Georgia (Frentz) Dawson

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On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 12, 1978, Elmer and Georgia Dawson were honored at an open house reception in the fellowship hall of the Methodist Church in Ford, Ford Co., Kansas. The occasion was their 60th wedding anniversary. Hosts for the event were their children, Mrs. Mildred Mann of Dodge City, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Dawson of Security, Colorado, and Mr. Dean Dawson of Los Angeles, California.

A group of 44 relatives arrived from the Oklahoma City and Bethany area in a chartered bus for the occasion. The relatives braved a winter snow storm that swept through Kansas and Oklahoma and closed highways before the day was over.

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The Orphan Train Story

The story of Georgia's early life only became known to many of her family in her later years of old. She was a part of the group who came to Kansas on the Orphan Trains. Here is a little background of this historical part of our history.

Advertisements were a common way to let people know an orphan train would be making a stop in their town. A typical announcement would read: "A company of orphan children, under the auspices of the Children's Aid Society of New York, will arrive on Friday. These children are from orphanages, both boys and girls two years old and up… Parties can take them on trial. Adoption is not demanded… Those taking children must agree to send them to church and Sunday School properly clothed and cared for until they are 17 years old (boys) and 18 years old (girls)."

While many of the children were placed in loving homes, there were also many cases where the children were abused by their foster or adoptive parents. Local committees, appointed to approve the families who offered to take children, rarely turned down an applicant. The committees were often made up of merchants and local businessmen who did not want to offend their customersor cause trouble among those in the community.

One success story was John Green Brady. His mother had died and he was left with an abusive and alcoholic father who often beat him. At the age of seven, he fled and lived on the streets for a time. He was finally picked up by the police and sent to the city orphanage. In 1859, he found himself on an orphan train that rolled into Noblesville, Indiana. There, Judge John Green described"the most motley crew of youngsters I ever did see." He took John Brady home because he considered him the "homeliest, toughest, most unpromising boy in the lot," and he had a desire to see what he could do for the boy.

John Green Brady went on to graduate from Yale. He became a trader and a missionary, and served three terms as the governor of Alaska.

Alice Ayler, another orphan train rider, earned a master's degree in counseling psychology after beginning college at the age of 50, despite being sent to two different homes as a child andconstantly being threatened to be sent back to the orphanage.

The orphan trains continued to run until 1929. It is estimated that between 100,000 and 200,000 children rode the trains and were placed in foster homes. Many of the records were destroyed and it is only in recent years, through organizations like the Orphan Train Heritage Society, that the importance of these children – their experiences, their ordeals, and their resilient spirits –
have begun to take their place in history.

Alice Ayler was placed in a home in the Marion, KS area for a part of her stay with foster parents. It is interesting to know that Georgia was also an Orphan Train Rider and she was placed in that town, though at an earlier date. Alice has been very active in telling the story of these children. It has been almost a silent part of our history until the later part of the 20th Century.

The amazing thing is that in spite of their very difficult beginnings in life, many of these children became very useful outstanding citizens. I consider our Georgia Frentz Dawson to be one of those--a very courageous, loving, and gracious lady! The important thing for them was not what they were, but what they became--in spite of their situations. We salute you!