Mrs. Bassett was born in New York
City on May 1, 1913. In 1918, she came to
Whitewright, Texas on a train with 20 other
children under the sponsorship of the
Children's Aid Society, for the purpose of
finding families to adopt them. The unique
adoption method, known as "Orphan Trains"
was promoted by the Children's Aid Society
for 75 years and responsible for placing
over 100,000 New York children in homes
throughout the United States, mostly in
farm-dwelling communities where the futures
would be brighter. Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs.
J. R. Pennington, a prosperous farm couple
without children, in Whitewright, Texas
adopted her. Mrs. Bassett has always been
proud of her unique adoption experiences and
has recently completed writing a book
describing her life and experiences. The
book, entitled, "THE LITTLE GIRL LOVED AND
WANTED" resulted in her being featured as a
guest "story teller" at the George West,
Texas annual storyfest. Also, she was
invited in 1993 to share her experiences at
the annual meeting of the Orphan Train
Heritage Society of America.
Mrs. Bassett is a graduate of
Whitewright High School and attended East
Texas Normal College where she met and
married Floyd Bassett on September 11, 1932.
Sherman Democrat
September 10, 1993
A SIGNIFICANT JOURNEY
Whitewright woman reflects upon
childhood experiences
by Margo Smith
Sherman Democrat Staff Writer
WHITEWRIGHT - Those were the days
when Whitewright had seven grocers, two
cotton gins, three drug stores, two banks
and two train depots - the Katy and the
Cotton Belt.
"When the train stopped in
Whitewright, there were 21 little faces
anxiously looking out the windows." said
Anna Bassett of Whitewright.
For 75 years, approximately 150,000
orphaned, abandoned, homeless children and a
few poor families were brought to the South
and Midwest in hopes of finding a fresh
start. This era from 1854 to 1929 was known
as the Orphans Trains Era.
In 1918 and again in 1920 an Orphan
Train stopped in Whitewright, bringing
children ready for adoption and eager for a
new life.
"I think I was taken to the
orphanage by a relative when I was three - I
have never wanted to know more," said Mrs.
Bassett, who has no brothers or sisters.
"The orphanage I lived at was in New
York City. I was well treated ... I remember
a room with 25 or 30 little white, iron
beds, we each had a locker ... I stayed
there a while and then moved upstairs to
another room with half-beds for everyone,"
said Mrs. Bassett.
The orphanage was sponsored by the
Roman Catholic Church, and weekly visits to
a "beautiful cathedral with stained glass
windows and pipe organ music," are strong
memories for Mrs. Bassett.
"The last Christmas before leaving
for Texas, we all hung stockings on the foot
of our beds and waited for Santa. I got some
fruit and a celluloid doll ... that doll
came on the Orphan Train with me," said Mrs.
Bassett.
There were two sponsors, Mrs. Hill
and Mrs. Peterson, who rode with 21 children
from New York. "All I know about them is
that they came down the Hudson River on a
ship to Grand Central Station to ride the
train with us."
Mrs. Bassett said she does not know
how many days the journey took that cold
January in 1918, and doesn't remember any
stops except the stop at Katy depot in
Whitewright.
There were several children, younger
than Mrs. Bassett was, and at least one set
of twins, 2-years-old.
"We were taught manners and were
well disciplined," Mrs. Bassett said. "Of
course, with that many children, you have to
have discipline = yes, I had excellent
manners by the time I got to Texas."
"The first night was spent in the
Smith Hotel next to the Katy depot," Mrs.
Bassett said. "We each had our own suitcase
with a few changes of clothes and our
belongings. Early the next morning, we were
up and dressed, hoping to meet our new
parents. We went to the city hall, where
there were quite a few people gathered to
see us.
"There was one man I noticed with a
twinkle in his eye and big smile on his
face. He kept looking at me. I wasn't shy,
so soon I was talking and dancing for Mr.
J.R. Pennington. Pretty soon he said he had
to go get his wife who hadn't been able to
come that morning.
"No, I wasn't worried about not
finding parents, there were several who
showed an interest in me that day."
After Mrs. Pennington saw little
Miss Anna Miller, the Penningtons went home
to think about what adopting a child would
mean to their lives.
The Penningtons were nearly 50 and
childless, but evidently, they decided Anna
was the daughter for them. Mr. Pennington
was a "land dealer."
"It seemed a little voice was
whispering to them 'please be my mother and
father,'" Mrs. Bassett said.
The next morning, they returned to
the city hall to talk with Anna's sponsor,
and that afternoon, the Penningtons proudly
escorted their new 5-year-old brown haired
and brown eyed, dancing and singing daughter
to their home in Whitewright.
"I was never spanked. It never
dawned on me they might send me back. I just
always felt I was special."
"Some people who are adopted want to
go back and dig things up, but I have always
been so happy and comfortable ... you can
understand why I never wanted to go back."
Mrs. Bassett attended high school in
Whitewright and began college at East Texas
State University. But as a freshman in 1932,
she met Floyd Bassett, a senior and "fell
madly in love, and that was the end of
college."
Mr. Bassett died in 1983.
The Bassetts have three children:
Beverly Herrera who lives in Columbus, Ohio;
Dixie Bassett of Sherman and Jim Bassett of
Corpus Christi.
Mrs. Bassett, who now lives in her
childhood home, said she is writing her life
story for her children, six grandchildren
and four great-grandchildren.
"After I developed this arthritic
condition in my hands, I got to where I
couldn't play the piano. But, I never was a
quitter, so I decided I'd learn to paint,"
said Mrs. Bassett.
Mrs. Bassett's home is decorated
with the results of those late-found
artistic abilities.
Recently, the few remaining Orphan
Train veterans had a reunion in Granberry.
"I had wondered where I learned to
sing and dance and at the reunion there was
a woman who had been in the same dormitory
with me. She was older and remembered that
those of us who showed some ability were
taken to music lessons once a week."
"I have always felt I was special
because Dick and Jenny Pennington adopted
me. I only hope I was.
