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The notes below have been abstracted from the following reports.
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This house, located six miles from Ithaca, is constructed of wood and is 76 by 30 feet, with a wing 22 by 40 feet, two stories high.  It contains fifteen rooms, without any provision for ventilation or bathing and is warmed by stoves and fireplaces.  Connected with the house is a farm of one hundred acres, yielding an annual revenue of $1,500.  The basement of the building is occupied as setting and lodging rooms for the paupers.  The number of inmates was thirty-seven, sixteen males and twenty-one females, of these four were foreign and thirty-three native born, and nine under sixteen years of age.  Under the care of one keeper and his wife, who provide and care for the family and work the farm with the assistance of the paupers, so far as they are able to work.  In this house the sexes are kept separated day and night, and are placed from two to ten in a room, except the lunatics who are each placed in a single cell.  The supplies are purchased by the keeper and the diet regulated by him.  The food is plain substantial fare, provided twice a day.  The children are not admitted into the district school and receive no instruction in the house.  Whenever suitable places can be procured they are bound out by the superintendent.  No provision is made for religious instruction and the house is but partially supplied with Bibles.  Medical aid is provided, which service is paid for by the visit. 

The average number of inmates is fifty-three, two thirds of whom are reduced to want by reason of habits of inebriation.  There have been fifteen deaths and two births, both of which were illegitimate, during the year. 

The board of supervisors visit this house regularly once a year.  Of the inmates seven are lunatics, two males and five females, all are paupers.  One has been admitted during the year.  None have been cured or improved.  They are confined in cells, without any special attendants or medical attention.  One is placed in shackles to prevent his injuring his associates.  The house does not admit of a classification of the insane.  The right to discharge them is exercised by the keeper.  Two of the paupers are idiots, one male and female. 

This house was visited in the absence of the keeper; and was found in bad repair, the walls crumbling and falling in most of the apartments, but seemed to be kept in as good order as could reasonably be expected in so dilapidated a structure. 

"The poorhouse is situated upon a farm of 100 acres in Ulysses, 6 mi. N.W. of Ithaca. The average number of inmates is 53, and the revenue derived from the farm is about $1,500. No school is provided for the children, and they are not admitted to the public schools. The house is in bad repair, destitute of ventilation, and entirely unfit for the residence of so many human beings."
    from Gazetteer of the State of New York by J.H. French 1860

"Reinhold WOLF ... worked hard for this enterprise and, though fought by a majority, succeeded in getting a very good county house."
     from the on-line edition of  Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York 
                                             (FAMILY SKETCHES WIN thru Y)

TOMPKINS COUNTY POOR-HOUSE

A committee of one from each town was named to superintend the work of building, consisting of the following named persons: Solomon Sharp, Dryden; John Guthrie, Groton; Sullivan D. Hubbell, Hector; Elbert Curtis, Danby; Nicoll Halsey, Ulysses; Gilbert J. Ogden, Enfield; John White, Newfield; Nicholas Townley, Lansing; Ira Tillotson, Ithaca; Charles Mulks, Caroline.

The site chosen is in the town of Ulysses about six miles northwest from Ithaca The original building was of wood, erected under the resolution of 1827 and added to from time to time as became necessary. Quite extensive out-buildings were also constructed upon the farm of 100 acres, the soil of which is first-class, perhaps as good as can be found within the limits of the county.

Through age and long use the original building and its additions finally reached a condition necessitating very extensive repairs, practically rebuilding, or else the erection of an entirely new structure. Public sentiment throughout the county favored new, more commodious and comfortable buildings, and on the 20th of November, a committee was appointed to take into consideration the entire subject, embracing repairing of the old house or the erection of a new one, and also change of location. In February, 1892, the board refused to change the location, authorized a new building, and at a special session in June, 1892, appropriated $20,000 for the purpose. The new structure is of brick, ample in size, and constructed with special reference to the comfort of inmates and economy in details of management

The Board of State Charities, in their annual report for 1892, notes that the new building was in process of construction; that there were, on the 1st of November, thirty-six men and ten women inmates; there were no insane: and that three children had been born in the house during the year then ending. The county superintendent of the poor is, by resolution, made keeper of the house. The average cost of support of inmates per year was $62.71.

The report of the Board of Supervisors for the year ending November 15, 1893, shows that the whole number of days' support for the year was 14,298; for which the cost of board and clothing was $2,440.13. The average cost per week was $1.19 and a fraction. On November 15, 1892, there were thirty-six persons in the house; November 15, 1893, forty-eight persons.

1850 census, Town of Ulysses, Tompkins Co., NY Page 472, Dwelling #599.
LDS film #444321 and 2. About 35 in residence, most or all are paupers.
This can be found on-line at the NYGenWeb site. Click here to go to the page; then scroll near the bottom.
Note: Thank you Karen Dickson for donating and transcribing this census!