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The notes below have been abstracted from the following reports.
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YATES REPORT
1824 LAW
1857 REPORT EXPLANATION
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YATES REPORT:
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| 1824 LAW (required establishment of poorhouse vs. exempted):
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1857 INVESTIGATION:
This house is located between
Essex and Elizabethtown, about six miles from the former place. The building is a wooden one, two stores high, without basements,
attached is a farm of 100 acres, yielding an annual revenue of $1200.00. In the house are nineteen rooms or wards warmed by stoves, but
destitute of means of ventilation. They
are occupied by, from one to twelve paupers. The average number of inmates is sixty-seven, the present number
sixty-five, thirty-two males and thirty-three females, twenty are foreign born
and forty-five native born. Ten
are under sixteen years of age. The
sexes mingle during the day, but are separated at night. Two keepers care for the paupers, one male and a female. The paupers are employed on the farm and about the house. They are furnished with a plain wholesome diet under the direction of
the superintendents of the poor, no person being allowed to contract for its
supply. The average weekly cost
of this support is sixty-two cents each. There is preaching in the house each week, and it is well supplied with
bibles. For the instruction of
the young, a school is taught in the house during the whole year. At the age of sixteen years the children are bound out to service by
the superintendents. For medical
attandance, a physician is employed at a salary of $50 per annum, who visits
the house once each week and oftener when called. For bathing a shower bath is provided. During the year have occurred three births and six deaths.
During this time the
house has not been inspected by the supervisors.
Of the inmates twelve
are lunatics, six male and six female, all are paupers. None are confined, and they have no medical or other special
attendance. They are placed in
cells at night, but are subject to no mechanical restraint. Three have been cured during the last year, and during that
time three admitted. The
construction of the house is not such as to allow of their classification. The superintendents alone possess the power of discharge. Application has been made to the State asylum for admission of a pauper
and refused.
Three paupers are
idiots, all females and all over twenty years of age. There are two blind. There
is here no resort to corporal punishment. They have no pest house.
Seven-eighths of the
paupers are reduced to their present condition through intemperance.
This house
though an old one and unfit for its present use, is kept extremely well and
with great neatness and order. The
paupers are cleanly and well dressed, and appear happy and satisfied with
their lot. For the facilities
furnished, the committee pronounce it one of the best kept houses in the State. Much credit is due the keepers.
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Transcribed by PHS-Volunteer, Cheramie Breaux in Louisiana
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PERSONAL NOTES FROM READERS:
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| LOCAL
NOTES:
"There is an article in the December 2000 issue of Adirondack Life
magazine called, "Hard Times Come Again No More." It mentions
several of the poorhouses in and around Warren and Essex County. There are
pictures of ones in ESSEX County, WARREN County, and FRANKLIN County in
the article."
Kathy Campbell katcamp@mediaone.net
| I have not gotten ahold of the magazine yet...but I
went to their website and found a portion of the article on-line at http://www.adirondacklife.com/editorial/nov3.htm
Please go look! There is a great anecdote
about a colorful "local character" (complete with old
photo of him in his old Arirondack woodsman dress) who sadly wound
up in the Warren County Poorhouse.
PHL |
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RECORDS:
Poorhouse INMATE REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES
Microfilm Series A1978 Roll
Number(s) 34-35 more information
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CEMETERY:
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| We are hoping to build this base of information about the poorhouse in ESSEX county through the helpful participation of readers. All are requested to submit items of interest by sending
e-mail to The Poorhouse Lady.
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