A Rose Branch on the Family Tree

by Jordan Hofer, Teacher at Loving School, Sioux Falls Children’s Home

Posted on April 05, 2024

In 1896, a five-year-old orphan named Rose was placed at Children’s Home Society of South Dakota.

One hundred twelve years later, in 2008, Rose’s great-grandson—Jordan Hofer—joined Children’s Home Society as a teacher.

Rose was a mystery to Jordan and his family. Who was she exactly? “How had she come to be at Children’s Home Society? What events had unfolded that had brought her to an orphanage at such a young age?” Jordan wrote.

Recently, Jordan’s father decided to discover the truth. This is Rose’s story, written by and published with the permission of Jordan Hofer.