Speech Before German Genealogy Group in Hicksvile, Long Island

I was invited to speak to the German Genealogy Group at their monthly gathering at the VFW in Hicksville about my books, ORPHAN TRAIN RIDERS, Vol. l and ll. At the meeting in which over 100 peeople attended I pointed out that the largest ethnic groups sent out on Orphan Trains were of English, Irish and German ancestry. I estimated that anywhere from 50,000-70,000 children who were placed on Orphan Trains were of full or part German ancestry. If we estimate from good sources that 400,000-600,000 children rode the orphan trains during a 75 year period (1854-1929) we can get an estimate that makes the Orphan Train Era relevant to genealogy groups. It also begs the question-who were these people and what do we know about them. Genealogy groups from around the country should devote more interest in these children who were in many ways America's forgotten children. They offer the genealogists a great challenge because some of these children changed their name to the loving foster parents who took them in and gave them a home. I ask genealogy groups everywhere to fill in the gaps left by these children lest they be orphaned twice, first by lost or uncaring parents, second by history and unknown ancestors.