Franklin County, Indiana - Chapter 14: Benenolf.xt Institctions, 1915

The care of the poor and unfortunate is a matter which has concerned the peoi)le of the county from the hesi^'inninj^ of its histon,'. It is one of the striking evidences of our Cliristian civiHzation to note the care and protection which is extended to those who are unahle to provide for themselves. The history of tlie henevolent institutions of I'rankhn county falls into five periods, which, for the sake of treatment, will he (grouped into as many different headings.

This marks a period from the organization of the county up to the time when Indiana was admitted to the Union. During this period, the care of the poor devolved upon officers in each township, who were designated as overseers of the poor. From the commissioners' records it appears that these officers were appointed and held their office for one year. The early records bear witness to the fact that an effort was made to alleviate such cases of destitution as were called to the attention o^ the authorities. The first record of this nature noticed is dated ^lay 15, 18 13, at which time George Cain was allowed eighteen dollars for hoarding and clothing Abel Perrv. a pauper. from January i to May i, 1813. At this time the following citizens were appointed by the commissioners as overseers of the poor: Allen Ramsev, Lewis Deweese, George Hollingsworth. John Templeton. William Plelm and Basil Roberts. There appears to have been no change in the management of poor relief during the territorial period.

Upon the adoption of a constitution in 18 16, and the subsequent admission of the state to the Union on December 1 1 of the same year, the old s)-stem was continued. No statutory provisions wei"e provided by the legislature, and, consequently, the same method of poor relief prevailed. Each quarterly session of the commissioners contains specific appropriations for individual cases of relief. The allowances made bv the commissioners for the caring for the poor varied considerably. At the November session, 1817, Benjamin Nichols was allowed forty-three dollars and eighty-one and onefourth cents for keeping John Lovell, a pauper, from August 13, 181 7, to the 2 1st of the following month, a period of about five weeks. In February, 1818, the commissioners allowed Robert Dickerson twenty-three dollars and ninety-three and three-fourths cents for keeping Abel Perry for the six months previous to December 4, 181 7. These two allowances indicate the extremes of compensation, and, as will be noted, vary from nearly nine dollars to one dollar per week.

The Legislature of 1844 made i)rovision for a more uniform management of the poor and by the act of January 30, of that year, set forth the following provisions :

"Section i. That tlie commissioners of the several counties shall, at their first or second session in each and every year, nonn'nate and appoint two substantial inhabitants of every township within their respective c<junties to be overseers of the poor of such township.

"Section 2. It shall be the duty of the overseer of the i)Oor everv vear, to cause all poor persons who have or shall hereafter become a public charge to be farmed out, on contracts to be made on the first Monday in May annually in such manner as the said overseers of the poor shall deem best calculated to promote the general good."

Pursuant to this legislative act, the commissioners of Franklin countv. on February 9, 1824, appointed two men as "poor masters" in each of the eight townships into which the county was then divided, as follows : Brookville, David Moore and R. A. Templeton ; Springfield, Richard Keen and William McDoimald ; Blooming Grove, Benjamin Xowell and \\'illiam Mc- Coombs; Posey, John Ara|>le and Edward Toner: Highland. Samuel Price and John H. Rockafellar: White Water, Samuel Rockafellar and Ral]ih Wildridge; Fairfield. Jacob Duboise and Jacob Barrackman ; Bath. Thomas Reed and Michael Cline. The records show that the overseers of Brookville township each received seven dollars for the first si.x months of their appointment. The compensation of the various overseers was in proportion to the time spent in the performance of their duties. For ten years the act of 1824 governed the management of the poor in all the counties of the state, but bv 1834 it became apparent that conditions demanded a change and the legislative act of that vear ushered in a new era along benevolent lines.

The legislative act of January 23, 1834. authorized "An Asylum for the Poor of the Counties of Franklin, Fayette and Union." In accordance with the provisions of this act the commissioners of Franklin coiintv a[>- pouited James Webb to represent the c(nmly and meet with the representatives from Fayette and Union. This joint commission met at Fairfield, I-'ranklin county, on December 26, i8'34, and made the preliminary arranjjcments for the establishment of the asylum to be used by the three counties. It was agreed that the expense of maintenance should be pro rated between the counties in proportion to the voting population. At this time Franklin county had 1,800 voters, Fayette had 1,555, and Union had 1,279.

On January 27, 1S35, the commissioners of the three counties concluded a contract for the farm of Thomas Clark. This was in Fayette county and consisted of two hundred eight acres, located in township 13. range 13. The farm had no buildings, but. according to the commissioners, had "two good orchards, two good springs, two good wells, is under good fence and has one hundred acres cleared." The contract price was $2^053, of which Sr,co3 was to be paid ^larch 9, 1835, and the remainder January 13, 1836. The above report was made to the commissioners of Franklin county March 3, 1835.

Since there were no buildings on the farm, the first action of the commissioners from the three counties was to provide for the erection of a suitable building to accommodate the inmates. A brick structure, eighteen l)y fortyeight feet, was built, the same being ordered August 10, 1835. The bids for the proposed building were opened on the 12th of the following month, at which time it appeared that Thomas Lyons. Thomas \\'aters and lesse Clements .secured the contract for the sum of five hundred dollars, the same to be completed by the first Monday of Alay, 1S36. The building was completed during the summer of 1836, and at the Mav meeting of that vear the commissioners appointed Isaac Gardner, of Union county.^s superintendent of the asylum. The superintendent was allowed an annual salarv of five hundred dollars, and was given general charge of the asylum, being authorized "to purchase furniture, bedding, provisions, etc., for the institution." His first annual report shows an expenditure of $180.8034. From year to year up to 1856, a total of twenty years, the three counties maintained this joint asylum, but by the latter year it was felt that better results could be obtained, at least on the part of Franklin county, by the establishment of a separate asylum. During this period from 1834 to 1856 Franklin countv continued

The appended table shows the expenditures for both county and township relief duriiii^ this periud. althi.)uj,di there were unlv nine years when a separate expenditure ajipears for tuwnsliip relief:

The report of the board of directors of the asylum to the commissioners of Franklin county on ]\Iarch 3, 1856, discloses the following interesting facts :

During the winter and spring of 1855-56, the commissioners of Franklin, Fayette and Union, having charge of the joint asylum of the three counties, came to the conclusion that the property held jointlv bv the three counties should be sold. On April 15, 1856, they made a proposition to the commissioners of Franklin county, "to sell the farm used now for an asvlum of the poor for tlic sum of fifty dollars per acre, one-half to he paid March 10, 1857, and the residue on March lo, 185H, with interest on deferred payments from day of sale." The Franklin county commissioners accepted a proposition of the asvlniTi commissioners on June 12, 1856, and agreed at that time to the sale of the property jointly owned hy l-Vanklin, Fayette and Union counties. The final aj^reemeiit provifled that Union county should pay to Franklin one-half of fort\->i.\ dollars per acre of the undivided interest of Franklin county, this amount heinj^ one thousand eight hundred fiftyeight dollars and twenty-six cents. The three counties were to retain their possession in the land until March 10, 1857, at which time the agreement between them was to go into effect.

One June 19, 1856, the commissioners of Franklin county met at the court house for the purpo.se of locating and purchasing a site for a poor asylum, and four days later they met in the court house and reported that they had selected a site. It was in nrookville township, about one mile southwest of the county seat, and contained a fraction over one hundred and six acres. This tract of land was owned by \\'illiam and Anna Stringer and they executed a deed to the county commissioners for this land on .\ugust 13, 1836, for a consideration of five thousand five hundred dollars. On August 5, of the same vear, the commissioners bought part of a kiln of brick from David Price for the ])urpose of erecting a suitable building on the new farm. The plans for the building were drawn by Edwin May. who was allowed ten dollars for his services. On August 14, 1856, a contract was let to Edwin May for the construction of the asylum building, the contract calling for five thousand one hundred and fifty dollars. This building was so well constructed that it is still standing (1915) and bids fair to render good service for many years to come.

The last official report of the state board of charities on the Frankhn county poor asylum is dated Sejjtember 16. 1914. From this excellent report which, by the way. is compiled by Amos W. Butler, a former resident of Franklin county, the historian has taken the following facts regarding the institution at that time :

The present superintendent is George W. Gloshen, whose wife acts as matron. The farm comprises two hundred acres of land, which is nowvalued at one hundred and fifty dollars per acre. Some of the land is good, but much of it is unfit for tillage. A four-acre orchard is in poor condition. The stock on tlie farm included ten head of cattle, three head of horses and fifty-seven swine. The buildings are three in number. One contains the superintendent's quarters, women's department, ilining room and kitchen.

The men's (|iiarters arc in a separate bniUlini:^. The bnildinc^s are old and poorly planned and are only in fair re])air. There is a cellhouse which is used for the most incorrigible eases. The buildinfcs arc heated with steam, lighted with kerosene and under the present manai^ement are kept in as fjood condition as possible. They are handieappel by an old plant which is difficult to keep in good condition. The county pays for the help of one man and one woman and also allows the county physician seventy-five dollars annually for his services.

At the time the report was made there were thirty-six inmates, twentyeight men and eight women. One man is epileptic. The sexes occupy separate buildings, but eat together. Religious services are not regularly held.

The superintcntlent is paid $630 a year, while his wife is not on a salary. Repairs for the current year totaled $1.40; salaries, $1,224.75; ^i^ipphcs and maintenance, $1,175.94; total, $2,402.09.

From 1834 down to 1856, Franklin county was coupled with Union and Fayette counties in the caring for the unfortunate poor. The records of the commissioners show that Isaac Gardner, of Union county, was su[)erintendent from 183710 1S40; at tliat date there were fifteen inmate>. William Rigsbee was superintendent from 1S40 to 1844; Thomas Curry, in 1855 ^""^ a part of 1856, and was succeeded by Samuel Henderson, who was the last to hold the positicm before the county commenced caring for its paupers. The list of Franklin county superintendents is as follows: Jacob Bly. October. 1857-1859; John H. I'arrott. iS'59-r)o; Daniel Kyger. iSC 10-64; Elmer Hiatt, 1864-65; Jo.seph R. Clark. 1865-68; Alfred Deter. iS0>^-j2: Abial Shaw, 1872-1883; Adam Sottong, 1884; Smith R. Scott, 1885-92; Joseph Marxer, 1892-1901 ; Atwell J. Shriner, 1901-07; Jacol) ^'oung. 1907-10; W^illiam Peterson filled out the latter's term of office; George \V. Gloshen, 19 14, and still ser\ing.

It was not until the year 1882 that Franklin county had a children's home, although there had been much agitation toward providing a suitable home for the children of the poor asylum. An act of the Legislature 1 April 7. 1881) furnished the basis for definite action along this line, and on March II, 1882, Rev. David R. Moore and some other interested parties appeared before the coimty commissioners - (Levi \V. Buckingham, Thomas Ap- pleton and Edward W'aechter) - and urged u])on them the necessity for immediate action in providing a suitable home for the pauper children of the county. The commissioners were convinced that somethinjj ou):jht to be done and appointed a committee, composed of Rev. D. R. Moore, f<ev. Meinrad Fleischman. J- F. McKec, M. A. Mess and Abail Shaw, "to take some action as provided by the lej^'islative act of .April 7, i.S'Si, cfiucerning the care of the pauper children in the f)oor asylum." They were further instructed to hnd a suitable person to take charge of the children and report to the commissioners at their next meeting. On April 12. 1S82. the commissioners of the proposed children's home reported that they had <lecided upon ]\Irs. William Hughes as matron, and made the further recommendation that the old Speer homestead be bought f()r this use. The county commi.ssioners decided to defer acti(jn until their next meeting, and at that time, June 8, 1882. appointed Missouri Hanna as matron. She was to receive thirty cents per day for each child under her care, and was to furnish a home for the children on her own farm in Fairfield township. At this same time the commissioners directed Superintendent Shaw, of the ])oor asylum, to deliver to Miss Hanna all of the children under his charge between the ages of one and sixteen and on July 10 of the same rear he turned over to her eleven children. A visiting conmiittee was appointed bv the commissioners, consisting of Rev. D. R. Moore. Mrs. A. J- King and Mrs. Joseph M. \'awter. The visiting committee made their first report to the county commissioners on December 5, 1882. At that time sixteen children were in charge of Miss Hanna and eight of them were attending school at Fairfield. The committee reported that the children were being given the best of attention and to the best of their knowledge were being cared for in a very satisfactory manner.

For seven years Alissouri Hanna, assisted by her sister. Sarah A., gave the pauper children of Franklin county a good home. Each quarterlv report of the visiting committee to the children's home indicated that the children were given every possible attention. The following extract from their report of June 6, 1884, is illustrative of the good opinion which the visiting committee entertained toward the home : "The home is unquestionablv an honor to the county and the Misses Hanna have certainlv shown a capabilitv for the work which challenges all comparison." The Misses Hanna had' charge of the paujier children until June 6, 1889, when they were transferred to the new children's home. The visiting committee were at the home in Fairfield township for the last time on June 4. 1889, and their report to the county commissioners speaks in glowing terms of the excellent management of tlie children (lurin.i,^ the se\cn years while Missouri Ilanna was the inatron. Their last words on this occa-^ion were: "Well done, gfjod and faithful servants."

The questi(»n of i)urchasin,c,r a home for the pauper children had been agitated for some years before 1889. r^n .\pril 5. 1889, the commissif>ners (Alfred Deeter, Abraham Bossert and J. M. X'awter) took definite steps towards the establishment of a new children's home for the county. From the record it seems that there were two considerations which led to the change. It was maintained by many j)eople that it would be more economical for the county to own its own home for the j^auper children instearl of paying a per diem of thirty cents for the care of each child. L'nder the new arrangement which was entered into with Mrs. Eudrtra TTamlin on .Xpril 5, 1880, she was to receive an animal salary of six hunrlred flollars. On February 13, 1889, the commissioners bought thirty-two acres adjoining the poor asylum on the south. This was purchased from Mrs. Cecilia Wright. William Wright, b'r.-uik Wright. Rachel T.cwis and Leander L. Lewds for a consideration of h\\: tlujusand dollars. There were other heirs who had an intere.->t in this farm and it was necessary to get quit-claim deeds from thein before the count}- liatl a clear title to the land. The interest of William antl Marv .\. l-ioljcson was satisfied l)y the payment of eighteen hundred dollars on March 6, 1889. The interest of Frank Wright was purchased on December 3, 1890, for the sum of eleven hundred eleven dollars and ninety cents. These three separate payments made the children's home cost the county $7',9ir.90. The farm was well improved with a large two-story brick house, which had been built by Thomas Robeson, one of the best constructed barns in the county at that time, as well as other outbuildings.

This same building has been the home of the unfortunate poor since it was purchased in 1889. ^Ivs. Hamlin continued as matron until October i. 1905, when Mrs. Belle Koerner was appointed. Mrs. Koerner has given excellent satisfaction, as did her predecessor. There are now (April. 1915) several children in the home. It is the intent of the state board of charities that dependent children shall be placed m permanent homes as soon as possible. Something of this work in Franklin county may be seen when it is known that in 1910 four children were placed in good homes, one in 191 1. five in 1912, sixteen in 1913 and se\en in i()i4. According to the statistical report of the state board of charities for December. 1914. Franklin count}" paid $1,483.85 for the support of fourteen children for the year previous to September 14, 19 14.

The general mana;,'cnienr of the institution is in the hands of a board of children's guardians, which is now composed of the following: Mrs. S. S. Harrell (president), Mrs. J. C. Siiirk. I'>ank J. Baker, Mrs. J. F. Burdick, William D. Moore and Mrs. Josephine Fries. It should be mentioned that Mrs. Harrell has been on the board continuously since her first appointment on June 9, 1884. She has always taken a very active interest in the welfare of the institution and no little credit for the success of the children's home is due to her.