We Rode the Orphan Trains

by Andrea Warren

They were “throwaway” kids, living on the streets or in orphanages and foster homes. Then Charles Loring Brace, a young minister in New York City, started the Children’s Aid Society and devised a plan to give these homeless waifs a chance at finding families they could call their own. Thus began an extraordinary migration of American children.
Between 1854 and 1929, an estimated 200,000 children ventured forth on a journey of hope. Here, in the sequel to Orphan Train Rider: One Boy’s True Story, Andrea Warren introduces nine men and women who rode the trains and helped make history so many years ago.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical, Middle Grade, Biography, Juvenile, Biography Memoir

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 23, 2001

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the turn of the last century, the streets of New York City teemed with thousands of abandoned, homeless children. They ranged in age from toddlers to teens. They were malnourished, sickly, and unloved. A young minister by the name of Charles Loring Brace tried to help many of these children, but there were too many for one person to help. Mr. Brace had travelled in Europe where he observed employees of charitable organizations accompanying orphans by train out of cities to rural areas where they had better chances of being adopted. Brace thought this might work in the U.S. so he founded the Children’s Aid Society and instituted the Orphan Train program. We Rode the Orphan Trains is a compilation of personal accounts of men and women who, as children, rode the trains out of New York to find homes in the Midwest and other states. Their stories are unforgettable and poignant. They bring to light a largely unknown part of American history.
Many thanks to my friend, Susan G. for suggesting this wonderful book.

[Kara Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Warren’s writing style was nothing spectacular, I enjoyed the 8 true stories of orphan train riders in this book. Each story has redemptive qualities after the inevitable heartbreak they recount. I especially appreciated that Warren included information about the orphanages, Children’s Aid Society, New York Foundling Hospital, placing agents, etc. concerning the process for placing out children. Contrary to what many might assume, much thought and good intention went into the orphan train movement. As one of the 40 million descendants of the riders, I treasure learning about a small part of my own past as well as this often forgotten part of American history.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

A moving, quick and easy read with plenty of pictures. Orphan Trains, or in the case of relocated infants, "baby trains" are from the decades after the Civil War up until The Great Depression. Largely moving children from the populated NYC area to the Midwest this was a surprisingly managed process with the annual checkup visits common and children relocated after abuse. Still, many had obstacles to locate their biological parents. Each chapter is the tale of an actual "orphan" (many were just abandoned, etc.) from their remembrances.

[Kik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories from real people who rode the orphan train as children.

[Olivia Johnson]

My book was “We Rode The Orphan Train”. The author is Andrea Warren. This book is about many different stories of people who overcome many problems with riding the orphan train. I found this book in the library by accident.

In this book it is a rollercoaster of emotions with many different stories. About every 2-3 pages is a different story. There are so many different things going on with this book, like sad stories and happy stories. Also stories about families breaking up and never seeing each other again.

My favorite part was the story about Nettie Enns and her identical twin sister. They ended up getting split up and finding their way back to one another.

In my opinion this book is awesome and 10/10 would recommend it. This book is similar to books called vanished in the Mountains, Witness, and Pizza Girl. If you like nonfiction stories based in the 1920-1940 you would like this book.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I did not know much about Orphan Trains before reading this book. This book includes real life stories from people who shared their experiences of being apart of the orphan train. I feel like the orphan trains are a forgotten part of American society. I don't remember ever learning about it school. This book included information about the children's aid society, the orphanages the children lived in, the agents that placed the children, and New York Foundling Hospital. This would be a great book to read with students in 5th and 6th grade. The eight real life stories included in the book all came with their own kind of heartbreak. My heart went out to these children in terrible situations who just wanted a loving family to call their own.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one hand, I loved the stories from individual folks who experienced the orphan trains in the early 20th century. The accompanying pictures were a treat. On the other, the authorial judgement about the children universally being "throwaways," unwanted, or neglected was distasteful and, I venture, inaccurate. Not unlike today, poor access to healthcare, hindered reproductive freedoms, and stifling poverty were more likely the causes of families being dismantled. The author seems to ignore her own sources, including heartbreaking notes that were found on babies "abandoned" at New York City's Foundling Hospital.

[Tnb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is appropriate for the middle school reader in conjuction with reading about the Great Depression,and adoption and family issues.

The orphan trains are a little known episode of US history. This book suggests how imperfect the system was, how ignorant we were just 100years ago, how important family and family structure is,how devastating PTSD is, how easy it is to take advantage of a vulnerable human being, how people try to do good and organize to that end.

This is an easy and yet deep introduction to these serious matters that remain prelevant to us due to wars,famines,and rapidly changing climate

[Lindie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first became interested in the Orphan Trains after reading Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. I'd never heard of them before that!
This book ended up being quite uplifting. There were so many great stories of how families came to be families. I think so many people regard the orphan trains as a negative thing but in all honesty, there wasn't anything else available (i.e. foster care) until much later. This was the only way to deal with the crisis of kids living on the streets. This book and the stories in it give me renewed hope on the resilience of children and how a loving home can solve a multitude of problems.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My youngest and I read this together. It was very difficult to read aloud because of the number of times I had to stop and compose myself. The Orphan Trains was a very noble effort on the part of the Children's Aid Society who understood how important families were to these children. And they made valiant efforts to see that the children were placed in good homes. This is a small sample of the people whose lives were changed by an Orphan Train.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings to life some of the riders of the so-called orphan trains in a way that no other book to date has managed. It captured the heartbreak and the hope through biographers of 9 children who rode the trains, using interviews and, best of all, several photographs to recreate what life was like for these children (sometimes not orphans at all, by the way). Fortunately, these stories tend to end happily. I may have cried once or twice ;)

[Amanda Walz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be an interesting compilation of stories about different people who experienced the Orphan Trains. It really made me think about the children who need homes now. Most of the children who rode the Orphan Trains were not orphans in the sense that both of their parents were dead. Mostly they were either abandoned or they had parents who couldn't raise them. Kind of sounds like children in the foster care system. Good children who need good homes.

[Mary Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice simple read. It felt a bit like a PR piece though because most (all but one I think) of the stories ended happily. That doesn’t line up with other things I’ve read. I expected more of an overview discussing the good and the bad of this program. At the very least, it seems a real oversight not to have at least interviewed and included some of the children who were selected only to be used as free as farm labor.

[Ruthann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an eye opening book about those put on the orphan trains. Some of the children’s stories just tug at your heart, others bring anger over the treatment some children endured and others are very endearing.
I read this with anticipation over what the next child/children would have happen to their lives. It made me aware of a subject not widely known about.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful stories of children finding homes. I recently learned about orphan trains and find it fascinating and think it was a good way to help children be cared for. The stories in the book touched me. Well done.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stories of the orphan trains from those that road and lived the life after the train stopped. Nice step off into a huge program in American history. Fast read with lost of views and thoughts on the need, effect,joy and pain caused by the orphan trains.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it told small stories of the children when they grew up. Their stories should not be forgotten.

[Janine Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Used for research for a book I was writing. Those children went through quite a lot to find new homes.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good but def not what I was expecting.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love learning about this time in history

[Emily Shockley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful introduction to this era of American History that is not mainstreamed in education.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of this time in history.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting stories of the lives of orphan train riders from interviews with the author.

[Jane Fournier · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Dad was adopted at 3 hours old by a wonderful couple. The nurse attending the delivery of a 7lb baby boy, that the 16 yr old mother was not allowed by her mother and her aunt to keep, called a friend that had taken a baby before and asked if she wanted him. My Grandma came and got him as fast as she could. They loved and cared for him and finally adopted him at age 21 when he wanted to join the Army during WWII. His birth certificate read "illegitimate" and his "parents" then adopted him so he got a new birth certificate.
This book made me realize how blessed he was that he was taken and loved his whole life by my Grandparents.
These stories are REAL and amazing. Read in one setting. After reading this and because I'm miserable because my husband has passed, I'm thinking of joining an organization, CASA, which advocates for foster children. Think I just got a "God Wink". Which reminds me of another book I LOVE and read over and over, "When God Winks At You." Read em both .

[Elizabeth Fragala · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Rode the Orphan Trains is a nonfiction story of many kids in the 1900s who were abandoned by their parents. But, to the amazing service of Orphan Trains were able to get a second chance. This book tells the stories of some of the deceased riders. It also tells the stories of some of some of the guardians if the children while they were riding the orphan trains. And some of the things that the orphans were given on the train.

I surprisingly loved the book. I usually don't like nonfiction books, but this one was not like any other nonfiction book I've ever read. It told stories instead of just information. There stories, honestly, touched my heart. Very few books can do that to a person. But this book did, and I love it.

I recommend this book to everyone on planet Earth and beyond. It's such a timeless and touching story. I believe this story can really change people. It has definitely changed my mind set. I urge you to read to read this book.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several novels and non-fiction accounts of the Orphan Train (and accounts of children's homes of the 1900's). When my grandchildren were here, we read a chapter a day from the Orphan Train Rider: One Boy's True Story. I think all three kids got something about the story. Tessa was reading the Orphan Train novel also.

This book told the stories of 8-10 more children who rode the trains. Pg. 14 stories of NYC tenements, pg. 21 Orphan Train Heritage Society of America (OTHSA) headquarter in Springdale, Arkansas. Pg. 51 a woman reads the account of three-week-old baby left at Foundling Hospital -- her story!, Pg. 68 Arthur Field Smith's story of arriving in Clarinda, IA, pg. 81-95 stories of brothers from the day they arrived in Osceola to 75 years later when the two brothers posed in front of the same tree. One of their joint ventures -- Plainsman Museum in Aurora, NE that draws 1000s of visitors each year.

[Rachel N · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm flabbergasted that I never knew about this important part of American history until now. I'm inspired by the committed workers who laid down their lives to care for these children during a trying time for Americans. I love the last line of the book that reads, "Yesterday's orphan riders are today... the children everywhere who are learning, as the riders did, that 'family' can transcend biology, that strangers can learn to love each other, and that their bonds as family can be strong and true."

The writing itself is quite elementary, thus only 3 stars. I am compelled to read more on this subject as a result of this book, though.

[fpk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting. Pretty good overview for a children's book. Several short, true stories - more like vignettes- of people who had ridden the 'orphan trains' at the turn of the century (early 1900's) as the title states. I would like to read something on the same subject that goes into a bit more depth. I'm not sure this is possible, as most of the train riders are deceased , and many of them who are still living did not want to speak about their early experiences. I think I liked the first book more, "Orphan Train Rider: One Boy's True Story".

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

True account of the children living on the streets of NY City, in the orphanages and foster homes who were sent west on trains, dubbed "The Orphan Trains" where they were hopefully placed in good homes. The idea was good and in this book of true accounts, these children ended up in good homes (mostly) and lived well and good lives. Obviously every child that was placed didn't end up in a good home but this book is mostly of positive stories.
Easy read; more geared to older children with an interest in history/social studies.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good representation of a period of history that seems to have gone relatively undocumented.

The book, while interested by in topic and telling the true stories of amazing individuals could have used a little more editing. It often changes tense without warning and the sections that are meant to be indented are sometimes hardly noticeable, making it a chore at times to read.

The stories need to be out there, though. They need to be told so as not to lose this vital knowledge of our history.