Month: January 2014

The orphan train was a way to get orphans homes by sending them on trains to get them to people who want to adopt. The train had many stops around the U.S and many people would travel to the first stop so they could get the “good” children.

The orphan train lasted quite a while it was from 1854-1929 which was 75 years. Some years not many kids rode the orphan train other years many kids rode the orphan train.

The orphan train traveled from large cities on east coast like New york and Boston to West and midwest which could even be Michigan. The orphan went on many stops not just one stop.

Most orphan train riders were orphans or kids living on the streets with no family. Usually catholic nuns would ride with the children.

My opinion about the orphan is that it was a great idea because it saved kids that were living on the street without any family. But also it did sometimes separate family like when two brothers ride the orphan they could be separated because the adults only want one child.

Back when I was a slave down South, It was horrible, I was sold as a baby to my owners and I’ve been a slave ever since. I would have to either work on the farm or work in the “Big house” but I always picked farm because if I worked in the “Big house” we had to do everything for them except be lazy for them. I never could sleep because I slept on a hay mattress with no privacy and my back hurt from getting hit by my watcher.

I left the South because it was horrible being a slave with all the work and getting hit by my watcher’s whip all the time I just couldn’t stand it. When I left I had to travel by foot until someone let me in their wagon or on their boat. When I was walking I knew where North was by the moss on the trees and by the North star. The birds also helped me because they flew North and so I followed them.

I was very thankful if someone gave me food or warm clothes or even just sayin good luck. Some where even willing to let me in their wagon or boat to get across the Ohio or Lake Erie but by helping me the could also be punished, now that was sad. I met a few abolitionists on the way that showed me newspapers like the liberator that told people about slavery in the South.

In the picture below is a negro slave with his watcher.

Agradesco a Dios por hacerme bueno en ayudar a otros con su trabajo y tambien darme un corazon grande para tener muchos amigos. Gracias Dios por hacerme una persona que puede aprender mucho.