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The notes below have been abstracted from the following reports.
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The wonderful article above tells the story of the almshouses  -- Jones Institute, the Hempstead Town poor farm, and the Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank -- (in the counties of Queens and Nassau and Suffolk) 

"A town poorhouse was erected in 1817 on a farm bought for $900. It was in use until 1872 when the residents were moved to a county facility in Yapank. Before 1817, the town farmed out poor persons to 'whomever made the lowest bid to keep them from starving."  
     from History of Coram: FOCAL POINT OF Brookhaven Town FROM 1785 to 1885
          at http://www.longislandgenealogy.com/community.html