Biographies: The Lawyer Boys (United States, 1907)


Figure 1.-- This is the Lawyer brothers in a photograph taken about 1907. The four Lawyer brothers were taken into care. They lived in an orphanage for a while. The boys were called Alclo, Noah, Arthur and James. Their plight became known to the ‘ Children’s Aid Society.’ They took charge of the boys. They sent them on an orphan train to Missouri. Here they are after the train trip with two friends.

The four Lawyer brothers were not orphaned. They had a mum and dad. They seemed to be making out until the day their mum left home and was never seen again. The boy’s father was blind and he tried his best to look after them. Eventually it was decided to let their grandparents care for the boys. This arrangement worked fine until their grandfather died. The boys were taken into care. They lived in an orphanage for a while. The boys were called Alclo, Noah, Arthur and James. Their plight became known to the ‘ Children’s Aid Society.’ They took charge of the boys. They sent them on an orphan train to Missouri. It was a hard and uncomfortable rail journey. The train ran day and night. At some stops the boys were allowed off the train so that they could play. When the train arrived at Sedalia the boys were taken off the train. They were very scared little boys and were afraid of the future. Foster parents were found for them. Unfortunately they were not kept together and each went to a different family. Noah went to live with a dairy farmer who treated him like his own son. Alclo and James were not quite so lucky. Alclo had to be moved to several families before a suitable placement could be found. Arthur was found a good home and was well looked after. Even though the brothers were separated they managed to keep in contact with each other. There is a photograph of the boys, which might have been taken before the journey or shortly afterwards shows them with their friends. They are wearing suits and boots. They all have white shirts and some of the boys are wearing ties. It shows a happy group of boys. They believed that had they not gone on the Orphan Train they would not have survived their childhood.

Parents

The four Lawyer brothers were not orphaned. They had a mum and dad. They seemed to be making out until the day their mum left home and was never seen again. The boy’s father was blind and he tried his best to look after them. Eventually it was decided to let their grandparents care for the boys. This arrangement worked fine until their grandfather died. The boys were taken into care.

Orphanage

They lived in an orphanage for a while.

The Boys

The boys were Alclo, Noah, Arthur and James. The ages of the boys are not preisly known, but they look to be about 9 to 12 in this photograph taken about 1907 (figure 1). The little guy at the front is called Gus Jahne and his older brother is on his left. Gus was 5 years old when the picture was taken. The Lawyers are on the back row left of the two elder boys.

The Orphan Train

Their plight became known to the ‘ Children’s Aid Society.’ They took charge of the boys. They sent them on an orphan train to Missouri. It was a hard and uncomfortable rail journey. The train ran day and night. At some stops the boys were allowed off the train so that they could play. When the train arrived at Sedalia the boys were taken off the train. They were very scared little boys and were afraid of the future. Looking back, however, the boys believed that had they not gone on the Orphan Train they would not have survived their childhood.

Foster Parents

Foster parents were found for them. Unfortunately they were not kept together and each went to a different family. Noah went to live with a dairy farmer who treated him like his own son. Alclo and James were not quite so lucky. Alclo had to be moved to several families before a suitable placement could be found. Arthur was found a good home and was well looked after. Even though the brothers were separated they managed to keep in contact with each other.

Photograph

Here is a photograph of the boys, which was taken shortly afterwards their orphan train journey (figure 1). It shows them with their friends. They look to be a happy group of boys. The photograph is undated but must be sometime after 1907. That was the year the boy's grandfather died and they were taken into care shortly afterwards. The picture was taken when they were in their new location at Sedalia sometime after 1907.

Clothing

The boys are wearing suits and boots. They all have white shirts and some of the boys are wearing ties.








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Created: June 17, 2003
Last updated: June 19, 2003