Leath Orphan Asylum

Apparently Opal was unable to care for the children so Asa and Sinia were placed in an orphanage. We have been searching for years to find which institutions they were in. Finally, this year after calling many orpanages we struck gold. A nice lady at Porter-Leath, Memphis, TN. took the time to look in the old logs and found "Acie" and "Sana" Bethell, signed out to their uncle Robert Hodges from Des Arc, on 1 Sep 1900. Asa was 6 and Sinia was 4. It also said that both parents were living. There was no intake record and no other information.

Link : Leath Orphan Asylum History

Another surprise, in the 1900 US Census, Opal Bethell is in Joplin, Missouri. She is listed as a divorcee, her occupation is music teacher.