Blanche and William Clymer
The Clymer children, Blanche and William, were both 'Orphan Train' children. Mother refused to talk about her life prior to her placement with the Holman family in Kansas. Both the children were born in Lock Haven, Clinton County, Pennsylvania. Mother was born 19 October 1907, birth name was Blanche Elizabeth Clymer. Their parents were Henry Clinton Clymer and Della Irene Reisdorph Clymer.
Mother was placed in an orphanage, the Ontario County Children's Asylum, Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York in March 1916 along with her little brother William. In May of 1916 they were moved to the New York Children's Aid Society. She was eight years old and Uncle Bill was almost six.
In November 1916 Mother was sent to Cherryvale, Kansas on a "train." The first family placement did not work out. She was then placed with Thomas and Myrtle Holman of Cherryvale, Uncle Bill came to live with the Holmans in July 1918, after much pleading from my mother, also on a 'train.'
I feel certain that the social worker or placement officer was Helen Baxter of the NYCAS. As a child I can remember letters coming from her and being promptly destroyed after Mother read them. In 1944 when Mother needed a birth certificate, the NYCAS was the one she contacted, and in time we received the birth certificate.
Uncle Bill told me the only things he can remember after being placed in the NYCAS was 'he never saw his sister again until he went to live with her in Kansas' and about the severe punishment for bed wetting.
Mother passed away 16 May, 1956 at the age of 48 years. Uncle Bill is still living (Twin Falls, Idaho) and is 80 years of age.
These children were raised in a very loving, caring family. The Holmans were childless and they provided good homes and education for them. As far as we have been able to ascertain, the children were never legally adopted. But they were deeply loved by their placement parents.
I would like to hear from anyone who might have been on either of the trains with these children.
Leona Wilson George, 824 South Green St., Kennewick, WA 99336.
