13 Children Orphaned when Parents Die - Sad Family History
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
Banks, Oregon
July 22, 2019 4:32pm CST
One of the saddest stories i have found during my Family History research, 13 children orphaned when there parents died a few months apart in 1960. Apparently one of the orphaned children Janet York Marquez wrote a book detailing the story it is titled "A Song, A Prayer, A Free Spirit".
8 of the 13 children we're all send to Mooseheat, IL besides one whom was send to live with her Grandfather, and 4 whom we're old enough not to be put into the foster system.
They we're placed with the Mooseheart Child City of the Loyal Order of the Moose and we're permitted to stay there till they graduated high school.
What is so sad is they had many aunts and uncles but i guess taking on so many children was to much for them, it is kind of odd one of the 9 children was allowed to live with her grandfather sad to be separated from the rest.
The mother of the family Imogene (Byrley) York was a first cousin of my Great Great Grandfather.
7 people like this
7 responses
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
22 Jul 19
It is a good book not as detailed as i would have liked but still good
3 people like this
@dodo19 (47361)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
23 Jul 19
@chrissbergstrom I'll definitely make a note of it and see if I can find a copy.
2 people like this
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
23 Jul 19
@dodo19 it was a hard to find on amazon i have not looked recently though
2 people like this
Learning about our family histories is interesting!
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
23 Jul 19
Yes it is very sad history but they seemed to move on have great loves and stayed in touch
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78871)
• East Tawas, Michigan
22 Jul 19
This is truly a very sad story:( My Aunt & Uncle were in a car accident in 1966 and they were both killed, along with their 5 year old son, Billy. They were grocery shopping, while the other children were in school. Six of their children were already married, so 7 children were left without parents to take care of them. The older children divided them up and took them into their own homes, to raise them.
2 people like this
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
22 Jul 19
Yes something like that is so very tragic and sad thankfully family we're able to step in.... i have read the book and all the children did stay close even the one whom was raised separate. My Aunt lived by some of this family for decades and she never knew they were related distantly to us till i began my family tree research.... now they all come to our family reunions.
2 people like this
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
22 Jul 19
@kobesbuddy I am so sorry i am sure even though it was long ago it is still very sad
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (183865)
• United States
22 Jul 19
Interesting, but sad, story. And you've been able to go back to a first cousin of your Great Great Grandfather. That's very good.
2 people like this
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
22 Jul 19
Oh yes i know so much about so many distant family thanks to genealogy research
2 people like this
@chrissbergstrom (10767)
• Banks, Oregon
23 Jul 19
Yes they seem to have all been ok
1 person likes this
