INVENTORY OF THE COUNTY ARCHIVES OF OHIO
NO. 71  ROSS COUNTY (CHILLICOTHE)
Prepared by 
The Historical Records Survey 
Division of Professional and Service Projects
Work Projects Administration
Columbus, Ohio
The Ohio Historical Records Survey Project
June 1939
3 1466 00271 9348

Excerpts of portions dealing with Infirmary (poorhouse) Records

[Note: Click here to see portions of important information common to all the county inventories.

             The Ross County poorhouse, now called the county home, was established in 1818 under the provisions of the legislative act of 1815.  In April 1818 a site was purchased from James Dunlap and notice of bids for furnishing material and erecting the courthouse was published in July of the same year.  Contracts totaling $3,720 were let during the following year and in April 1820 the building was accepted from the contractors.

                   Construction of the present three-story brick and stone county home building was started in 1872 and completed and occupied the following year.  The institution,  in addition to caring for indigent adults and orphan children, was used from 1900 to 1914 by the welfare department to house unwed mothers.  In 1914 children and unwed  mothers were provided for outside of the infirmary.  The building has been unaltered since its construction sixty-five years ago, except for the installation of a water system   and an electric light and power plant.                                                                                          p. 225

***

                     Since the inauguration of aid for the aged there has been a slight reduction in the population of the Ross County home which is now approximately 75.  The social aid programs have  resulted in no reduction in the cost of operating county homes.  Despite the decline in population of the Ross County home the per capita cost of operation has increased 69 per cent since 1934. 

                  All records are in the office of the superintendent of the county home.             

559.    [Infirmary Directors'] RECORD,  August 20, 1912-December 31, 1912.  1 vol          Minutes of meetings of board of infirmary directors, showing date, all orders, resolutions,          and transactions including record of expenditures and receipts,  Arr. chron. by dates of          meetings.  No index.  Hdw, 300pp.  14 x 9 x 2.  Aud.  Vlt.
           For other records,     see entries 4,  25.                                                           p.227

560.    INFIRMARY RECORD,  1842-84  1 vol. 
Record of cases cared for outside the home and of inmates of county home, showing          date of admittance, name, age, sex, birth date, physical condition, date discharged, date bound out, and to whom.  Arr.  alph.  by names of ******* and chron, thereunder by dates of admittance.  No index.  Hdw.  360 pp   18 x 14 x 3.
                 For subsequent records, see entries 561,  562

561.    SUPERINTENDENT'S RECORD OF INDIGENT PERSONS,  1900---  1 vol 
 Record of births at county home, showing date, name of mother, and color, and name of child, pages 1-16;  also record of deaths at county home, 1900-1914,  showing name and age of decedent, cause of death, and from what township admitted, pages 17-40; also superintendent's record of inmates, showing name, date of admittance, from what township, sex, color, birth date, physical condition, date discharged, and reason for discharge, pages 41-482.    chron. by dates of entry.  Indexed alph. by names of  inmates.  Hdw. on p.      560 pp.  20 x 14 x 4-1/2.
                 For prior records, see entry 560.                     

562.     RECORD OF CHILDREN,  1900-1914.  1 vol  
Superintendent's record of dependent children who were cared for at the county home,          showing name of child, names of parents, age, sex, color, and physical condition of child,          date of admittance, birth date (if known), date of indenture, to whom bound out, residence,     taken on trial, by whom, residence, date discharged, reason of discharge, date of death, and    remarks.  Arr. chron. dates of admittance.  No index.  Hdw.  400 pp.  18 x 12 x 3.                     For subsequent records,  see entries  566-572.

563.    DAILY MOVEMENT OF POPULATION, 1928---.  98 vols.
Daily record of population of county home from which monthly reports to the welfare           board are compiled by the superintendent, showing names of inmates, number registered,        admitted, number discharged, and numer of deaths.  Arr. alph. by names of inmates. No index.  Hdw.  Aver.  80 pp.  7 x 10 x 1/2.

564.    ANNUAL REPORTS,  1930----.  1 f.b.
 Copies of superintendent's annual reports to state welfare department, ******** date,
 number of persons under care at beginning of year, number admitted during year,          number discharged, number of deaths, and number in care if institution at end of year.         Arr. chron. by dates of reports.  No index.  Hdw. ********13 x 11 x 3-1/2

565.    LEDGER,  1891---, 3 vols 
 Superintendent's record of receipts and expenditures of institution, showing date, source of     receipts, and itemized account of expenditures.  Arr. chron. by dates of entry.  No index.          Hdw.  Aver.  370 pp.  18 x 11 x 3.                            

                        p.       228

Journals 

4.         COMMISSIONERS’ INFIRMARY JOURNAL,  1913-32  1 vol. initiated 1913
         1933—in [Commissioners’] Journal, entry 2.
Minutes of meetings of county commissioners, sitting as board of infirmary directors, showing date and itemized account of infirmary expenses approved and ordered paid;  also copies of semiannual reports to commissioners by infirmary superintendent.  Arr. chron. by dates  of entry.  For index, see entry 5.  1913-March 1916, hdw;  April 1916-32, typed 640pp.18 x 12 x 4-1/2.  BMT.,  middle strm.                   For other records, see entries,  25, 559                                                                 

5.         INDEX TO COMMISSIONERS’ INFIRMARY JOURNAL, 1913-32. 1 vol.  1933----
         in Index to Commissioners’ Journal, entry 3.
Index to Commissioners’ Infirmary Journal, entry 4, showing names of creditors or principals, for what, date, and volume and page numbers of journal.  Arr. alph. by names of creditors and chron.  thereunder.  Hdw. 550 pp. 18 x 12 x 4-1/2.  But., middle strm.                                                                      p.       71

   Reports and Statements

.8.       [Infirmary Directors’] REPORTS, 1872-1912.  3 F.B. (232, 374, 497).
 Original annual reports of infirmary directors to county commissioners,  showing date, funds  appropriated, receipts, expenditures, and balances;  also number of indigents cared for, number  admitted, number discharged, and number of deaths.  Arr.  chron. by dates of reports.  For index,  see entry 330.   Hdw, on p.f.  10  x  5 x 14.  Aud.  vlt. 
            For subsequent superintendent’s reports, see entry 9.

9.       [Infirmary Superintendent’s] REPORTS,  1913--.  3 f.b.  (567,  749  ,  931). 
Original monthly reports of county infirmary superintendent to county commissioners, showing date, receipts and expenditures for operation of the institution;  also number of indigents cared for,  number admitted, number discharged, and number of deaths.  Arr. chron. by dates of reports.  For index, see entry 330.  Hdw. on p.f.   10 x 5 x 14.  Aud.  ofc.
              For infirmary directors’ reports,  1872-1912,  see entry 8.
                                                                                                                                                   p. 72  

Fiscal Accounts

24.    ORDERS, INFIRMARY FUND, 1876-86.  3  vols.  Discontinued.
  Copies of orders issued by infirmary directors for payment of bills and allowed, showing amount, to whom issued, for what issued, date, and sign of creditor.  Arr.  chron. by dates of orders.  No. Index.  Hdw. on p.f.  200pp.  12 x 10 x 1-1/2.  Aud. vlt.

25.      RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES,    1927-32.   1 vol.
Record of receipts and expenditures of the county home, showing date, from what source received, to whom paid, and for what paid.   Arr. Chron.   No index. Hdw.   215 pp.  17 x 14 x 1-1/2.  Bmt.,  rear strm.                                                                                                                                    p. 74 &    75

411.           AUDITOR'S DOCKET, BILLS FILED, INFIRMARY, 1904-32.  1  vol. 1**
in Auditor's Docket, Commissioners' Bills, entry 412.
    Record of infirmary bills filed, showing date of entry, date of bill, co**** tive number,    name of creditor, for what, amount, date filed, date approved, amount approved, date paid, warrant number, and remarks.  Arr. Chron. by date of entry, and also num.by consecutive bill nos.  No index.  Hdw.  600 pp  18 x 12 x 4-1/2.  Bmt.,  middle strm.
      For bills filed with infirmary directors,  1841-74  see entry 462.

                p.     186

462.            MISCELLANEOUS [Papers],  1841-74.  Est. 250 bundles in 1 box.         
Miscellaneous original papers including bills filed with infirmary directors, redeemed county road and bridge bonds, monthly financial reports of various county officials to the county commissioners, and statistical and financial reports of town and city boards of education to county auditor.  No orderly manner.   No index.  Bundles aver.  9 x 4 x 2-1/2;  wooden box,  14 x 20 x 26.  Bmt., middle strm.

              For other infirmary bill records, see entry 411;  road and bridge bonds, entries 448,  450;  county officials' reports to commissioners, entry 10.

    463.     DAY BOOK, 1858-74.  1 vol.
               Record of miscellaneous items such as tax levies for townships, municipalities, and school           districts, special levies, copies of township trustees and school board certifications of funds required for operating subdivision for ensuing year, receipts and expenditures of various county funds, abstracts of personal property as listed for taxation, copies of bonds filed by elected county officials, county commissioners' report to common pleas court, and contractor's and on construction of county infirmary, showing dates, amounts, and other pertinent data. Arr. chron. by dates of entry.  No index. Hdw.  522 pp. 18 x 12 x 3 1/2. Aud. vlt.

For other records of tax levies, see entries 335, 336, 464; fiscal accounts, entries 388-409; abstracts of personal property taxes, entries 361,; official bonds, entries 445, 447; commissioners' reports, entry 7.

462.            MISCELLANEOUS RECORD, 1871-91.  1 vol.
 Record of miscellaneous items including tax levies for various taxing districts,  levies for school purposes, copies of correspondence from state auditor, contract agreements and bonds of contractors on county infirmary construction, ******** 
financial statement of county commissioners, inspector's report of  condition of  county treasury, and clipped copies of legal advertising applying to different items recorded, showing date, and other pertinent data.  Arr.  chron. by dates of entry. No index.  Hdw.  500pp.  18 x 12 x 4.  Aud.  vlt.
        For other records of tax levies, see entries 335, 336, 464;  reports on ********** of     county treasury, entries 285, 436. 

                                        p.   195

502.              [Fund}  LEDGER,  1844-68.   3 vols.
 Account with bridge, township, school, infirmary, corporation, railroad bond, railroad bond interest, tax redemption, forfeited land, peddlers' licenses, state war military relief, and military commutation funds, showing date, itemized receipts to the various funds, and itemized expenditures of funds. Arr. chron. by dates of entry.  Indexed alph. by names of funds.  Hdw.  Aver. 420 pp. 18 x 12 x 3-1/4.  Aud.  vlt.

                                                                                                                                               p.   205

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