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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
How did a boy from New York City end up in New London?
Annette Hanenberger presented am informative and interesting program on June 23. Dover Historical Society hosts a program one Sunday a month during its summer visiting season. Adolph Horn’s Great War uniform has long been part of the museum’s military exhibit. Annette captivated the audience by providing information about Adolph’s life and historic information on the Orphan Train movement. Annette’s sister, Marianna Haas, assisted the presentation. Marianna, known for the afternoon as “Vanna White,” ably displayed the many artifacts mentioned in the program. Family photos, letters written by Adoph, articles recovered from numerous newspapers and family stories were woven together with historical fact. Everyone knows how important the firsthand view of an event can be in understanding the time and the people who lived it.
In Adolph’s world, it was quite common to lose one’s parents before becoming an adult. His parents immigrated to the U.S. from Germany. All four of the children were born in the US. Annette described the life in New York tenement districts. She is a descendant of Frank, Adolph’s brother. The family still carries on the tradition of an orange in the Christmas stocking. Fruits and vegetables of those times were seasonal.
The children, Freda, Adolph, Frank and Clara, lost their father in 1894 and their mother in 1897. As tenement kids they were fortunate enough to be in a program called “Fresh Air Kids.” Adolph became intrigued with the idea of living on a farm. Upon becoming orphans, the girls stayed with separate families, one on Staten Island and the other in Pennsylvania. The boys eventually became wards of the Gerry Society. It seems that girls were easier to place than boys. Many of the audience being from farm families thought the reverse was true since boys would be valuable hands on a farm. Adolph and Frank were sent west on in 1898 on the Orphan Train to the unknown place called Iowa.
The train stopped in Burlington. Frank and Adolf found families there. The guardians of the children signed an agreement which contained the following points.
- That the child will be cared for until it is 18 years of age, both in sickness and in health, with proper medical treatment, food and clothing.
- Instructed in some business
- Sent to school four months in each year
- Trained In moral and religious habits
- The Guardian is required to make a written report, concerning the ward, semiannually, to the agent
- At the expiration of the agreement, the child shall be paid $50 in cash, given one new outfit of clothing and a bible
One of the wonderful things Annette shared was that Adolph was able to reconnect with all his siblings in 1906. Adolph graduated from New London High School in 1905, married in 1913 and enlisted in the 13th Engineers in 1917 when the U.S. declared it was entering the Great War. Many letters home from the Great War have been preserved and a long hard look at WWI is revealing. Adolph compliments the Red Cross ladies of New London. They were responsible for making many “housewife” kits and other things sent to New London men serving in France. Dover Museum has records of the work of the New London Red Cross volunteers.
There is so much more to tell — not only Adolph’s story but the story of the United States, the westward movement and the Great War. Hopefully Annette and Marianna will be invited by many groups to share Adolph’s story. Take the opportunity to hear the entire presentation. Annette’s time at Dover ended with personal visits and questions with the audience. Some members of Dover tried to locate the Shipley farm where Adolph was sheltered. Investigation is never complete.
