Mr. Kidder speaking on the Orphan Trains at the Wisconsin Museum of History in 2014. Photo by Kimberly Blanchette.

A viewer of Clark Kidder’s orphan train presentation on Wisconsin Public Television made this comment:

“We want to thank you for the moving presentation on the Orphan Train aired tonight! Once again you have brought viewers an extra fine program! Please pass along our great appreciation to Clark Kidder for his research and his preservation of this history of his grandmother’s courage and perseverance – it beats all fiction! We grew to love Mr. Kidder’s grandmother through his love and also to be thankful for people like Reverend Clarke who gave so much of himself to these children! With appreciation to WPT and to Clark Kidder!” – Ann and Eric

Watch Mr. Kidder’s Presentation on the Orphan Trains at the Wisconsin History museum here

 Member of the Association of Professional Genealogists

Clark Kidder resides in southern Wisconsin. Mr. Kidder is considered to be one of the leading authorities on America’s orphan train movement. After discovering his paternal grandmother, Emily (Reese) Kidder, was placed on an orphan train by the New York Children’s Aid Society and sent to the Midwest in 1906, he began researching the subject and his grandmother’s life. He has since authored two books related to the orphan trains, has co-written and co-produced an Emmy-winning documentary West by Orphan Train (based on his book Emily’s Story, which chronicles the life of his Grandmother), has written an award-winning article on the subject for the Wisconsin Magazine of History, and has spoken to libraries, historical and genealogical societies, and various other organizations on the subject for nearly twenty years. While researching his grandmother’s life story he discovered two of his grandmother’s brothers were placed in the New York Juvenile Asylum. During the last two years Mr. Kidder has done extensive research in the records of the Asylum – making him uniquely qualified to conduct research for those who may also have a relative that was once placed in the New York Juvenile Asylum.

He is a freelance writer for International publications, and has authored several books, including Orphan Trains and Their Precious Cargo (1st Ed. Heritage Books, Inc., 2001; 2nd Ed. Createspace, 2017); A Genealogy of the Wood Family (Family Tree Publishers, 2003, and Higginson Book Company, 2007); A Genealogy of the Butts/Butz Family (Higginson Book Company, 2007), Emily’s Story: The Brave Journey of an Orphan Train Rider (Bookmasters, 2007), and A History of the Rural Schools of Rock County, Wisconsin (Createspace, 2014; 6 vols.); Names of Children in the Records of the New York Juvenile Asylum (1853-1923) (Createspace, 2018); The New York Juvenile Asylum: An Index to Its Federal and State Census Records (Createspace, 2018); and A History of the New York Juvenile Asylum and Its Orphan Trains – in six volumes, (KDP, 2021); Marilyn Monroe UnCovers (Quon Editions, 1993); Marilyn Monroe Collectibles: A Comprehensive Guide To The Memorabilia Of An American Legend (Avon Books, 1999); Marilyn Monroe-Cover to Cover, 1st and 2nd edition (Krause Publications, Inc., 2003, 2011); and Marilyn Monroe Memorabilia: Putting a Price on the Priceless Performer (Krause Publications, Inc., 2001). His magazine articles have appeared in History Magazine, the Wisconsin Magazine of History (Winter 2003-4), Family Tree Magazine, National Genealogical Magazine (NGS), Jan-March 2019; Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, “Illinois Bound: The Orphan Trains of the New York Juvenile Asylum,” Vol. 116, Summer/Fall 2023; Fancy Fowl (England), Avicultura (Holland), and Poultry Press.

Kidder has been interviewed by numerous reporters for articles in such newspapers as the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune. His television appearances include MSNBC, PAX, WGN, Wisconsin Public Television, and on Iowa  and Illinois Public Television. He has been interviewed on numerous radio shows around the nation, including Wisconsin Public Radio and Iowa Public Radio. Kidder was host of his own television show called Book Talk on JATV, in Janesville, Wisconsin. In addition, he has provided consultation and photographs for documentaries and television shows produced by CBS, and October Films in London, England.

Kidder was the recipient of the 38th Annual Hesseltine Award  for his article titled West by Orphan Train, which appeared in the Winter 2003-2004 issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History. 

Kidder has co-written and co-produced a film based on his book Emily’s Story: The Brave Journey of an Orphan Train Rider. It was released in 2014 and is titled West by Orphan Train. The film won two national awards in 2015 – a Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History, and a Clarion Award. On October 3, 2015 it won a Midwest Regional Emmy Award. Here’s a link to the film’s song, Little Birds, written and performed for the documentary by the incredibly talented folk singer, Chad Elliott.

The New York Times writes about his paternal grandmother, Emily, and mentions his book about her life, i.e. Emily’s Story:  The Brave Journey of an Orphan Train Rider. Emily’s Story is available on Amazon.com.

Make a donation to Mr. Kidder to help him continue his work on documenting America’s Orphan Train Movement and indexing old records.