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The first pauper mentioned in the history of Buchanan
County was Henry FULKS, who petitioned the County Court for relief in
October of 1840, stating that rheumatism had deprived him of the use of
his hands. At that time there was no county farm and the court made an
order granting him $15 per month for three months. This method of
providing for the indigent, of whom there were few in those days, was
pursued until 1850, when Elias RICHARDSON, a farmer, residing near One
Hundred and Two River, was authorized to maintain the paupers at the rate
of $5 per month each, the county providing clothing and medical
attendance. RICHARDSON kept the paupers for two years. Judge Cornelius
ROBERTS, of Bloomington township, then kept the paupers until 1857,
receiving $80 per annum for each. The county then purchased from Leroy
BEAN a tract of 140 acres, two miles southwest of Sparta, for $3,500. This
farm was maintained until 1868. John PETER was superintendent until 1861,
when he was succeeded by Henry UTZ, who served three years and was
succeeded by George PETER, who served until December, 1865. he in turn was
succeeded by Isham WOOD, who held the place until January, 1868, when he
purchased the farm $4,200. The superintendents received as compensation
the use of the farm and from $75 to $80 per annum for each pauper, the
county providing clothing and medical attendance.
The paupers were next brought to the city and kept for
three years by Dr. William BERTRAM, who had been appointed superintendent
of the poor and county physician, by the County Court, Dr. BERTRAM was
succeeded in January, 1871, by Dr. A. S. LONG, who held the place until
September, 1871. The County Court purchased, August 16, 1871, a quarter
section from Matilda S. and Martin HUGHES, paying $11,000 for e same, and,
as soon as possible, had the paupers removed. Dr. BERTRAM and Dr. LONG
received as compensation 50 cents per day for each pauper, the county
furnishing everything but food.
In September of 1871, the new institution was opened,
with seven male and six female inmates. John SPELLMAN was appointed
superintendent at a salary of $100 per month, the county providing for the
inmates, and Dr. A. S. LONG was retained as physician. There was good,
roomy frame house on the farm, which had been erected by Kit TODD before
the war and intended for use as a summer resort, a railroad from St.
Joseph to Savannah having been built through the farm.
In 1873, a frame building was erected for the insane. The
unfortunates had been kept at the State Insane Asylum at Fulton, but were
returned owing to the crowded condition of that institution. They were
care for in the temporary quarters until completion of Asylum No. 2. When
that institution burned January 1879, they were again placed in the
temporary quarters. The necessity of a permanent institution for the
county insane was so pressing that, in August, 1880, the judges
appropriated $10,000 for this purpose. A building with modern equipment
and with a capacity of 150 patients was completed in February of 1881. In
this building the incurably insane are kept. The county still maintains a
number of patients at Asylum No. 2 considered curable. Improvements were made at various times as the necessities arose until to-day the county has an asylum for indigent and insane that is both adequate and comfortable
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