History of Atchison County, Kansas

by Sheffield Ingalls

STATE ORPHANS’ HOME.

The legislature of the State of Kansas at the session of 1885 enacted the first law for the establishing of a Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home at Atchison, Kan. For the purpose of erecting the first building the legislature appropriated the sum of $24,300 on condition that the land should be donated to the State.

The act of the legislature provided that said Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home “shall be an institution for the nurture, education and maintenance, without charge, for all indigent children of soldiers who served in the army and navy of the Union during the late rebellion, and who have been disabled from wounds or disease, or who have since died in indigent circumstances, and other indigent orphan children of the State.” The institution was located at Atchison, Kan., on the present site which was purchased from the late J. P. Brown and donated to the State. In pursuance of the act of the legislature a portion of what is now the main building was erected and by a subsequent appropriation was finished, and the first children were admitted on July 1, 1887.

The original building was a four-story brick building with a basement. The fourth story was made into a dormitory, with five rooms for employes. The third story consisted of a smaller dormitory, lavatories, rooms for employes and sleeping room for the superintendent. The second story had school rooms, superintendent’s office, parlor, lavatories and rooms for employes. The first floor rooms were dining room, kitchen, store room, school rooms. The basement was used for boilers, store rooms, laundry and boys’ lavatory.

The laws regulating the home were amended and enlarged by the legislature at its session of 1889, so that all children sound in mind and body and over two years of age and under fourteen years, belonging to any one of the following named classes shall be eligible for admission to the home: “First, any child dependent upon the public for support; any dependent, neglected and ill-treated child who is an object of public concern, and whom the State may have power to exercise and extend its protection and control.”

This act of the legislature so increased the number of eligible for admission to the home that it soon became necessary to enlarge the building. In 1891 the legislature again appropriated the sum of $7,000 for the erection of the west wing, to be the same width and height as the main building, and to increase the length by thirty feet and this gave play room, sitting room, school room and sleeping room for the kindergarten children, also a room in which the John A. Martin Memorial Library was placed, and a reading room in the upper story for the larger boys.

Connected with this appropriation was $1,000 for a hospital building which is detached from the main building by about 100 feet.

The growth of the institution and the number desiring admission made it necessary to again ask for an appropriation for more buildings. At the session of the legislature of 1895 the legislature appropriated $91,800 for the erection of the east wing and for three cottages, 50×42 feet, and a building for domestic purposes, 40×110 feet, which contains the chapel, children’s dining room, one large school room, kitchen, store room, one employes’ dining room and eight rooms for employes.

At the legislative session of 1907 an appropriation of $25,000 was made for the purpose of erecting a new cottage on the Orphans’ Home grounds, to be used for the purpose of caring for destitute crippled children who were otherwise unprovided for under the various acts of the legislature providing for the Orphans’ Home. The foundation for this building was commenced on the seventeenth day of October, 1909, and the building was completed, and ready for the occupancy of children July 1, 1910. The law providing for only children sound in mind and body between the ages of two and fourteen years shall be admitted. This cottage at the present time is used for the older girls of the institution and it seems very well adapted for that purpose.

The legislature of 1903 very generously appropriated $20,000 to build a brick pavement from the city to the home. This road was completed to the city limits in 1904. Since that time the city has extended its pavement so that now there is a pavement road all the way from the home to the business district of Atchison.

The two latest improvements of great value to the home are, first the connecting up of the home with the Atchison Water Company, so that now we receive a supply of water adequate for all purposes. This was done in 1913 and 1914. Previous to that time water had been obtained from various sources and the supply was always poor in quality and very inadequate in quantity. This apparently settles the question of water, so far as this institution is concerned, and we now have a plentiful supply of the purest of water. Second: From the very first beginning of the home the question of sewage disposal has been one of great difficulty and a source of much annoyance and discomfort to those around about, particularly the neighboring farmers. For years the sewage of the institution flowed out through the pasture land and fields of our neighbors, and various attempts to build sewage disposal plants were made by the board of control and others who had charge of the State institutions, but with little or no success. At the present time we are engaged in connecting up the institution with the city sewer system at a cost of approximately $6,000.

The original cost of the land occupied by the State Orphans’ Home, and purchased from J. P. Brown, as hereinbefore mentioned, was $16,000.

No institution in this State occupies a more beautiful and sightly location. It is situated at an elevation of 275 feet above the Missouri river, and overlooking the winding course of that stream for miles, with the city of Atchison at its feet and with the view north and west unobstructed for miles, it is the wonder and admiration of all who behold it. It is impossible for me to state exactly or to ascertain exactly the cost of the institution, properly known as the State Orphans’ Home, but it is approximately in the neighborhood of $300,000.

The first superintendent was John Pierson; his wife, Mrs. M. A. Pierson, was his matron, and the celebrated Dr. Eva Harding, now a physician, located in Topeka, and running for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the First district, was his physician. Mr. Pierson was not very long in this office. The records do not show just how long, but he was succeeded by Charles E. Faulkner, who is now serving as superintendent of the Washburn Memorial Orphans’ Asylum, at Minneapolis, Minn. It was during Faulkner’s administration that most of the improvements heretofore noted were made. Faulkner was succeeded by C. A. Woodworth in 1898 and served but two years, when H. H. Young was appointed. He served but a short time and was succeeded by E. L. Hillis, who held the office until the time of his resignation, April 1, 1907, because of ill health. Mr. Hillis was succeeded by E. C. Willis, of Newton, Kan., on April 10, 1907, who remained superintendent until he was succeeded by Mrs. E. K. Burnes on the first day of September, 1913. Mrs. Burnes held the place for two years, being succeeded by E. C. Willis on the first of September, 1915, who is still the superintendent at the present time.

More than 6,000 have been inmates of the home at sometime or another, and of the 6,000 only 200 are here at the present time. All of the others who are still living are out in the world and doing for themselves like other people with various degrees of success. Some of them are doing well; others exceedingly well, and are occupying good positions, or are in business for themselves.

Very sincerely,

Edward C. Willis,

Superintendent.