Adair County Poor-house, 1900-1910 (from the Adair County News)

Wednesday, April 11, 1900

(no headline)

Mrs. Matthew Leach was elected poor-house keeper by the members of the Fiscal Court last week. Mrs. Leach has heretofore served the county in this capacity, giving entire satisfaction. In fact she gives the charges more attention than keepers of poor houses usually do. However, there is no reflection on any man who has filled this position in recent years. The subjects have been carefully watched, comfortably fed and clothed.

[One of the households enumerated in the 1900 West Columbia Adair County census, taken on June 26, 1900, included that of Mrs. Ermine Leach (she was the widow of Matthew Leach), who was head of household Also in the household were three of her adult sons, and the following six persons whose relationship to head of household was given as "pauper."

Estel B. Stone, white female, 74, widow, 10 children, eight living

Venetta C. Burton, white female, 51, widow, six children, two living

Margaret L. Burton, white female, 25, single, two children, one living

Loucreasy Burton, white female, 20, single

Josie A. Burton, white female, three

Margaret Dice, 24, black female, single, two children, one living.

Mrs. Leach's household was enumerated immediately after that of the sisters Trabue, residents of Willow Glen, the old Trabue homeplace, which was located about a mile from Columbia.]

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Wednesday, August 8, 1900

(no headline)

An old man whose name was Sloame, and who had been in the poor-house for several years, died last Sundy morning.

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Wednesday, October 3, 1900

(no headline)

A poor-house keeper will be elected during the present session of the Court of Claims. Mrs. Leach is now filling out the unexpired term of Mr. Tom Taylor. She is a candidate for a full term.

[I found no other mention of Mr. Tom Taylor in the Jan.-April 1900 editions of the News.]

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Adair County News, Wednesday, October 10, 1900 (two entries)

(no headline for either article)

[The paper is wrinkled across part of this entry.]

The Court of Claims adjourned last ----day afternoon. During the term Henry Jeans was elected poor-house keeper [and] Dr. L.C. Nell poor-house physician...

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The Adair county court at its session last week elected two its members whose duty it will be to visit the poor-house once each month to see that the inmates are receiving proper care.

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Wednesday, January 23, 1901

(no headline)

Dr. W.S. Taylor paid $25.00 by Fiscal Court for poor-house practice & Z.T. Taylor paid $270.70 for keeping poor-house (claims allowed at April 1900 term); Dr. U.L. Taylor paid $25.00 for poor-house practice & Ermine Leach paid $174 for keeping poor-house (claims allowed at October 1900 term.)

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Wednesday, February 26, 1902 (two entries)

(no headline for either article)

The widow Burton and her little boy escaped from the poor-house Saturday and Sunday afternoon made their appearance in Columbia. The little boy was sick and had walked himself down, looking more dead than alive. Mr. Marcum furnished the boy with food and County Judge T.A. Murrell had them cared for during the night. They were returned to the poorhouse.

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Elsewhere we state that Mrs. Burton and her son were returned to the poor-house. That is a mistake. Dr. J.N. Page raised a fund and had them sent to their former home in the Eastern portion of the county. Dr. Page is always ready to do what he can for suffering humanity.

[I wonder if "Mrs. Burton and son" were Martha C. "Cat" and Peter Bryant, mother and son, who were charged with the murder of George O. Curry in March 1901. They were later exonerated. At the time of the murder, Peter Burton's age was variously given in the News as 11 or 12 years.]

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Wednesday, October 15, 1902

(no headline)

The Fall term of the Adair Fiscal Court was in session last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Mrs. Emma Leach was elected Poor House keeper for the next two years. Dr. W.T. Grissom was elected Poor House physician for next two years.

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Wednesday, October 12, 1904

(no headline)

The Adair County Court did a righteous act last week when it elected Mrs. Leach poor-house keeper. She has heretofore filled the position, giving entire satisfaction. This year she was elected by the unanimous vote of the Court. (Dr. W.T. Grissom was elected as poor-house physician.)

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Wednesday, October 10, 1906

(no headline)

At the session of the Adair Fiscal Court held last week, the following elections were made: For poor-house keeper, Henry Janes, of Breeding...

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Wednesday, January 30, 1907

(no headline)

Mrs. Ermine Leach paid $188.28 for keeping the poor-house & Dr. W.T. Grissom paid $25.00 for services as poor-house physician by Fiscal Court (claims allowed at the October 1906 term.)

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Wednesday, October 14, 1908

(no headline)

Mrs. Leach was re-elected keeper of the poor-house by the Fiscal Court last Saturday.

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Wednesday, September 29, 1909

(no headline)

Mr. John Will Moore, who was a son of Dock Moore, died at the poor farm last Saturday. He met with a stroke of paralysis about three weeks ago, and being alone in the world, having no home, he was sent to the poor house by order of the Court. His remains were conveyed to his former neighborhood and interred in the Grider cemetery.

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Wednesday, October 12, 1910

(no headline)

The Adair Fiscal Court adjourned last Friday at noon... Before adjournment...Mrs. Ermine Leach was awarded the keeping of the poor of the county at $1.50 per week per inmate, and Dr. S.P. Miller was elected jail and poor-house keeper.

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Wednesday, November 16, 1910

(no headline)

Mrs. Ermine Leach paid $186.05 by Fiscal Court for keeping the poor-house. (Claim allowed at the October 1910 term.)

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References found in the 1918 Adair County News

April 10, 1918

(no headline)

John Janes, who has been the poorhouse keeper of Adair county, resigned during the sitting of the Fiscal Court, on account of the illness of his wife, and 'Squire Charley Roe was elected in his stead. He bonded and will take the inmates the 15th of this month.

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May 1, 1910 (Rugby newsletter)

(no headline)

Mr. J.H. James and family and Henry Harrison and family left last week for Texas, to make it their future home. Mr. James kept the poor house and they were moved from here to Uncle Charley Rowe's at Sparksville.

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October 30, 1918 (Montpelier newsletter)

The Adair County Fiscal Court bought Allen Walker's farm, two miles north of this place, for $6,000. This property will be used as a county poor farm.

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