Children of the Orphan Train
I had a great visit to the LA Orphan Train Museum in Opelousas yesterday. Many from the Vidrine Family opened their hearts and lives to children through the Orphan Train’s foster care and adoption program in the early 1900’s. The orphan children were born in New York City and came to south LA. Those taken in or adopted by Vidrines included the following. (There may be others):
Aloysius Inhern taken in by Mark Maximilien Vidrine (son of Emile Vidrine Sr. and Felonise Sylvester) & Elina Dupre near Grand Prairie.
Joseph Bradley Johnson taken in by Andre Jeansonne (son of Lucius Jeansonne and Appoline Vidrine) and Ernestine Joubert (daughter of Ernest Joubert and Corine Vidrine) near Ville Platte.
John Aloysius Vidrine adopted by Dr. Frederick Vidrine (son of Alcin Vidrine and Estelle Andrepont) and Olivia Bertrand near Plaisance.
George Thomson Dupre taken in by Achille Dupre and Azema Vidrine (daughter of Joseph Valerin Vidrine and Zelima Celine Doucet); George married Bathilde Vidrine (daughter of Claudius Vidrine and Armide Doucet) near Grand Prairie.
Willie Cole taken in by Oscar Doucet and Lucy Vidrine (daughter of Emile Vidrine Sr. and Felonise Sylvester). He married another orphan train rider, Loretta Rosenfeldt. When she died young, their daughter, Loretta Cole was taken in and raised by Oscar Doucet and Lucy Vidrine…and their son, Alvin Cole was taken in by Ernest B Fontenot and Basalice Vidrine (daughter of Emile Vidrine Sr. and Felonise Sylvester) near Grand Prairie.