The Long Journey Home
Copyright 2005 The Hannibal Courier-Post and Morris Digital Works.
Reprinted with permission.
In 1910 the orphan train made a scheduled stop at Bowling Green.
According to an article written by Mattie Darnell Stroker, wife of the late Howard (Rifenburg) Darnell, in 1970, her husband, age 3, and four of his siblings were on board, including Lucy, 14; Virgil, 9; and Nelson, 5. Steve, 11, was adopted by a family in Laclede County and stayed there. Three older siblings remained in New York.
Eight other children who were on the train, but not related to the Rifenburgs were left at Bowling Green and placed in foster homes that same day.
"My father was taken in by Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Darnell," said Marvin Darnell, son of Howard. "He was treated like a prince and I don't believe he remembered his life in New York. Uncle Nelson was in three or four different homes and was treated worse than a dog. They took him away from several homes because he was mistreated and had to sleep in chicken houses. The last one to keep him was Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Ray where he stayed. He took the Ray last name. But my dad was special and was treated good. My grandpa and grandma Darnell didn't have any other children."
Howard was born to Stephen and Eva Rifenburg near rural Middleburgh, N.Y. When he was 2 years old, his mother died at age 44, leaving five small children. Eventually the father placed the children in an orphanage, the Overseer of the Poor in Schoharie County.
In later years, Nelson described the terror, heartbreak and loneliness of being separated from his brothers and sisters. After the children grew up, some became reunited again.
"Dad was a quiet person and didn't say much," said Marvin. "He thought the world of his parents and he never tried to get in touch with his real father. I remember dad getting a letter one time from his father asking him for money. He told my mom if he had any money he would give it to the only father he ever knew - not him. Uncle Nelson said the day the kids were taken away, his father just put an axe over his shoulder and walked off into the woods."
The couple that raised Howard, lived in Curryville and happened to be in Bowling Green the day the train arrived. They visited a local druggist who explained what the orphan train was. Curiosity took over and they went to the courthouse where the children were.
While at the courthouse, Howard came up to Mr. Darnell, hugged his leg and said, "Mister won't you take me?" Since they had not planned to take any children, they left without Howard. But later in the day reconsidered, returned to the courthouse and told the officials they would take the 'little fat boy' if he was still left, but none of the others. He was eventually adopted - the only orphan from the orphan train in Missouri to be legally adopted.
In 1925, Howard was married to Mattie Holman. They had five children and eventually purchased a farm in the New Hartford area.
"He and his dad farmed in Curryville for many years, until he bought the other farm in 1940," said Marvin. "He farmed all of his life. After I grew up and opened a business in Bowling Green (Marvin's Garage), I met a lot of people who knew him. You couldn't help but like him. He was the best at everything he did and had very good manners. He was a good baseball player and all-around athlete."
Marvin Darnell, left, and Ed Lawson are shown at Marvin's Garage in Bowling Green. Marvin is the son of Howard Darnell, who was taken into the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.P. Darnell, after traveling from New York City on the Orphan Train. After researching the effort to find homes for children from New York, Lawson found out that Marvin's father had been on the Orphan Train. (C-P photo/Amanda Stratford)
Howard died in 1949, at age 43, when Marvin was 9 years old. Mattie died in 2000. In 1970, only two of the five Rifenburg orphan train children were still living.
For more information on the orphan trains, a book, "Orphan Trains to Missouri," by Michael D. Patrick and Evelyn Goodrich Trickel is available from the University of Missouri Press. Orphans can keep in touch with each other through the Orphan Train Heritage Society based in Fayetteville, Ark., and the Children's Aid Society, New York.
Additional information is on Web site:
www.childrensaidsociety.org/about/train.
