The Story Of The Orphan Train

The Orphan Train was a train that transported orphaned and homeless children from the crowded cities of the United States to foster homes located largely in rural areas of the Midwest. Some orphans had a good life after being adopted by good families that love them. Other orphans were adopted by terrible families that didn’t care about them, they just wanted someone for hard work.

Orphan Story (Irma Craig) On June 25, 1898 Irma was born to Lyda Steinberg and Walter Craig in Manhattan, NY. When Irma was only a couple months old her mom took her to the New York Foundling Hospital and left there. There is no explanation of why her mom felt the need to give her baby away. Irma stayed in the New Fork Foundling Hospital until she was about three

There were two foster boys living with the Boehms ages 10 and 12. The two boys attended school, bringing home books which Irma liked to borrow. By doing that, she taught herself how to read before entering the first grade. Katherine dies after seven years. George decided Irma should be living in a home where there was a woman.

Three neighboring families expressed a willingness to take her in. Adelheid Gnagi who lived with her brother John Rackers and her 18 year old daughter Mary, which Irma had met previously and was very kind to her so when asked Irma choose this family to give her a new home. In her new home Irma had things a little easier, although she still helped with the many chores. She was delighted to have her own room and many of Mary’s old toys to play with. Irma became a teacher and taught for two years at The Moreau Bend School before moving to Grand View School on Frog Hollow Road. After teaching at Grand View School for only one year, she became ill with a chronic respiratory illness and finally was diagnosed with a “spot on her lung.” With her weight at 98 pounds, she was ordered to take the “rest cure” for a year, which meant no work and gentle walks in the sunshine. During that time she met Robert Schnieders, and despite her condition they got married and moved into a little house in the Cole Junction Bottoms. Robert and Irma had eight children. In 1939 Robert