A Last Survivor of the Orphan Trains

A Last Survivor of the Orphan Trains by William Walters and Victoria Golden

A Last Survivor of the Orphan Trains is a memoir depicting William Walters’s life as one of the last survivors of the famous Orphan Trains that transported over 250,000 children from the East Coast streets and orphanages, from 1854 until the early 1930’s. Walter tells of his experience being separated from his brother at one of the many stops, and of the abuse he suffered from his adoptive family as was often the case for the orphans that rode those trains. Walters also tells of his adventures throughout life as he refused to feel sorry for himself and used the adversity in his life as motivation to better his situation. William Walters’s will to do the best he could, regardless of his situation, is inspirational and honestly reflects the Greatest Generation.

Reviewed by Stephanie Dunn, Zauel Library