Tucker's History Page 59

SUPPORT OF POOR.

Some provision was made in the first days of the state for the poor. For many years, however, there was no County Asylum. Thirty years probably elapsed before Randolph County did more than to give outside aid, or to "hire out" or to "bind out" paupers or pauper children. One curious fact appears, that for some years a man was paid for keeping his own mother as a pauper. After that she was "sold out" to another party, who would keep her cheaper than her own son would do it.

Overseers were appointed by law to attend to the poor and afford needful help. The law required these officers to "farm out" such as were paupers, on the first Monday in May, allowing, however, the money to be paid, when judged proper, to the pauper himself; and required them, also, to "bind out" all paupers (females) under eighteen and (males) under twenty-one years of age. Some instances occur in the record of "farming out" at a very low price, which, however, room for insertion is lacking.

COUNTY INFIRMARY.

Some time previous to 1851, the Commissioners purchased a tract of land two miles southeast of Winchester, on the Lynn pike, for a Poor Farm. A dwelling was on the premises. which for a time was occupied for a Poor House. In March, 1852, William Fitzgerald was as (also he had previously been) employed as Superintendent of the Poor House, as follows: $400 a year, quarterly, in county orders, including food and lodging for himself and family; the family to give all their services, except when "the five younger children" were in school during the winter season. Before that date two reports are on file, showing the personal property of the county at the Poor House to be about $800 and $900 respectively.

In July, 1852, a County Poor Asylum was put under contract, to be completed by December, 1862; contractor, Joseph Johnson. Dimensions, 65x40 feet, 12 feet high, 16 rooms below, hall 12 feet wide lengthwise the building, and another hall 7 feet wide the other way, with rooms also above. Cost, $1,750. This building was burned down in a few years and another one was erected not long after, which is now standing. The first was built of wood but the second is of brick, having two stories. It is large and commodious, being reasonably adapted to its purposes.

The cost of maintaining the poor at the Poor Asylum and otherwise during the years 1868, 1877 and 1880, is given below: 1868 (year ending May 31), $1,369.57 (probably excluding Superintendent's salary); 1877, $4,415.99; 1881, $5,998.22. One would suppose there must be some error in the statement of cost of maintaining the poor for 1868. We give it, however, as set down in the annual exhibit for that year, as spread upon the Commissioners' record at the time.

SUPERINTENDENTS' POOR ASYLUM.

William H. Fitzgerald, from beginning to 1855 ; Simon Gray, from 1855 to 1857; Jeremiah Cox, from 1857 to 1859; Thomas McConochay, from 1859 to 1861; Elias Kizer, from 1861 to 1866; Jonathan Edwards, from 1866 to 1869; Amos Hall, from 1869 to 1878; Madison Hill, from 1878 to 1879; Amos Hall, from 1879 to 1882.