother Millard Bateman was on the Nebraska Orphan Train in 1908. She came from the Childrens's Aid Society in 1908. Before that she was placed by the courts in 1906 to the Eastern District Industrial School, 141-151 South Third St, Brooklyn NY. I have never been able to find out about this place. Can any one help me? Jo Hart

My grandmother was a Rider from New York to Kansas, in 1896. Her name was Huldah Jackson. I'm looking for her two sisters and a brother. Carroll Winder

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