Snapshots of History by Mike Avitt
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I don’t have any images of Ringgold County’s first “Poor Farm.” I took several photos of our second county home, one of which is seen with this week’s article.
Our county home, called the Poor Farm in the early days, was established in 1883 to provide care for paupers, orphans, cripples, feeble-minded and blind individuals. In the 1880s, the residents of the Poor Farm were referred to as paupers or inmates.
Before the establishment of the Poor Farm, paupers were cared for by others. The Ringgold Record newspaper has many accounts of claims filed to the Ringgold County Board of Supervisors for payment of care of paupers. In a June 1877 Ringgold Record, C. Tucker filed a claim to the board of supervisors for $20 for care of a pauper. The board paid Tucker $16. Doctors, retailers, and caretakers regularly submitted these claims. The board was motivated to start a poor farm. And so were the citizens of Ringgold County.
In July 1882, county voters gave the Ringgold County Board of Supervisors the orders to establish a county home. Three months later, the board purchased the farm of John Underhill, three and a half miles north of Mount Ayr with possession to take place on January 1, 1883. The cost was $5,000.
The Poor Farm opened the first week of February 1883 with one (unnamed) occupant. The Record twice reports the need of repairs with carpenters waiting for agreeable weather. An addition to the farm house was also needed.
Hardin Wiser was hired as the steward of the poor house with his salary set by the board at $180 per year. Mr. Wiser and his wife would have lodging on the premises and the farm would produce their food.That first year also saw the hiring of Dr. Samuel Bailey as physician for the farm.The doctor’s pay would be $1.70 per visit, one visit per week, and when summoned by the steward.
In 1884, Hardin Wiser was retained as steward (same salary) and the board of supervisors authorized improvements to the house as well as the construction of a cellar, chicken house, and hog shed.
In 1886, the board was paying out a great deal of claims to those who were providing goods and services to the poor farm. The Ringgold Record was criticized for not reporting the happenings at the farm.The Record then visited the county home and gave a glowing review. The Record was then criticized for receiving a free turkey in return for the positive review. This is true: the poor farm was becoming big business.
In 1888, it was decided to build a seperate quarters for the “vicious” inmates. Three months later a building 24×24 was completed.
Wiser, who was lauded in the Ringgold Record, died suddenly in February 1889 at the age of 36. Pneumonia. The board immediately asked Mrs. Nancy Wiser, the wife, to fulfill their contract and Nancy agreed.
In 1891, Thomas Kelly was awarded the stewardship at the county home and he would serve one 2-year term. The December 29, 1892 Ringgold Record finally gives me what I’ve been looking for: a list of the occupants and possessions of the Ringgold County Poor Farm. The farm consisted of 240 acres with 10 head of horses, 48 head of cattle, 44 hogs and poultry. Most of those acres would have been put up in hay. There were seven inmates with two being described as insane, three as feeble-minded, one cripple, and one blind.
In May 1892 inmate Samuel Rush died. The paper says he was buried at “the south cemetery.” Mr. Rush had been a resident since 1883. I could not find Rush in my records. That could be explained if Rush’s grave is unmarked. I have been told that Rose Hill Cemetery contains a “pauper section,” although I don’t know where that is. As we get into the 1890s, I have more newspaper to draw information from. More on the poor farm next week.
