Ellyn (and others)--
The minutes of the Co Bd of Commissioners are safe and clean in the
Auditor's office. Thanks. Based on what I found there, the Commissioners
spent a good bit of time on the poor farm and pauper relief in the county.
Fortunately the records are indexed, so that made it easier to find many of
the references to the poor farm and paupers.
I found the Poor Farm on an 1883 Craig Twp. plat map -- 165-acre plot
between Long Run Rd. and Highway 129. Looks like Roberts Rd runs into the
property off 129. I couldn't find when it was first opened, but from 1876 to
1881 (my area of interest) Matthew Worstell was the Supt. He was paid $70
per year for each resident. In the Sept - Oct - Nov. quarter of 1878 there
were 31 full-time and 11 part-time paupers at the poor farm. (Book H p.459)
That was the only listing I found. In the Commissioners Book I, p. 469ff,
there's a detailed contract for everything the Supt. was expected to do.
This was for 1883-1885.
I found much of what I was looking for, but many times the minutes just
listed detailed expense items, with no names. I'll bet the Supt. kept
records -- he would have needed them to back up his requests for
reimbursement from the Commissioners. Wonder where they might be?
Anyway -- thanks for pointing me to the Minutes.
--Phil Jones