HISTORY: Poor Farm, 1883 History of Bremer Co.; Bremer County, Iowa 

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BREMER COUNTY POOR FARM 
 
1883 BREMER COUNTY IOWA HISTORY 
 
After the close of the war it became evident that the county was in need of a place 
for the care of its poor, and at the June sussion of the board of supervisors, in 
1866, it was resolved to submit the matter to a vote of the electors of the county, 
to ascertain if they would vote to authorize the purchase of a poor farm in the 
county. It was shown that during the last preceding six months, $1,698.77 had been 
expended for the support of the poor. Nothing resulted from this action.  The matter 
again came up in 1867, and the board appointed a committee "to purchase a poor farm 
for the county." A re-consideration of this action was taken at the same session, and 
it was resolved to have the matter submitted to a vote of the people. At the same time 
a committee was appointed to procure information respecting the price of farms suitable 
for a poor farm, the cost of maintaining the poor of the county, and any other 
information important in the premises.  

At the September session of the board, in the same year, the committee orally reported, 
re-committing the general subject to the board, but reporting the cost of maintaining 
the poor for the years named, to have been as follows: In 1860, $780.75; 1861, 
$1,256.38; 1862, $967.48; 1863, $810.87; 1864, $944.96; 1865, $891.66; 1866, $1,347.67; 
1866, up to the 19th of June of that year, $1,841.95; grand total, $8,841.72.  At the 
latter session, also, a committee was appointed to draft and submit, in its proper form, 
to the legal voters of the county, a proposition to purchase a poor farm at a cost not 
exceeding $5,000. The proposition was so submitted at the next ensuing election, and 
was carried by a vote of 944 in the affirmative, to 261 in the negative.  

Accordingly, at the meeting of the board in October, 1867, immediately succeeding 
the election, still another committee was appointed to seek a location suitable for 
a poor farm, and ascertain the prices thereof, with instructions to report at the 
following January meeting.  At the time directed, the committee reported that they 
were unable to agree, and asked to be discharged, adding the recommendation that 
another committee be appointed, to examine improved and unimproved lands within five 
miles of the geographical center of the county, and report at the next June meeting.  
The report and recommendation were accepted. 

Nothing further was done in the matter until the meeting of the board in 
January, 1869, when, the committee last appointed having failed to report, another 
committee was appointed, for the like purpose of examining lands within the limits 
mentioned, with instructions to report at the next meeting of the board.  The last 
committee, consisting of N. J. Moor, A. L. Stevenson and J. D. Woodruff, faithfully 
and promptly discharged their duties.  In June, 1869, they reported in favor of 
purchasing the southeast quarter and the south half of the northeast quarter of 
section 24, township 92, range 13, Warren township, comprising 240 acres of land, at 
the price of ten dollars an acre.  The report was adopted, but nothing was done 
regarding it.  

The next action was taken in 1872 when in June of that year, a committee was appointed to 
have the poor farm surveyed, stones set at corners, forty acres on the south side broken, 
and a strip eight feet wide, around the farm on the fence line, also broken for the 
purpose of planting trees thereon.  At the January meeting of the board, in 1873, 1,400 
seasoned fence posts and 15,000 feet of lumber wer ordered for fencing the farm. At the 
same session another committee was appointed, to let the farm for that year; also, to 
procure plans, receive proposals, and to contract for building a house upon the farm; 
for which latter purpose the sum of $1,500, or so much thereof as should be necessary, 
was appropriated. Pursuant to this action, the present tenement house was erected.