HISTORY: 1883 Butler Co. Poor Farm; Butler County, Iowa ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES PROJECT NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://usgwarchives.net/ ************************************************************************ The USGenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. All submissions become part of the permanent collection. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Diane Wilson April 27, 2002 ____________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Butler County, Iowa Please visit the Butler County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/butler/ ____________________________________________________________________________ Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883 Pages 267-268 "The County Poor Farm - A home for the friendless is always a subject which calls to mind various and conflicting thoughts, and at the same time a surge of feeling of pity. How many, in this wide land of ours, the footstool of the Almighty, for the brotherhood of man, have shuddered at the thought, and shrunk from the mention of the name of the 'poor house.' Yet, again, thousands have, when forsaken by friends, forgotten by relations, and alone in the world, hailed the name and place with joy and thanksgiving, as a Providential escape from starvation and death. Around the name cluster thoughts of pity and sadness for the poor unfortunate beings who are obliged to become inmates; and at the same time a feeling of gratitude creeps o'er us that we live in an age and land where such eleemosynary institutions are established and supported. . The poor farm of Butler county, is located in section 34 of Jackson township. In 1876 the county purchased the northeast quarter of the section named for the purpose, and at once laid plans for the erection of suitable buildings. The contract for building the house was let to Wilkinson & Harvey, for the sum of $4,000, and this firm at once commenced the work, completing the building by the first of June, 1877. The size of the main part of the building is 28 by 44 feet, with a wing 28 by 32, two stories high. The wing is used by the superintendent and family, and the main part for the poor. The main part stories are divided into convenient rooms, the first floor being taken up by the kitchen and dining room, and the upper divided into twelve sleeping apartments. The house was opened to the poor on the 15th of February, 1877, at which time there was but one to put in an appearance and make this a home. At this time, however, there ! were about forty being supported by the county, but they preferred to take care of themselves. Up to the first of November, 1882, there had been over fifty different paupers on the list at the farm; at present there are but ten. . The county has increased the original purchase from 160 to 320 acres, and the farm is about self-sustaining. There are good buildings on the place for farm purposes - a barn 28 by 32 feet, and a large shed 16 by 100 feet. The salary of the superintendent is $35 per month. Joseph Scofield is the superintendent. . The house is now being arranged so that the county can take care of its insane, instead of having them sent to the asylum at Independence."