" The Poor Farm"

[HAWKEYE10]

My wife and I were talking about how things were a long time ago. She said her mother used to talk about poor people going to the poor farm. I have heard of the poor farm but never knew where one was. Does any one know if there was such a place? I know some one will have an answer because somebody knows the answer to all questions ask on this forum. Don

 

[feralmerril]

Sure. Usualy they were better known as poor house`s. Before social security here and many countrys had their versions of them. Usualy local county goverments that would have a public owned house or farm and take the old indigent homeless or whatever and have them work in them much as possible. Google is your friend.
Poorhouse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[NKJ nut]

It was a place where poor people could live that didn't have anywhere else to go. They could grow stuff to eat and have a roof over their head.

We had one in each county around here. They were sometimes know as county farms too or the poor house. Before Social Security, SSI, foodstamps and such they probably kept a lot of people from starving. The poor farm was kinda seen as the end of the line for most indigents. They preferred to live with someone who would give a roof over their head and meals. In exchange they would do whatever needed to be done and that they were able to do within their ability if they were elderly. It was said if you could get in good with the kids and the lady of the house you had it made and wouldn't have to go the poor farm. Of course some of these people moved around from one family to another.

 

[Iggy]

Yup, there use to be one in Cheyenne. It was on Poor Farm Rd. When it went out of business, it was torn down and the land turned into a park.
Street was renamed too.

 

[walnutred]

We called them County Homes around here and I bet every county still has a County Home Road.

 

[Kelly Green]

If we don’t get rain for the crops and the cattle and a break in these 100+ days it won’t be long before I’m living on a "poor farm".

I don’t mean to make light of it but the situation is getting serious out here.

 

[JcMack]

In 1935 this country was in the depths of Depression. "If" you had a job you worked at it till you died in the traces. Social Security gave a guy at age 65 to lay down the load and most importatly open a job opportunity to another. Since we all pay into SS it irritates me no end when it's referred to as an entitlement or lumped in with welfare or foodstamps. That said poorfarms or workhouses were terrible but nothing like Englands Debtors prisons. Poorfarms were prevalent in the agricultural US. WPA in the cities. The US entered WWII in 1941. One of the reasons "the bombs" were dropped on Japan was this country was running on empty (no money). An early solution to the war was the only answer. God knows saving American lives in a protracted war was the primary concern. We should all kiss the ground a WWII VET walks on. We all could have been working on the poor farm.

 

[max]

There is the remains of the McLean county poor farm on RT 51 just South of town. There was an article in the paper about it a couple of months back. There are hundreds of unmarked graves there.

 

[jimmyj]

Poor Farms were normally a county owned farm where old folks, widows, and orphans were send to when they had no other avenues open to them. The residents grew their food and raised the livestock.
For the old folks it was the last stop before death. For the widows it was a stop until they found work/lively hood. For the orphans it was until they could be placed in a home or until they was old enough to be on their own.
My Wife's grandfather was a Deputy in Marshall, Texas. He was killed on duty in 1925. His wife and children were sent to the county poor farm until the Mother found work as a housekeeper/cook. The children were placed with different families that would take them.

 

[JcMack]

If we don’t get rain for the crops and the cattle and a break in these 100+ days it won’t be long before I’m living on a "poor farm".

I don’t mean to make light of it but the situation is getting serious out here.

One of these days city people like me are gonna walk in our empty grocery stores and bump into each other like drunken penguins. "Where's the food, where's the food".

I'm not kidding.

 

[ohiobuckeye]

If the morons in Washington continue on their current path, there will be a "Poor house" sign at the end of my driveway....

 

[Iggy]

One of these days city people like me are gonna walk in our empty grocery stores and bump into each other like drunken penguins. "Where's the food, where's the food".

I'm not kidding.

Way things are going, we are all gonna have to learn to eat asphalt.

That's the major ground crop today.

 

[daveh75]

In 1935 this country was in the depths of Depression. "If" you had a job you worked at it till you died in the traces. Social Security gave a guy at age 65 to lay down the load and most importatly open a job opportunity to another. Since we all pay into SS it irritates me no end when it's referred to as an entitlement or lumped in with welfare or foodstamps. That said poorfarms or workhouses were terrible but nothing like Englands Debtors prisons. Poorfarms were prevalent in the agricultural US. WPA in the cities. The US entered WWII in 1941. One of the reasons "the bombs" were dropped on Japan was this country was running on empty (no money). An early solution to the war was the only answer. God knows saving American lives in a protracted war was the primary concern. We should all kiss the ground a WWII VET walks on. We all could have been working on the poor farm.

Well that is an interesting take on the subject...it is interesting to me that people forget how the "great" Roosevelt never meant for SS to last...it was an immediate measure to help folks through the depression....yet politicians would never dare take it away after the war....Ike added to the government handouts with the highway system during the recession in the the 50s...back to Roosevelt: he is quoted as saying that he wished "he was a wartime president"...he got his wish...yet he never saw the fruition of his labors...it was Truman who stood up and made the final decision on that one...BTW what is the difference between working on the poor farm and receiving SS? On the one hand you work for your room and board and on the other you sit on your dairyaire and receive a check....its just me but be wary of government handouts in any form...this country was founded on the fact that every one has the same opportunity to success...not a guarentee of that success...many of our forefathers put themselves in debt to see this nation created...they didn't desire to have the government give them a livelyhood....just me

 

[keith44spl]

This little ol poor county where my wife's folks are from, had a poor farm.

But, the County Attorney bought it and turned it into a Mansion on the hill...Go figger


Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[oldRoger]

Keith;
I think some around where I grew up in Michigan started out as mansions, and were either given to the county or taken for back taxes.
Mostly big old farm buildings from the days when people had 12 kids.
I remember one in Indiana that always reminded me of Gone with the Wind.
Farming in those days was very hard work few labor saving devices, people wore out by 70, very few could save enough for retirement, and the farm wasn’t worth much.
Roger.

 

[revho]

We have an old poor farm about 15 miles down the road from here. They just cleaned up the cemetery and rededicated it last year which is a good mile plus hike from the original farm back on a hill on the property. They even found 4 original head stones.

It now has a walking path and horse trail on the property with original barns.

MiOttawa - Ottawa County Parks

 

[JcMack]

Well that is an interesting take on the subject...it is interesting to me that people forget how the "great" Roosevelt never meant for SS to last...it was an immediate measure to help folks through the depression....yet politicians would never dare take it away after the war....Ike added to the government handouts with the highway system during the recession in the the 50s...back to Roosevelt: he is quoted as saying that he wished "he was a wartime president"...he got his wish...yet he never saw the fruition of his labors...it was Truman who stood up and made the final decision on that one...BTW what is the difference between working on the poor farm and receiving SS? On the one hand you work for your room and board and on the other you sit on your dairyaire and receive a check....its just me but be wary of government handouts in any form...this country was founded on the fact that every one has the same opportunity to success...not a guarentee of that success...many of our forefathers put themselves in debt to see this nation created...they didn't desire to have the government give them a livelyhood....just me

Social Security recipients would each be millionaires if the "government" had invested funds as promised. Instead SS monies were put in the general fund and "borrowed/stolen" from by our "government". You sound like a "Mr. Roosevelt's war fifth columnist". Truman couldn't find his butt with both hands if a candy cane was sticking out of it. "Lets see" says Truman. "Run the country out of money and also kill another 200,000 military securing Japan, or push this little red button." "What shall I do?" says he. What 50's recession?? The U.S. was the only country left standing that could manufacture anything. And we did, putting millions to work. Ike built roads in the 50's boom to connect cities. He picked up that concept on his vacation tour of Europe.

Just me.

 

[feralmerril]

I have got into studying genealogy a few years ago. When you look at old census records you find that a huge percentage of households had servants. They werent rich, they were people that took in young girls and gave them a roof over their heads, food and little or no money. My dad had five older half sisters in the early 1900`s. He said every one of them left the farm at 12 or 13 years old or so to work for familys in milwaukee. Even my sister worked as a part time maid for her room when she went to college in the 50s.
My dad and four of his brothers never got as far as 8th grade or less, left home to work as hired hands on other farms etc. My mom only got to 8th grade, so did her sister and brother. I had a total of 20 blood aunts and uncles from both sides of the family. Only the youngest one went to college. About 3 or 4 made it through high school. As far as I know every last one of them made their own way without welfare, none were ever jailed, one divorice but he remarried the same woman.
My grandfather came to this country around 1898 with a wife and one or two daughters. Soon he lost his 1st wife and they had six kids. He married my grandmother a widow also from europe with one son. Dad was the first born of 10 more!
My grandparents were very strict and religious. They were farmers. It sure was different times.

 

[Muley Gil]

Wythe County, Virginia, also had a poor farm:

1800s Historic Poorhouse Buildings and

The Wythe County Poor Farm

Virgina Poorhouse History

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The "Poor Farm" was often where the work-shy and those who prefered the company of John Barleycorn ended up. And not voluntarily.

 

[27145]

This is a very interesting thread. A few months ago I saw "The Grapes of Wrath" with Henry Fonda, that was an interesting movie.

 

[JcMack]

My father was either orphaned or abandoned by his parents in '32. He would have been 12 then. He and another unrelated kid were picked up by my Grandmother and added to the family at a church meeting. Saved those kids from just such a work farm. My Grandparents lived near Joplin.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

El Paso County, Colorado, (Colorado Springs is the county seat) operated a poor farm until the mid-1970's. Short-term lodging for indigents, shuttle bus service for job applications, cafeteria-style meals. Private rooms for families, dormitory-style for singles, with shared bathroom facilities. Nothing fancy, but I'm sure that it helped a lot of folks through some tough times over the years.

 

[Maddog 521]

daveh75-----"BTW what is the difference between working on the poor farm and receiving SS? On the one hand you work for your room and board and on the other you sit on your dairyaire and receive a check....its just me but be wary of government handouts in any form..."
-----Who do you think pays for that---"CHECK"?-------They have been taking that out of my pay ever since I have been receiving a "Check". I see quite a difference between the two. BTW I don't get much time to sit on my "derriere"

 

[35Rem]

If you think the Interstate System is a bad thing, you need to brush up on some history.

The Germans were kicking everyone's tail because of their infrastructure system and it's ability to move supplies, troops, and vehicles quickly. They "ran out of gas", or we would have been dropping a nuke or two there.

Ike saw what the Germans could do with the highway system and brought it here. It was designed from the begining as a defense system.

We should be thanking Ike and the MANY other Americans who have been forward thinkers to help keep this country free.

 

[35Rem]

-----Who do you think pays for that---"CHECK"?-------

The next generation. It's the way the system was set up to start with. How could someone start receiving SS when it just started?
Not to mention the way EVERYONE can get their hand in that pot now. It's way over used and not a personal saving account.
People who NEVER paid into it receive it. Children, disabled, etc. It's not used properly, in my opinion.

 

[feralmerril]

27145 mentioned the grapes of wrath. My folks drove west from wisconsin to california then up to oregon in those days. They told me some good storys. Dad said he saw tractors pulling hay wagons of furniture, kids etc. My grandfather owned a house in santa ana california and had rented it out to a preacher. I guess they had quit paying any rent and the plan was for my folks to drive out, kick the non paying renters out and folks move in and use as a base of operations looking for work. I wasnt born yet but had a older sister. Dad had got laid off on his job as a machinest at AO Smith in milwaukee. Dad had bought a used 1927 studebaker president. Somewhere I have a picture of it with a mattress, pots & pans etc hanging off it with the usual water bag.
Actualy it was a old limo and the folks said they loved the adventure.
They got to the house in santa ana, preacher had a hard luck story and a herd of kids and dad didnt have the heart to evict them. They worked their way north to a fruit ranch on the rouge river outside of grants pass oregon. They picked peachs etc and was given a old cabin to live in. The ranch owner found dad who was a old farm boy, knew how to handle farm equipment, use the hay hooks in the old barns etc where other hands didnt and put the folks to work. However for dad to get his $2s a day, ma had to work in the packing house. That meant she had to pay a baby sitter for my sister slightly more than she made. My folks really loved that time of their life. Eventualy they got a telegram or phone call from family back home that dad had just a couple days to get back to his job at AO Smith as it was early 1941 and it seems the company was gearing up for certain war. The folks were next to broke and I was about two months from brith. Ma said dad sold the spotlights off the car for gas on the way home. Anyway thats another story.
Edited this: Back in 2001, my dad was in early stages of alzheimers. I drove from california to wisconsin and got him to take back with me to california for awhile. We got to Little America wyoming. Now it is a huge truck stop and motels. Dad got out, looked around and said I remember this place back in the 30s. He showed me where a old store/gas station was. He said I remember sitting here while your ma went in for some groceries. He said a young woman had come out of the store with some kids, got on a horse and buggy and was complaining to herself that she drove 16 miles and was refused credit!
Latter we stopped by his old ranch out of grants pass. I had also been there a couple times before on trips with the folks. Dad got talking to the woman that owns it now, showed her various fields etc what grew back then and other history. She didnt want to let us go!

 

[walnutred]

We should be thanking Ike and the MANY other Americans who have been forward thinkers to help keep this country free.

Ikes understanding of transportation issues predate his exposure to the Autobahn by a couple decades. One of his first command assignments was to take a military convoy across country just to see if it could be done and how long it would take. IIRC the convoy started from Gettysburg, PA in 1917 and went to the Pacific Ocean via road. This gave Ike a real perspective on the sad state of the road system in the US.

 

[35Rem]

The road system was in about the same shape in 1950, too, some 30+ years later.

To see it in use, against you, was a much bigger eye opener, in my opinion.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

27145 mentioned the grapes of wrath. My folks drove west from wisconsin to california then up to oregon in those days. They told me some good storys. Dad said he saw tractors pulling hay wagons of furniture, kids etc. My grandfather owned a house in santa ana california and had rented it out to a preacher. I guess they had quit paying any rent and the plan was for my folks to drive out, kick the non paying renters out and folks move in and use as a base of operations looking for work. I wasnt born yet but had a older sister. Dad had got laid off on his job as a machinest at AO Smith in milwaukee. Dad had bought a used 1927 studebaker president. Somewhere I have a picture of it with a mattress, pots & pans etc hanging off it with the usual water bag.
Actualy it was a old limo and the folks said they loved the adventure.
They got to the house in santa ana, preacher had a hard luck story and a herd of kids and dad didnt have the heart to evict them. They worked their way north to a fruit ranch on the rouge river outside of grants pass oregon. They picked peachs etc and was given a old cabin to live in. The ranch owner found dad who was a old farm boy, knew how to handle farm equipment, use the hay hooks in the old barns etc where other hands didnt and put the folks to work. However for dad to get his $2s a day, ma had to work in the packing house. That meant she had to pay a baby sitter for my sister slightly more than she made. My folks really loved that time of their life. Eventualy they got a telegram or phone call from family back home that dad had just a couple days to get back to his job at AO Smith as it was early 1941 and it seems the company was gearing up for certain war. The folks were next to broke and I was about two months from brith. Ma said dad sold the spotlights off the car for gas on the way home. Anyway thats another story.
Edited this: Back in 2001, my dad was in early stages of alzheimers. I drove from california to wisconsin and got him to take back with me to california for awhile. We got to Little America wyoming. Now it is a huge truck stop and motels. Dad got out, looked around and said I remember this place back in the 30s. He showed me where a old store/gas station was. He said I remember sitting here while your ma went in for some groceries. He said a young woman had come out of the store with some kids, got on a horse and buggy and was complaining to herself that she drove 16 miles and was refused credit!
Latter we stopped by his old ranch out of grants pass. I had also been there a couple times before on trips with the folks. Dad got talking to the woman that owns it now, showed her various fields etc what grew back then and other history. She didnt want to let us go!

Good post, I like to read and learn this kind of stuff. It's history about how people lived. Don