Bryn Callahan, a member of the Charles Carroll Society, Children of the American Revolution, was recently elected State President of the organization. He will serve a one-year term at the 81st Annual Conference in Crystal Lake, IL. Callahan, a 16-year member, will be installed in April 2019 on the grounds of Mt. Vernon in Arlington, VA.
Callahan will lead the Illinois members in funding a bronze bench statue with plaque at the Amboy Railroad Depot Museum in Amboy, IL. The statue will depict two children from the Orphan Train, waiting for possible sponsors to take them home to a new life.
Callahan picked this project to bring attention to the more than 10,000 riders of the Orphan Train, who were placed in homes in Illinois from 1854-1929.
His three times great-grandfather, Richard Groharing, was one of these children. Groharing found a new life in Illinois, after being left in a New York City orphanage with his two brothers. William was placed in the Thomson,-Fulton, IL, area. A third brother, Ed, was placed in the Amboy, IL, area. There were many Orphan Train children who were placed in Carroll, Whiteside, and Lee Counties.
Other members from Charles Carroll Society to be elected to State officers were
- Harris Ciacco, State Registrar
- Bailey Jane Callahan, State Librarian
- Matt Callahan, State Organizing Secretary.
The Charles Carroll Society is sponsored the Carroll JoDaviess Chapter and the Mary-Little Deere-Fort Armstrong Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Charles Carroll Society is open to any child under the age of 22 who is descended from a person who gave aid to, or served in, the American Revolution.
For more information contact 815-259-3168 or 309-269-2796.