Wayne County’s Poor Farm
Picture donated by Jim Powell
Compiled and Transcribed by Laurie Selpien
Additional information from Betty Beeson
Memorial Reads:
In Memory of those buried at the Wayne County Poor Farm Cemetery
Established 1879 - sold 1948
The country cemetery of approximately 200 graves was destroyed in the early 1950's it was located in Lamard township section 24 2 miles north and 3/4 mile west of Fairfield
They had nothing but their names and now those too have been lost forever
Only God knows for sure
May they rest in Peace
The thought of these people being lost forever is just too sad! If you know of a person buried in the poor farm cemetery please contact me and I will add them to the list! lselpien@msn.com
The County farm was 3 miles northwest of Fairfield, 320 acres (200
prairie and 120 timber) purchased by the county in 1870 through Adam Rinard,
Commissioner. Price paid was $4,000 ($12.50 per acre)
14 people living there May 1874:
1. Mary Stinson, maiden
quite old and feeble
2. Betty Martin, 95 years
old, childish, almost blind
3. Mrs. Isabell Reck, old
lady, blind and her son
(Wayne Co., Press Feb 4, 1875 Mrs. Reck died Sunday)
4. Parker Reck, age 35
years, badly deformed, barely able to walk, has
fits and is feeble minded.
5. Daniel Wesley Sutterfield,
age 19, badly cripped and on crutches.
(Wayne County Press Feb 11, 1875 died Tuesday Typhoid fever)
6. John Thompson, crazy youth about 20 years old
“Wayne County Press June 8, 1876 John Thompson an insane inmate
of County Poorhouse died congestive chill Saturday”
7. Billey Kittey, small boy
quite feeble minded.
8. Matilda Jones, stout,
hearty but feeble minded (been on the farm 3 years)
9. Ann Whitacre, age 25,
deaf and dumb.
10. Elizabeth Wiseheart,
German woman, 50 years old, blind.
11. Leonard Windland, alias,
Daniel, incurably insane
12. James Carrel, alias, Tom
Carmody, is insane about 40 or 45 years old.
13. Col. Ben Watson is an
imbecile resident of Mt. Erie. A few weeks
since he took his wife and child to
the county farm by consent of the
Supervisor of the township. Mrs.
Ada Watson is about equal to her
husband in intelligence and the 8 month old babe seems to be equally
unfortunate. The Squire who married this couple ought to be indicted.
Mrs. Watson is a half sister to Billey
Kittey.
June 25, 1875
Four new inmates at County Farm added.
1. Mrs. Susan Bradford, an
old lady from Four Mile Township, mother of
C.C. Hopkins, deceased.
2. Benjamin Meyers also from
Four Mile Township.
3. Elisha Young, old
resident of Wayne County, now almost helpless old
man. Wife is with him for the
purpose of giving him the attention which
his afflicted condition demands.
“Wayne County Press Mar 2, 1876 Elisha Young age 76 died Saturday night at the county farm”
Additional information from Betty Beeson
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE (1916-1950) added by Laurie Selpien all records were from Wayne County, Lamard Township
http://www.sos.state.il.us/GenealogyMWeb/idphdeathsrch.html
David Baker purchased this land from the U. S. 14 December 1848. He sold this same land to Wayne County 9 March 1870.
Just when the poor farm began to operation is not known for sure. In the old surveyors book in the county clerks office the land was surveyed in May of 1879. At this time the poor farm building was known as the County Infirmary.
Mr. John Kinney of Fairfield, Il., (now deceased)purchased the land on September 15, 1948. just when the poor farm was terminated is not known but the last burial took place on January 16, 1946.
BURIALS IN THE COUNTY FARM CEMETERY
Scaggs, Peter buried 31 Jan 1917
McClellan, Neal
Mays, John
Clevenger, Charley
Felkil, Perla
Whitalow, Katie
Ward, James
Pollard, Noah
Stanford, Emmet
Linard, Sophia
Cubberley, Benj. Franklin
Bass, Johnie
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE Bass, Johnie 60y death cert# 29881 July 12, 1935
Clevenger, John
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE Clevenger, John 75y death cert# 45051 Oct 14, 1935
French, Robert
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE French, Robert 74y death cert# 45048 Oct 5, 1935
Gilman, William
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE Gilman, William death cert# 49779 Dec 9, 1944
Brennan, Joe
Hobson, Alexander Green
Gommer (Gaumer),Henry
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE Gommer, Henry death cert# 960182 Nov. 5, 1925
Gimmerson, Taylor
Trowbridge, Fannie L.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE Trowbridge, Fanny L. death cert# 960136 Aug 15, 1925
Peterson, Frank
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE Peterson, Frank death cert# 960058 Mar 19, 1926
Atkinson, Rosa
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE Atkinson, Rusa death Cert# 960009 Jan 30, 1927
Sindilt, William
Copley, Charles
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DEATH DATABASE Charles Copley death cert# 960143 Sept 7, 1929
Spencer, Elizabeth
LeCroy, Miles
Levi, Benjamin Stewart
Harl, Elmer
Hiholder, William
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION STATE DATABASE Wm Hiholder death Cert# 960042 died Mar 8, 1930
Hiholder, Mary CLARK
Kirk, Frender
Woody, infant
Bass, Dan
Kneny, George
Thatcher, infant son of Mrs. Mary Thatcher
Fulton, David
In the Wayne County Press
24 January 1946
Transient Dies Here
Joe Branam about age 76 years died at the poor farm and was buried there January 16th. He would never give any information about his family.
27 February 1896
Boone Woods, who formerly lived in Orchardville Township, but was afterward a county farm inmate, died about the 10th and was interred in the Poor Farm Cemetery.
24 December 1931
Dies At County Farm
Lon Blackburn, 81, inmate of the Wayne County Farm for the poor died Friday night about 6 o’clock after an illness of several days. He had been afflicted with asthma for a good many years, which was the cause of death.
Mr. Blackburn went to the farm about two months ago from Barnhill Township, but he spent 14 years in the Harrisburg Farm for the poor before he was sent to the local county farm. Burial was made in the farm cemetery, Sunday afternoon. There were no relatives present at the burial.
COUNTY FARM INMATES TAKEN FROM THE 1900 FEDERAL CENSUS OF WAYNE COUNTY, ILLINOIS LAMARD TOWNSHIP
Green information added by Laurie Selpien
Tibbs, Thomas age 82 b. 1818 KY
Bullard, John age 26 b. 1874 IL.
Bass, John age 26 b. 1874 IL.
Owens, James age 40 b. 1860 IL.
Owens Manda age 26 b. 1874 IL.
Owens Roy age 7 b. 1893 IL.
Owens Clyde age 5 b. 1895 IL.
DURHAM, JAMES AGE 72 1828 IRELAND
LITTLE, DAVID AGE 73 1827 TENNESSEE
MAYES, JOHN AGE 60 1840 ILLINOIS
Turner, John age 45 b. 1855 IL.
Wamax, John age 59 b. 1841 Ireland
Reed, O. B. age 45 b. 1855 IL.
Barnes, Frank age 45 b. U. S.
Whitlow, Dan 21 b. 1879 U. S.
McClellen, C. D. age 27 b. IL.
McClellen Jane age 69 b. 1831 U. S.
Lee, Bessie 23 b. 1877 OH
Odell, Elvira age 36 b. 1864 IL.
Corry, Malissa age 34 b. 1866 IL.
Behymer, Melvina age 50 b. 1850 IL.
Miner, Sofia age 63 b. 1837 Germany BLIND DEAF & DUMB
Statirg, Bass age 67 b. 1833 IL. BLIND
Supervisors book K, pg. 52 said that in June of 1915 the cemetery was cleared off and a fence of rails was put around it.
All
Pages Copyright © 2006 Laurie Selpien
All Rights Reserved