HARPER - Martha, Raymond and Margaret were residents of the home for a short time in 1915. (Contributed by Gloria)
NAME CONFUSION - Regarding the question of using title of Orphans' Home versus Childrens' Home, Shirley Pearson writes: In the early days those children were referred to as "wards". That's when they were being placed in the infirmary out by Selma. In later articles the home, once it was built, was referred to as the Delaware County Orphans' Home. Later on it became a somewhat kinder term and referred to as Childrens' Home. I think it was actually pretty much interchangeable at a personal level.
OLIVER & MAMIE McLAUGHLIN
April Mullanix writes: I went to the Delaware County Children Home now known as Youth Opportunity Center in 1994 to get more information on Oliver McLaughlin and his sister Mamie McLaughlin. They (the Home) had a book that they logged all the children into. This information was taken from this book.
Name: Oliver McLaughlin
Admitted: Dec 13, 1916
Committed by: Delaware County Court
Board per day: $.25
Date of Birth: July 6, 1909
Born: Morehead, KY
What caused this child to become a public charge? Poverty and sickness of mother
Father: John McLaughlin - Dead
Mother: Leva Waller - Consumptive & Dead
Discharged: Feb 20, 1919 to Martin Campbell, RR 2, Daleville, IN
Name: Mamie McLaughlin
Admitted: Dec 13, 1916
Committed by: Delaware County Court
Board per day: $.25
Date of Birth: Sept 2, 1906
Born: Morehead, KY
What caused this child to become public charge? Poverty and sickness of mother
Father: Jonn McLaughlin - Dead
Mother: Leva Waller - Consumptive & dead
Discharged: Jun 6, 1918 to W.W. Helvill, RR 2, Yorktown, IN
On Feb 4, 1998 I called Delaware County Youth Opportunity Center 298-5437 ext. 210 and spoke with Kim Hill to see if I missed anything when I was there looking at the books. She said that Oliver and Mamie McLaughlin was admitted to the children home by the ward of the court. What caused this was poverty and sickness of mother. Their father John McLaughlin is dead. They were from Delaware County at the time of admission. The cost of board was $.25 a day. Birth for Oliver was Jul 6 1909 in Morehead, KY. Oliver and Mamie were classified as bright children at the time of admission. The mother Leva Waller was consumptive at the time of admission. Oliver was discharged to Martin Campbell Feb 2 1919. Mamie was discharged Jun 6 1918 to W.W. Helvill.
I have notes where Oliver had told me that he was taken out by the Campbell's and worked hard on a farm. He would clean the barn out, milk 35 cows, take the buggy and deliver butter for $.10 a lb. for chores. And that the people who raised him were very good to him. There were approx. 400 children in the Delaware Home when he was there.
I have a letter dated July 7, 1994 from a David Kinsel written to Oliver McLaughlin. In this letter he is writing Oliver seeking information about David's great uncle Randolph Rhude that was in the children's home as well. This letter states the following: Randolph Rhude was put in the Delaware Co. Children's Home July 23, 1907. His birth was Feb. 7 1906. The records show that Randolph was transferred to John W. McLoughlin Oct 14, 1907. There is no record of being returned to the home. David was wanting to know if this John McLoughlin is the father of Oliver McLaughlin. Randolph had three brothers that were put in the home at the same time. Vern, Granville, and William. They later went to their mother. The boys were told that Randolph had died when he was young. David had found no death records. Parents of the Rhude boys were Francis Rude and Tilia (Mathilda) Rhude.
Letter from Director of Public Welfare to Oliver McLaughlin, 1940
Submitted by: April Mullanix