COUNTY POOR HOUSE

Up to this time the county paupers were leased out by the year, but in 1853 the County Court became convinced that it was best to purchase and maintain a county poor-house, and in accordance with that conviction,

"Ordered that Jas. M. STONE, George M. PRIEST, D. N. WALDEN, and Joel LAMBERT, be appointed commissioners to select, and report the most suitable tract of land and eligible location in the county for a poor-house, the said tract to contain not less than one hundred acres, and not exceeding two hundred acres."

The court not approving of the report of this committee, William S. HICKS, Isom JOHNSON, and R. K. THORNBERRY, were appointed to select a site.

In December 1854, the committee reported, and Charles ELLIOTT'S land, containing one hundred and eight acres, lying on the Madisonville Road, eight and half miles from the city of Henderson, was purchased for the sum of two thousand dollars.

In the year 1872, it was deemed advisable to sell the Poor House Farm, purchased in 1854, and Ben F. GIBSON and C. S. ROYSTER were appointed to report upon the propriety of selling, and also to select and report a suitable site, contract for a building of ample size to accommodate the demand made upon the county, but not to exceed the sum of three thousand dollars.

The committee reported a sale of the old farm to John M. WHITLEDGE, for the sum of two thousand three hundred and four dollars and forty cents, and the purchase of B. P. GREEN, on the road leading from Corydon and Cairo, of eleven acres and ten perches, for three thousand dollars. May 12 the report was adopted, and since that time the county Poor House has remained where then located, upon one of the prettiest and most cheerful sites of the county.

Listing per the census records:

1860 HENDERSON CO. CENSUS, Corydon District, Page 53, Listing #137

Toombs, F. 24 M Poorhouse keeper b)KY
Toombs, L. B. 19 F b)IL
Powell, Elias 67 M Pauper b)KY
Griffin, Joseph 59 M Pauper b)KY
Coventor, Joseph 40 M Pauper b)KY
Marks, Elizabeth 40 F Pauper b)KY
Thompson, Sally 40 F Pauper b)KY

1870 HENDERSON CO. CENSUS, Corydon Precinct, Page 82, Listing #256

Griffin, Thomas 63 W M Co Poorhouse b)KY
Marks, Elizabeth 36 W F Co Poorhouse b)KY
Thompson, Sarah 60 W F Co Poorhouse b)KY
Story, Lewis 36 W M Co Poorhouse b)IL
Gretsinger, Elisha 38 W F Co Poorhouse b)KY
William, Kate 23 W F Co Poorhouse b)Ireland
Parke, James K. 25 W M Co Poorhouse b)Ireland

1880 HENDERSON CO. CENSUS, Corydon Precinct, Page 281, Listing #338

Lawrence, H. H. 65 W M Keeps poor house b)KY
Lawrence, Elizabeth 65 W F wife b)KY
Parson, C. 79 W M Pauper b)KY
Marks, Elizabeth 75 W F Pauper b)KY
Ashworth, N. R. 42 W F Pauper b)IN
Brise, Pat 63 W M Pauper b)Ireland
Norman, Betty 40 W F Pauper b)KY
Cowgill, Mary 40 W F Pauper b)KY
Marks, Mollie 24 W F Pauper b)KY
Nugen, Henry 15 W M Pauper b)KY
Gregory, Pat 35 B M Pauper b)KY
Blake?, Pirfein? 39 B M Pauper b)KY
Walker, Rachel 74 B F Pauper b)VA