Oklahoma Children's Home Society early 1900s
I recently discovered I had two sisters who were surrendered to the Oklahoma Children's Home Society in 1916. Lois Kilby 5 years old and younger sister, Josephine, 3 years old. I have found the history of Josephine but can't find what happened to Lois. The home was ran by the Masons. I've contacted the Masons but still waiting for a response.
Risposte
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Hi @Jim Kilby welcome! And I’m so happy you decided to join us! I may be able to help you with that or at least get the ball rolling. I’m also going to tag @Carolyn Webber who was super helpful in helping me! Unfortunately I have to leave for a family gathering but I will be back later. I will send you what I have. The people here are great! Everyone is very helpful!
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Jim do you have more details? Like what lead up to them being surrendered? Did the parents pass away? Get sent to a hospital or poor farm? What county were they living in prior to this? Do you know the birth parents names? The adopted parents names? Either of the girls dates of birth or place of birth?
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According to a pamphlet, the Oklahoma Children's Home Society method was "to place children in approved family homes, and keep a watchful care over them until of lawful age, and not to place them in orphan homes or institutional asylums.
And these children are placed with Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Disciple, Dunkard, or other Christian families. And the family is God's own institution. It is his unit standard of human Society. In the family home children can be trained as no where else on God's earth for the individual responsiblities of life in mature years, as men and women, as husbands and wives, as fathers and mothers, as members of Christ's Church, and as citizens of the Commonwealth, State and National."
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ok/county/logan/chome/childhomebr.htm
"God setteth the solitary in families."
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These are great questions and suggestions for additional information. @Jim Kilby if you can share any clues it might prove helpful. I have found even the smallest clues can sometimes be just the clue to make a discovery.
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Here's the story as best I know. My father, James Franklin Kilby, was born in 1890. His first of 5 wives, May, had two girls born between 1910 and 1912. I was a product of my father's 5th and last marriage. I was born in 1949 when my father was 59 years old. He died when I was 7 so I remember little of him. We had always heard rumors that he had given up a girl to an orphanage but we never knew if it was true or not. My mother had heard the rumor but to her it was only a rumor.
A few months ago, I was an email through 23 and me from a man looking for the parents of his "adopted" mother. We showed to be 2nd cousins. We contacted each other and, as it turns out, his mother, Josephine Kilby, was one of the girls my father and May surrendered to the home (see attached newspaper article he had). Since then, I have discovered that the home listed in the article was managed by the Masons. Both girls were born in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. The adult Josephine didn't remember her sister but that's understandable as she was only 3 and suffered such a traumatic event being given up by her parents. So Josephine is a sister (half) that I never knew I had. Now, I'm searching for information on the other sister, Lois. We tested as 2nd cousins because Josephine and I didn't share the same mother.
It breaks my heart at the thought of giving up 2 little girls. I know he joined or was drafted in WW1 so maybe his wife, May, felt she couldn't care for the girls with him gone. I don't know. When the girls were given up he was 26 and his wife, May, was younger. I know nothing about their marriage. In fact, until contacted by the son of Josephine (he actually is my nephew) I never knew the first name of his first wife. Josephine is my half sister. But, what happened to Lois?
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I did find information mentioning records from this home that lists orphans:
https://www.okhistory.org/research/forms/manuscript/orphanage.pdf
I am not clear how to access this collection, but I suspect that a call to the historical society might prove helpful.
1995.058 The Oklahoma Children’s Home Society Collection Publication of the Guthrie Children's Home Society; listing of orphans
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What a touching post! This breaks my heart. What newspaper was this article from?
I am doing some searching to see if I can find any records or connections to this home. Do you know where Josephine and Lois were born? Do you know their birth dates?
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@Jim Kilby I have found a girl named Lois in the 1920 Census that was adopted. I am searching for girls named Lois born in 1911 that are adopted. The name, age, and status of being adopted would not be sufficient to prove that this is the girl that you seek, but you may be able to find other clues. If you found DNA matches with this surname, this could have some significance. Otherwise, I am just sharing a possible technique to search with. If you know where Lois was born, this might narrow the search too.
I found one girl that matched the name and age, so far:
She is listed on the 1920 United States Federal Census as Lois Brodrick
Oklahoma Washington Jackson District 0277
The similarities are:
Washington is about an hour from Guthrie. Her name is Lois and her age corresponds.
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Try doing a search on Ancestry.com using only her first name, her estimated birth year, and an exact search with the term "adopted." You will find several records of girls named Lois that are the correct age. Perhaps, you can eliminate some of them, or perhaps you will find DNA clues to the surnames associated with them. Is it possible that these girls were half sisters, and might not share the same surname?
I have found that when you search for records pertaining to adoptions, that you have to look outside of the box to be successful. When you only have a few clues to work with, you have to work each of the clues.
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The picture is above. Click expand.
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I contacted the Oklahoma Historical Society. They have “donated records” they received in 1995. The information they have is limited other than a list that includes both girls by name.
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I have found children's names listed in yearly reports for some children's homes. Many orphanages and homes did not maintain records about the children in their care. At times, some records can be found through religious organizations that were involved with the home. I noted above that children from the Oklahoma Children's Home Society could be "placed with Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Disciple, Dunkard, or other Christian families. " Have you checked church records in this area?
Jim, I can tell that you have been searching, as I have found your trail on the internet. It must be frustrating to not know the answers. I hope that maybe someone in this community will have some additional suggestions of places to look.
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I can contact my contact at the ohs... he kindly had someone check that list for my grandfather ... I will ask him if he can have them check for Lois Kilby
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Jim, in your first post, you mentioned that you have contacted the Masons. I do not think that the Oklahoma Children's Home Society is operated by the Masons. There is a list for the children in the Masonic home from 1907-1987
Darlington & Guthrie, Oklahoma:
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ok/county/logan/chome/3masonicchildren.htm
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She was born in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma.
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I contacted the Oklahoma Historical Society. I received this:
"I pulled the box from the Children’s Home Collection and found adoption ledgers and actually found Josephine on one of the ledger pages. As you already know based on the information you sent, Josephine was adopted by an R.L and Nellie Handy. I have attached the page from the ledger, her name appears at the bottom."
and
Lois appears on one page in this collection, which I have attached. Unfortunately, it is a page with no date, no adopters names, only shows what county she came from. If we can find anything else in our collections I will definitely let you know. The records we have from the Oklahoma Children’s Home Society are pretty scarce, there are only certain years that we have and not the full ledger books, only partial. The records were donated to us in 1995 so it is not a full collection, it looks like stuff that may have been found and then donated to us.
You may try checking with the Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library in Guthrie. They may have some records pertaining to that home, but it’s not certain."
I contacted the Carnegie Library in Guthrie. They told me the Masons ran the home. I then phone the Masons Children Foundation. Am awaiting to hear from them.
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Does this sheet list her age? She would have been about 9 years old in 1920. I don't see the headings of the columns.
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I have found a report that indicates how many children were placed and some statistical information:
Fifth Biennial Report of the Commissioner of Charities and Corrections of the State of Oklahoma, 1915-1916
https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/4712
https://digitalprairie.ok.gov/digital/collection/okresources/id/4686
Although this link will not answer your question about what happened to Lois, it does give additional information about the Oklahoma Children's Home Society. Some of the details found here would provide a more detailed story of the need for homes for children.
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Jim, another thought....These girls were placed during the WWI (Jul 28, 1914 – Nov 11, 1918.) Perhaps, their mother died while the father was at war?
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When I got in touch with my Half-Sister's son, I found out that the mother, Mae, had gotten in touch and actually met Josephine when she was an adult. Interestingly, May died in Santee, CA, only about 20 miles from where I live now. There was no mention of Lois.
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The orphanage listed both last name Kilby.
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That's a bummer. I was told by the Carnegie Library in Guthrie that the Masons ran the orphanage. Maybe not.
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Sometimes, people don't talk about their painful past. Maybe May hadn't located Lois and didn't want to upset Josephine. Perhaps, she chose not to tell the painful story to Josephine. Isn't it amazing when you find a connection so close to where you live!
I wonder if any of May's extended family might know any other information?
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I'm going to invite my nephew, Josephine's son, to this discussion. He may be able to shed some light on the search.
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I didn't see any names.
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@Jim Kilby I found this court record for a Lois Louella Kilby Pottowamj? County Oklahoma
https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=pottawatomie&number=CJ-2013-00358&cmid=37422
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@Jim Kilby Also, I think when they said it was ran by the Masons, maybe they meant a couple with the last name Mason? I know that all matters concerning orphans etc were handled by the commissioner of charities and
Corrections, who at that time (1916) was William D. Matthews ... he should be listed on records as “next best friend” or “next friend” or something like that
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We must think alike! I have followed you to a couple of places in this search too! You are great! You do great research and you are so kind to do research for others. Everyone has areas of expertise, and our research knowledge grows through experience. Thanks for working so hard to help others solve their mysteries!
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