Emily's Story - The Brave Journey of an Orphan Train Rider
WAUKESHA – On April 23rd the Waukesha County Genealogical Society will host an evening with Clark Kidder. In this presentation, he brings to light his own research on the orphan trains. Between 1854 and 1929, nearly 150,000 children were transported from New York City to the homes of farm families in almost every state, particularly in the Midwest. Kidder tells the story of his paternal grandmother, the late Emily (Reese) Kidder, of Milton, who was brought to Wisconsin in 1909 as one of these orphan children.
Clark Kidder resides in Wisconsin. He is a freelance writer for International publications, and has authored several books, including Orphan Trains and Their Precious Cargo (Willow Bend Books, 2001); and A Genealogy of the Wood Family, (Family Tree Publishers, 2003). His magazine articles have appeared in The Wisconsin Magazine of History, and Family Tree Magazine. Kidder was the recipient of the Hesseltine Award in 2004 for his article titled West by Orphan Train, which appeared in the Winter 2003-2004 issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History.
He has traced his Kidder roots back to 1320 in Maresfield, Sussex, England. He is past Vice President of the Milton Historical Society, which operates the Milton House Museum—a National Landmark located in Milton, Wisconsin. Kidder also lectures on Orphan Train history on behalf of the Wisconsin Humanities Council Speakers Bureau.
Meeting time 7:00 P.M. at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 300 Carroll St., Waukesha (parking lot adjoins the Waukesha Public Library).
Meetings are FREE! Individual membership is $12/yr. The WCGS brings beginning and experienced genealogists together on a regular basis to meet, discuss, and learn. For more information visit our new blog at: www.waukcgs.blogspot.com.