Short-Lived But Well-Loved

During the late evening hours of May 14, 1909, someone padded softly onto the front porch of the Fordyce home at 228 South Lincoln Street in Muncie. The person, apparently a young woman, left a bundle there in hopes of it being found. The family, carpenter James Leonard Fordyce, wife Henrietta, and adult daughters Edna and Mabel, saw a woman outside near the house around 9 o'clock, but no one thought twice about it. There was a well near the house that was regularly visited by strangers. Shortly after, the family called it a day and went to their rooms for the night. About 10 o'clock, Mrs Fordyce woke to what sounded like a baby crying. She woke her husband but the two initially attributed it to neighborhood cats, but as the sound continued, the couple made their way down to the front door. One can imagine there surprise when they opened to door to a month old baby boy waiting there. Soon, the house was abuzz with excitement. Police were summoned and Chief Van Benbow and Capt Hamilton Beall quickly arrived to investigate.

Capt Beall and his wife lived next door. Mrs Beall came forth and said that she had seen the woman come onto the Fordyce's porch but then left hurriedly. She speculated that the woman may have thought they were already in bed. Curiosity got the better of her and Mrs Beall stepped out of the back of her house to see where the woman went. In the dark, she got no good look at the woman crossing the tracks headed south. She shrugged it off and didn't think twice until she, too, heard the baby cry. She reached the Fordyce porch about the same time as the home-owner.

With no good look at the woman, there was no description to distribute and virtually no leads to follow up on. The tracks run just to the south of the house heading west through downtown, north east to Albany or east to Selma. She could have come from virtually anywhere. And gone back there just as quickly.

The child, a baby boy of about a month, appeared clean and well-kept, but was under-nourished. A clean change of clothing was tucked in with him. He was found to have a bit of a cold. After a string of questions for the dazed family, the officers concluded the child was in good care, at least until another plan could be put in place. Mr and Mrs Fordyce had raised three children of their own, a son Frank, and the two daughters. They had also taken in Mr Fordyce's young nephew, Rhotan Malcolm, about 3 years old at the time.

The baby seemed happy enough and reveled in the attention from the Fordyce family and all those who stopped by to see him. More than seventy-five people stepped up within 4 or 5 days to apply to take the little fellow in hopes of keeping him out of the children's home. Most would make fine arrangements for the baby.  The family, along with the local probation department, worked together in an effort to select a suitable foster family for him. The Fordyces could not afford to keep him as their own, but were willing to keep him until one was decided on. They hoped a decision would be made soon so they would not become too attached to him. He was doing well in their care though. His cold seemed to be subsiding, as was some tummy trouble resulting probably from his new diet.

After a week of contemplation, the family of oil worker Edward Fleming of Selma was selected to take the child. Mrs Cora Fleming had given birth to a baby boy of her own on January 4 of that year. Unfortunately, he only survived for about a day. They were willing and able to provide a loving environment for this abandoned child. They took their new baby to his new home on Friday May 21. Whether the process was much less cumbersome in 1909, or it was expedited based on the facts of the case, papers filed Monday May 24 resulted in the finalization on Tuesday the 25th. Probation Officer A M Van Nuys and the Board of Children's Guardians approved of the choice of the Fleming family. Judge Leffler of the Circuit Court agreed. The baby that had found himself a topic of front page news about 2 weeks prior left the court room as Ralph Eugene Fleming, legal child of Mr and Mrs Edward Fleming.

We don't know much about the next few months of Baby Ralph's life. One could imagine the little family making the most of their unexpected addition, especially after their heartbreak earlier in the year. But it seems that some health issues were not completely overcome. Tragedy struck. Little Ralph, the abandoned waif turned beloved community prince, passed away at his home near Selma in July of the same year.

Our Darling Babies
Children of Edward & Cora Fleming
1909
(Photo used with permission of photographer)

Both baby boys, Edward and Cora Fleming's natural born son and the adopted Ralph, are buried under this sad little marker in White Cemetery on the north side of Selma. The lettering across the top is a bit hard to read but says "Our Darling Babies".

Edward and Cora moved from Selma to Oklahoma following Ralph's death. In August of 1911, Cora gave birth to Edith Lucille. Cora and one-year-old Edith returned to Selma for a visit. No doubt old family friends were overjoyed at the site of the little girl. Edward and Cora passed away in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, decades later, Edward on May 27, 1942, and Cora on July 20, 1957. Daughter Edith, later Mrs J C Harris, lived to the ripe old age of 87.

If anyone has additional information on Ralph, please leave a comment or drop me a line at banksofwhiteriver@gmail.com. I am still looking for Ralph's death certificate should anyone come across it!