Caption:  Monroe County Alms House    Rochester  N.Y.

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MONROE COUNTY POOR HOUSE

These buildings located near Rochester are of large size, four stories in height, and three in number; two are of brick, one of wood, connected with a farm of one hundred and thirty-four acres yielding an annual revenue of $3,500.00.  There are two basements, occupied for cells for the insane, and for sitting and sleeping rooms.  The buildings have no ventilation and are heated principally by stoves.  The number of inmates was two hundred and eighty, the sexes being equally divided; of these but forty are native born.  Seventy-five are children under sixteen years of age.  There is a complete separation of the sexes.  They are under one keeper who employs but a single assistant, who in turn is also assisted by the able paupers.  On an average, seven or eight paupers are placed in one room, though sometimes as many as one hundred are placed in a single apartment.  The average number of inmates is three hundred and sixty, supported at a weekly cost of sixty-eight cents.  The males who are able are employed on the farm and the women in domestic affairs.  The house has been visited once during the year by the supervisors, and the superintendents of poor visit the house each week.  The house is supplied with Bibles and there is preaching each sabbath conducted by the students of Rochester University.  Sabbath school instruction is also furnished by them.  A common school is in session at the house during the whole year.  The superintendents, through the keeper, furnish supplies and prescribe rules, regulating the diet, they also bind out the children at suitable ages.  The fare of the paupers consists of meat, bread, and vegetables; plain but nutritious food.  The keeper himself is a physician and furnishes the medical attendance required by the paupers.  During the year there has been twenty-three births and forty-six deaths.  There is here both a fever and a pest house apart from the main buildings.  Among the paupers are five blind and two deaf and dumb persons.  There are furnished no facilities for bathing, an omission of a very important sanitary measure.  During last spring the measles were prevalent in the house.

Of the inmates twenty-eight are lunatics; thirteen males and fifteen females; all are paupers.  Forty-two lunatics have been admitted during the year, and about that number are received each year.  Ten women and eight men are confined in cells.  During the past year six have been materially improved.  As a means of restraint handcuffs are sometimes used.  Their attendance consists in a general oversight from the keeper, assisted by two paupers, one male and a female.  The construction of the house is not such as to allow classification of the insane and hence recourse to cell confinement is had, where its effects are decidedly injurious.  Lunatics at this house, with its present facilities can by no means receive proper treatment.  They are discharged by town overseers, by superintendents of the poor, and by the magistrate or person committing them to the house.  There are now awaiting, two lunatics for reception in the State Asylum, where admission is now denied.

Eight of the paupers are idiots; four male and four female.  The present keeper, Dr. James, has occupied his position for six years, and gives the opinion founded on observation as keeper and medical attendant, during that time, that fifteen-sixteenths of the paupers are brought here by intemperance.  For so large an establishment, with so imperfect and faulty accommodations, it seems well-conducted.

"My Great Grandparents were keepers of the Poorhouse in Churchville, N.Y., Monroe Co. til around 1887. Not sure how long they were there. They then moved to Clarendon, N.Y., Orleans Co. Does anybody have any info on this Poorhouse?" 
     Norma Joy     Ljoy866294@aol.com