The Kent County Poor Farm was called Maple Grove and still existed up to 1966 if not later as I knew a lady who lived there. They had large wards with about ten beds in each. Every inmate had an iron cot/bed and a wooden orange crate. The people who lived there were old, sick, poor and had no families. There were also young babies kept there too, maybe foundlings. They lived at taxpayers expense and were mainly forgotten. There was a cemetery nearby, adjoining the Plaster Creek flood plain. The land was purchased by the Luther Home which has a big nursing home there. You can try calling them if you like voice mail. This area was annexed by the City of Grand Rapids but the City has never maintained the facility or cemetery. The taxpayer doesn't keep track of current old people why do you think they kept track of them 150 years ago? Old people are shuffled into nursing homes and forgotten today just like they were 150 years ago. Nothing has changed except more people live in cardboard boxes. At one time the records were kept by Kent County but I doubt that they have then handy anymore. They threw out tons of stuff when they moved to a new building and the old-timers are gone now and the younger generation has thrown out even more "useless" stuff. I would try the Kent District Library as the first place to look and if you find anything, would you post the availability of any records as I searched a little bit to determine the info in the second paragraph but did not check the KDL. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2006 7:33 PM Subject: [MIKENT] Van Dusen/Van Dozen Kent County Poorhouse. > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Surnames: Van Dozen, Van Dusen > Classification: Query > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kFB.2ACE/8129 > > Message Board Post: > > The 1850 census shows five paupers living in what must be the original > Kent County Poorhouse. One of them is 48 year old Jabez Van Dozen, born > NY. By default he is most likely the son of Matthew and Christina Spoor > Van Dusen who had a child named Jabey in 1802 or he could be the son of > Matthew's brother (my probable ancestor), James, for whom I have not found > any written records. Matthew and James lived with their families in > Canada for many years. They died there and their children moved on to > Southeast Kent County. > Where would I find records for the early years of the poorhouse? Where > would these people have been buried? I can not find a mention of Jabez > after the 1850 census and must assume he died there. Your article says > the poorhouse was built about 1850 so these must be the first people in > it. Any info out there would be appreciated,. > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.14.16/551 - Release Date: > 11/25/2006 > >