Yes, the first poorhouse was in what was called "Fairview" which was down 58 past the new highschool just about where you turn off to go to Snake Creek Community. At one time there was a school (Fairview Academy) the Poorhouse, at least two stores (Jett's and Webb's) and a mill owned by Robert Wilkinson. At any given time there were up to about 15 residents who had come on hard times for one reason or another or who were "mentally defective" as they were referred to in those days. A lot of residents were simply old and senile and some were blind and unable to live by themselves. The poorhouse was actually a farm where inmates worked for their keep. Even the old did some small jobs. In 1860, Julia Hall Marshall (wife of Joseph ran it.) I believe it was established about 1855 and stayed there until the 1880's when it was moved to the last location at the junction of 77 and 58 between Hillsville and Woodlawn. I believe an Altizer was the last to run it before it before it shut down with the advent of the Welfare System. Although it was county supported, it was almost self-sufficient except for medical costs. Doctor Chester Nuckolls and Dr. Charles Burnett were two of the few who donated their services to the poor. There was a cemetery attached to the last one which had to be relocated with the building of 77. The self-sufficient spirit of the mountain people made it a terrible thing to have to go to the poorhouse. Usually relatives, churches or kind neighbors would provide enough of a living for the poor so they didn't have to go there. The poorhouse accepted all races also; in 1859, Peter and Rebecca Findley who were two free blacks who owned a farm north of Hillsville, lost the farm and had to go there where both died. Often whole families would go there and stay until their circumstances improved. In 1860, Elizabeth Harmon, whose husband, George, died suddenly had to go there for almost two years before she was able to get on her feet and rent a farm. In those days before social programs, the Poorhouse was certainly a very necessary evil. To learn more about poorhouses in general, go to http://www.poorhousestory.com/

This is great! You have a site about the poorhouse! That is wonderful. I found records at the courthouse and typed them on the poorhouse! They ran about 1870 - 1956 I think. There is a copy at the courthouse. I have not published them because of the right to privacy act! That kind of record people don't want to see themselves in. It is embarrassing and I don't want to do that to anyone still living. My g-grandmother Virginia Tate Edwards Westmoreland died in the poorhouse in 1942 and the record told how many days she lived during that period before she died so I could prove the date of death!!! It was wonderful. Her daughter, Levalia also died there in 1953 and it show the same thing! Number of days in the period before she died. I was lucky because it did not tell this on everyone that died. I only listed the people there, number of days during that period (the superintendent had to submit a report once or twice a year to the court) and sometimes it told their problems and ages. There were also more things on the reports that I ignored. Like what was raised and who worked the land and what they sold and money they took in durning the year. Donna Edwards P. S. I will visit the poorhouse site. ----- Original Message ----- From: <rwhall@mmm.com> To: <VACARROL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [VACARROL] Fw: Poorhouse > > Yes, the first poorhouse was in what was called "Fairview" which was down > 58 past the new highschool just about where you turn off to go to Snake > Creek Community. At one time there was a school (Fairview Academy) the > Poorhouse, at least two stores (Jett's and Webb's) and a mill owned by > Robert Wilkinson. At any given time there were up to about 15 residents > who had come on hard times for one reason or another or who were "mentally > defective" as they were referred to in those days. A lot of residents were > simply old and senile and some were blind and unable to live by themselves. > > The poorhouse was actually a farm where inmates worked for their keep. > Even the old did some small jobs. In 1860, Julia Hall Marshall (wife of > Joseph ran it.) I believe it was established about 1855 and stayed there > until the 1880's when it was moved to the last location at the junction of > 77 and 58 between Hillsville and Woodlawn. I believe an Altizer was the > last to run it before it before it shut down with the advent of the Welfare > System. > > Although it was county supported, it was almost self-sufficient except for > medical costs. Doctor Chester Nuckolls and Dr. Charles Burnett were two > of the few who donated their services to the poor. There was a cemetery > attached to the last one which had to be relocated with the building of 77. > > The self-sufficient spirit of the mountain people made it a terrible thing > to have to go to the poorhouse. Usually relatives, churches or kind > neighbors would provide enough of a living for the poor so they didn't have > to go there. > > The poorhouse accepted all races also; in 1859, Peter and Rebecca Findley > who were two free blacks who owned a farm north of Hillsville, lost the > farm and had to go there where both died. > > Often whole families would go there and stay until their circumstances > improved. In 1860, Elizabeth Harmon, whose husband, George, died suddenly > had to go there for almost two years before she was able to get on her feet > and rent a farm. > > In those days before social programs, the Poorhouse was certainly a very > necessary evil. To learn more about poorhouses in general, go to > http://www.poorhousestory.com/ > > > > > ==== VACARROL Mailing List ==== > Remember, all messages to be posted to the list must be mailed to > VACARROL-L@rootsweb.com >

This is great! You have a site about the poorhouse! That is wonderful. I found records at the courthouse and typed them on the poorhouse! They ran about 1870 - 1956 I think. There is a copy at the courthouse. I have not published them because of the right to privacy act! That kind of record people don't want to see themselves in. It is embarrassing and I don't want to do that to anyone still living. My g-grandmother Virginia Tate Edwards Westmoreland died in the poorhouse in 1942 and the record told how many days she lived during that period before she died so I could prove the date of death!!! It was wonderful. Her daughter, Levalia also died there in 1953 and it show the same thing! Number of days in the period before she died. I was lucky because it did not tell this on everyone that died. I only listed the people there, number of days during that period (the superintendent had to submit a report once or twice a year to the court) and sometimes it told their problems and ages. There were also more things on the reports that I ignored. Like what was raised and who worked the land and what they sold and money they took in durning the year. Donna Edwards P. S. I will visit the poorhouse site. ----- Original Message ----- From: <rwhall@mmm.com> To: <VACARROL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [VACARROL] Fw: Poorhouse > > Yes, the first poorhouse was in what was called "Fairview" which was down > 58 past the new highschool just about where you turn off to go to Snake > Creek Community. At one time there was a school (Fairview Academy) the > Poorhouse, at least two stores (Jett's and Webb's) and a mill owned by > Robert Wilkinson. At any given time there were up to about 15 residents > who had come on hard times for one reason or another or who were "mentally > defective" as they were referred to in those days. A lot of residents were > simply old and senile and some were blind and unable to live by themselves. > > The poorhouse was actually a farm where inmates worked for their keep. > Even the old did some small jobs. In 1860, Julia Hall Marshall (wife of > Joseph ran it.) I believe it was established about 1855 and stayed there > until the 1880's when it was moved to the last location at the junction of > 77 and 58 between Hillsville and Woodlawn. I believe an Altizer was the > last to run it before it before it shut down with the advent of the Welfare > System. > > Although it was county supported, it was almost self-sufficient except for > medical costs. Doctor Chester Nuckolls and Dr. Charles Burnett were two > of the few who donated their services to the poor. There was a cemetery > attached to the last one which had to be relocated with the building of 77. > > The self-sufficient spirit of the mountain people made it a terrible thing > to have to go to the poorhouse. Usually relatives, churches or kind > neighbors would provide enough of a living for the poor so they didn't have > to go there. > > The poorhouse accepted all races also; in 1859, Peter and Rebecca Findley > who were two free blacks who owned a farm north of Hillsville, lost the > farm and had to go there where both died. > > Often whole families would go there and stay until their circumstances > improved. In 1860, Elizabeth Harmon, whose husband, George, died suddenly > had to go there for almost two years before she was able to get on her feet > and rent a farm. > > In those days before social programs, the Poorhouse was certainly a very > necessary evil. To learn more about poorhouses in general, go to > http://www.poorhousestory.com/ > > > > > ==== VACARROL Mailing List ==== > Remember, all messages to be posted to the list must be mailed to > VACARROL-L@rootsweb.com >

This is great! You have a site about the poorhouse! That is wonderful. I found records at the courthouse and typed them on the poorhouse! They ran about 1870 - 1956 I think. There is a copy at the courthouse. I have not published them because of the right to privacy act! That kind of record people don't want to see themselves in. It is embarrassing and I don't want to do that to anyone still living. My g-grandmother Virginia Tate Edwards Westmoreland died in the poorhouse in 1942 and the record told how many days she lived during that period before she died so I could prove the date of death!!! It was wonderful. Her daughter, Levalia also died there in 1953 and it show the same thing! Number of days in the period before she died. I was lucky because it did not tell this on everyone that died. I only listed the people there, number of days during that period (the superintendent had to submit a report once or twice a year to the court) and sometimes it told their problems and ages. There were also more things on the reports that I ignored. Like what was raised and who worked the land and what they sold and money they took in durning the year. Donna Edwards P. S. I will visit the poorhouse site. ----- Original Message ----- From: <rwhall@mmm.com> To: <VACARROL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [VACARROL] Fw: Poorhouse > > Yes, the first poorhouse was in what was called "Fairview" which was down > 58 past the new highschool just about where you turn off to go to Snake > Creek Community. At one time there was a school (Fairview Academy) the > Poorhouse, at least two stores (Jett's and Webb's) and a mill owned by > Robert Wilkinson. At any given time there were up to about 15 residents > who had come on hard times for one reason or another or who were "mentally > defective" as they were referred to in those days. A lot of residents were > simply old and senile and some were blind and unable to live by themselves. > > The poorhouse was actually a farm where inmates worked for their keep. > Even the old did some small jobs. In 1860, Julia Hall Marshall (wife of > Joseph ran it.) I believe it was established about 1855 and stayed there > until the 1880's when it was moved to the last location at the junction of > 77 and 58 between Hillsville and Woodlawn. I believe an Altizer was the > last to run it before it before it shut down with the advent of the Welfare > System. > > Although it was county supported, it was almost self-sufficient except for > medical costs. Doctor Chester Nuckolls and Dr. Charles Burnett were two > of the few who donated their services to the poor. There was a cemetery > attached to the last one which had to be relocated with the building of 77. > > The self-sufficient spirit of the mountain people made it a terrible thing > to have to go to the poorhouse. Usually relatives, churches or kind > neighbors would provide enough of a living for the poor so they didn't have > to go there. > > The poorhouse accepted all races also; in 1859, Peter and Rebecca Findley > who were two free blacks who owned a farm north of Hillsville, lost the > farm and had to go there where both died. > > Often whole families would go there and stay until their circumstances > improved. In 1860, Elizabeth Harmon, whose husband, George, died suddenly > had to go there for almost two years before she was able to get on her feet > and rent a farm. > > In those days before social programs, the Poorhouse was certainly a very > necessary evil. To learn more about poorhouses in general, go to > http://www.poorhousestory.com/ > > > > > ==== VACARROL Mailing List ==== > Remember, all messages to be posted to the list must be mailed to > VACARROL-L@rootsweb.com >

Thanks Ron, and thank you Donna for the records in the courthouse. I also found death dates I needed for several people due to these records. Ron, your mention of Julia Hall Bolt Marshall, I have never found her place of burial though I expect beside her daughter Emiline Bolt DeHaven in the DeHaven Cemetery. There is a grave there with the stone broken. I believe I found Joseph Marshall's grave with his first wife. Any idea where Julia may have been buried or her year of death? I am sure you have heard the story of "Mean Johnnie" Bolt dying at the poorhouse. I was told he confessed to the grandaughter. Wonderful memories of stories told by a wonderful gentleman. Regards, Mary Anne ----- Original Message ----- From: <rwhall@mmm.com> To: <VACARROL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [VACARROL] Fw: Poorhouse > > Yes, the first poorhouse was in what was called "Fairview" which was down > 58 past the new highschool just about where you turn off to go to