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Orphan Train Rider statue unveiled at CES

An Orphan Train Rider statue honoring Hayes Rutherford DeVore, Alfred Weinhold and Helen Weinhold Ross was unveiled at the Concordia Elementary School on Saturday.
Lyle Ross, the son of Helen Weinhold Ross and the nephew of Alfred Weinhold unveiled the statue, which is the 24th placed in Concordia by the National Orphan Train Complex.
The statue was sponsored by the Concordia Elementary School Parents in Education group and Lyle, Jane, Lisa and Kevin Ross.
On November 10, 1911, 18 boys and girls arrived in Clyde under the care of agent Anna Laura Hill of the Children's Aid Society of New York. Among the children were Hayes, Alfred and Helen.
Hayes was the son of Zachary and Mary DeVore. He was born in Elmira, New York in January 1911. His relatives were unable to care for him, and he was taken in by the authorities of the Southern Tier Orphans' Home in Elmira.
During the placing out meeting in Clyde, Hayes was placed with John Christian and family of Clifton.
Hayes moved to Marian in 1915. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1919 at age 17 and was sent to France with the American Expeditionary Forces as part of the 59th Co. Camp Mead Replacement Unit #10 in July 1919. In 1920, Hayes spent time as a patient in the U.S. Army General Hospital at Fort Sheridan before returning to Europe. He returned from Antwerp, Belgium on January 14, 1922, arriving in Brooklyn, New York.
Alfred and Helen were born in New York to German immigrants Fred and Hattie Weinhold.
After the death of Hattie, Fred left the family and passed away.
Alfred and Helen were turned over to the Children's Aid Society to fund a new home out west in Clyde. They were placed with J. Ed and Libbie Simmons.
Helen attended normal training and became a teacher. She taught in Washington and Clay counties and married Elmer Ross in 1933. They had two children, Shirley and Lyle Ross.
Alfred, after a year with the Simmons family, was moved between homes in Clay Center and Marion. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in World War I and World War II. He made his home in Wichita and worked at the Broadview Hotel while attending Wichita Business College.
Alfred and Helen remained in contact throughout their lives.
The bronze Orphan Train Rider statues are created by the Randolph Rose Collection in Yonkers, New York.
The 25th statue will be unveiled at 5:15 p.m. Friday at the Cloud County Historical Society Museum.

 

Concordia Blade-Empire

510 Washington St.
Concordia, KS 66901