Customer Reviews

Orphan Trains & Their Precious Cargo: The Life's Work of Rev. H. D. Clarke

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Clark Kidder documents Rev. Clarke's regions of operation--Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri. The journals and notes of Rev. Clarke show his great caring and concern for these orphan children. In some cases, there are personal notes from the children he placed.
Ever wonder why so many children went to Hopkinton, Ia. when the area could not support them? Rev. Clarke's journals and notes reveal information on at least 80 of these mystery children. There are over 400 children listed in these pages.

These pages document the placement history of these children. They reveal how many times, the same children would have to be moved before a suitable home could be found for them, and why the same children appear on more than one state's lists. It documents how sometimes children would be picked up locally and transported further down the line. Kidder points out how sometimes the children would wander away from the trains to disappear forever.
No orphan train research is complete without reading this facinating book.

I found Mr. Kidder's book to be fascinating. The photos of the dozens of little orphans are so endearing, and the stories of their trials and triumphs are immensely entertaining. Rev. H. D. Clarke was truly a remarkable individual. You'll find this book impossible to put down after you begin reading it. The balance of the book is told in Rev. Clarke's own words, and those of the orphans, which gives one an intimate and historical look at a most remarkable chapter in America's history.

This is an extremely resourceful book for anyone who wants to learn about or better understand the Orphan Train era of American history. Reading the journals and seeing the photos from Rev. Clarke who was a placing agent during this time, will give the reader great insight into how this movement came to be and why it was sustained for so many years. As the granddaughter of an orphan train rider, I was pleased to read of Rev. Clarke's genuine concern for the children he placed and the value he put on each little life.

Two hundred thousand children were placed through the
train project. What a monumental impact on American history that is! It is astounding that this knowledge is not part of the commonly known events that shaped our nation. I hope the first person reports of Rev. Clarke found in this compilation will correct some of that void in history.

Two hundred thousand children were placed through the
train project. What a monumental impact on American history that is! It is astounding that this knowledge is not part of the commonly known events that shaped our nation. I hope the first person reports of Rev. Clarke found in this compilation will correct some of that void in history.