History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881, Part 34

Author: Ballou, Adin, 1803-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Boston : Rand, Avery, & co.
Number of Pages: 1328

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881 > Part 34

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These are the only grossly disgraceful instances that got on record, though tradition tells kindred tales, alike discreditable to the old sys- tem of pauper management. I mention these probably exceptional instances with reluctance, and only in contrast with the present man- agement of our poor, on which we have good reason to congratulate all parties concerned. There are other curiosities for the reader in the recorded written contracts made by the selectmen with those who engaged to keep the poor. Just when these written contracts came into vogue in our town, I have not ascertained. Here is the oldest I have found : -

283

CURIOUS PAUPER CONTRACTS.

" An agreement made by the Selectmen with Daniel Hunt, to let Samuel Albee and wife have house room and fire wood Six months from the first Tuesday of March, 1794, for which he is to have 2s. a week, and to have 3s. for a garden this year."

" April 23 [1794]. Agreed with Noah Wiswall to keep the widow Wheat 2 months for 4s. a week; he is to Reduck out of that sum for all the work she does."

" March 20, 1802. Then the Selectmen agreed with Elias Whitney for to keep the Widdow Sarah Hayward and Oliver Hayward [her son] untill the next Anual March Meeting, for Eleven Shillings pr. week ; provided they Remain in their usual State of Health ; and said Whitney is to find Oliver Hayward and keep him in as good Cloaths as he has when he receives him.

ELIAS WHITNEY."

" March 22, 1796. Then the Select Men of Milford Agreed with Thomas Albee to keep his Mother Albee, at the going price of Three pecks of Indian Corn per week, until the first Tuesday of March next "

" Milford, March 10, 1804. I, the Subscriber, agree with the Selectmen of Milford to Keep and Board Ebenezer Torrey from the 13th of March, 1804, to the 13th of March, 1805, for which I am to have 92 cents and 3 Mills Per week; Provided he Remains as Well as Usual : also to Wash and Mend his Clothes, and Keep them in good Order.

CALEB WILSON.">

" March 11, 1805. This day the Select Men agreed with Mr. John Hero to Board and Keep the Widow Elizabeth Hayward from the 5th Day of March, 1805, until the First Wednesday of March, 1806, at Seventy-five Cents Per Week. We also agree to give said Hero Two Gallons of New Rum, and 25 Cents in Brandy or Opium. Provided She should not Remain as Well as Usual, Said Hero to be allowed all Reasonable Expense.

JOHN HERO."

" March 6, 1807. I, the Subscriber, agree with the Select men of Milford to take and Support the following named persons, said Town's poor, that is, John Leshure, widow Leshure and her two youngest Children, Rachel Kil- hon, Oliver Hayward, and Stephen Temple and wife and 2 Children, at five Dollars and Seventy cents per week; Oliver Hayward's Cloaths to be kept in as good repair as they now are; Extraordinary Sickness Excepted; the ahove Said persons to be kept till the first Tuesday of March next : if Stephen Temple and wife and Children are Discharged from the Town of Milford, two Dollars and twenty cents is to be reducted out of the above- mentioned Sum per week. JOEL HUNT."

As time rolled on, and abuses were detected, the agreements were made more stringent. Here is one, the last sample I will give you : -

" I, the Subscriber, do hereby promise and agree to take and Support, through Sickness and health, in a decent Manner for the Term of one year

284

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

from this date, the following Persons, Poor of Milford : Namely, Asa Hay- ward, Oliver Hayward, John Lesure, Ebenezer Torrey, Joseph Sumner, Ruth Sumner and her Child, Grace Adams, Sarah Hayward, Hannah Kilbon, Ra- chel Kilbon, and Clear Said Town of Milford of all Expense whatever on their account, Except Clothing for Said Persons ; the Subscriber to have the use of what Bed Clothes now belong to Said Poor for their use; Said Sub- scriber, further and in addition to the above, doth hereby agree with the Selectmen of Said Milford not to put any of Said Poor to any other Person to keep without the Consent of Said Selectmen - for the Sum of Three hun- dred and Seventeen Dollars, to be paid in Town orders at the Expiration of Said Term : in addition to the above, Said Subscriber, in case any of Said Poor shall Die in said Term, is to See them Decently Buried at his own Expense. DANIEL HEMENWAY.

"MILFORD, March 8, 1810.

" N. B. Said Hemenway is to keep said Poor until the Tenth of March next."

From this agreement it would seem that the regular paupers of the town in 1810 numbered eleven, though others were probably helped ; also that these eleven were supported at the cost of $317, exclusive of clothing and incidental charges. I presume, in view of this and numerous other similar agreements, that the fathers of the town felt that they were doing all they could for the well-being of their poor under the system then in operation. Thus I have given as clear and full a view of what was done for the maintenance of Milford's poor, during the first forty-five years of its corporate existence, as my im- perfect resources allowed. In the next section my data, from authen- tic documents, will be far more ample, reliable, and satisfactory.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS SINCE 1825.

The Town took possession of their newly-purchased farm in the spring of 1825, elected responsible overseers, adopted a code of rules and regulations for the government of their pauper household, ap- pointed a superintendent, removed most of those who could be judi- ciously domiciliated together, stocked the establishment so far as necessary, opened books of account, and, in fine, inaugurated the new order of things, as well as the nature of the case admitted. The dwelling-house was of the olden type, in ordinary repair, and barely large enough to accommodate tolerably the fifteen to twenty inmates needing quarters. The farm contained one hundred and ten acres at that time, with an outlying wood-lot of nine acres more. The outbuildings corresponded in size and quality with the house, and there was room for improvement all about the premises. The cost of

285

ASYLUM INAUGURATED AND IMPROVED.

the establishment, as before stated, was three thousand five hundred dollars, - a debt running on six per cent interest. The records and accounts, intended to exhibit the number, classification, and cost of the poor, are not quite so lucid for several of the earlier years as I could wish, but I will deduce what information I can from them. So far as I ever heard, the institution has worked satisfactorily to all parties concerned, reasonable allowance being made for inevitable imperfections and incidental frictions. The Town have found it more economical, and the inmates far more comfortable, than under the former isolated system. It has been the practice to place all our poor in the asylum who could not, all things considered, be better provided for elsewhere. Sometimes, when family relatives were willing to care for them in their own homes, on a moderate allowance from the Town, an arrangement has been made to that effect. In other cases, supplies, to a limited extent, have been furnished to families at their own residence, who else might become wholly a town charge. In a few instances whole families have been taken out of the poor-establishment for a year, more or less, at a time, into the families of citizens who wanted their domestic services, and were willing to pay something for them, or at least guarantee the Town against ordinary expense on their account. The young have been bound out to service till of age, or otherwise handed over to such persons as desired to take them off the Town. In all these respects, I presume, onr overseers have followed the customs prevalent in such institutions. I might here insert a copy of the rules and regulations, according to which the establishment has been governed since its inauguration in 1825. But I think this unnecessary. They differ little from the generality of such codes in other towns, and have been revised from time to time, as was deemed expedient.

In process of time the original buildings on the farm had to be superseded by new and better ones. In 1840 a substantial new barn was built, at a cost of $815.38. In 1849 the present ample and com- modious mansion was erected, at a cost of $3,562.34. The farm has also been enlarged by an additional purchase of some ten or eleven acres. Meantime numerous improvements have been made all about the premises, and they are kept in good order.

I proposed to myself that I would give a tabulated statement of our almshouse financial management, all the way down from 1825, year after year, to the present time. But I found it so difficult to compile an accurate exhibit, that I concluded to content myself with such historical facts as I could easily command from the records previous to the year 1856. Then the overseers began to make annual

286

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

reports, which the Town printed. From that date I shall summarize the financial and other details of interest in regular succession of the years. So far as I can judge, there was considerable variation in the numbers domiciliated at the asylum in different years, during this period from 1825 to 1856, and also in the numbers aided outside. There must consequently have been a corresponding difference in the annual expenses, aside from other changing costs. The number in the asylum ranges all the way from twelve to twenty-five. Some of these were transient inmates, either State paupers, or belonging to other towns, or home paupers needing to stay only a part of the year. The number of outsiders relieved seems to have ranged from two or three to fifteen. Some of these received little aid, and others con- siderable. This latter class, I observe, at one time, during a visita- tion of small-pox, were quite expensive, on account of extraordinary provisions made necessarily for hospital, nursing, and medical attend- ance. The average annual cost of providing for the town's poor, notwithstanding all the economy practised throughout this period, appears to have been not less than from seven hundred dollars up to one thousand dollars. This properly included six per cent interest on the capital invested in the establishment, as well as the salary of the superintendent, and all other expenses. I do not find in the oldest overseer's book any such complete record of the names, number, sex, ages, and deaths of our poor, as I expected. Feb. 25, 1834, is the date of the earliest list. The names of eighteen are given in this list. The next year gives thirteen. In neither of these are the sex and age given. From what is plainly indicated, the sexes were nearly equal during these years ; and there were only three children in 1834, - none in 1835. Almost all the others were aged, or somewhat elderly people. The list for 1836 gives the names and ages of fourteen inmates. No children are named. There were six males and eight females. The oldest male was seventy-eight years of age; next oldest, seventy-five; next, seventy-three ; next, sixty-seven ; next, fifty ; and the youngest, forty-six. The females ranged downward from sixty-seven years to thirty. Two of the men were State paupers. A little later list, for the same year, gives fifteen inmates, -an ad- litional female. In 1838 I find a list of twenty; in 1839 one of twenty-five, - several children having been added. In 1840 twenty ire given, - fewer children, and about the former proportions as to sex and age. In 1841 there were twenty-two, and fifteen outsiders more or less assisted. This is the first list of outsiders given. Among these insiders and outsiders a larger proportion of youth and children appears. This year the overseers recorded a report so lucid

287

PAUPER STATISTICS SUMMARIZED.

that even I could understand it. It makes the total expense of the Town, on account of its poor, $1,320.48. If this is to be assumed, I have laid my above average per year too low. I suspect, however, that some credits ought to be deducted. In 1842 the number of inmates comes down to fourteen, and the outsiders to three. In 1843 there is a list of nineteen inmates, and three outsiders, - several children in this list. In 1846 the insiders are put down at twenty-two, and the outside recipients of help at twenty. In 1847 we find but fourteen inmates, and six outsiders. In 1848 the numbers are, fifteen at the asylum, and five outside. I do not seem to find another list till 1856. Meantime there were several deaths at the establishment, either not recorded or so mixed in with the accounts that I cannot easily extract them. But it is observable, all the way through, that the deaths there were comparatively few, and the general health of the inmates remarkably good.

As I have now reached the era of printed reports, I will tabulate the principal statistics necessary to be exhibited, year after year, as they are given. The first column designates the year ; the second, the average number provided for in the asylum ; the third, the number of town's poor helped outside of the asylum, and the cost ; the fourth, the deaths of town's poor ; the fifth, the deaths of State paupers ; the sixth, the total annual cost of town pauperism, as drawn out of the treasury by orders of the selectmen. These statistics omit some niceties of fact, and may not be exactly accurate on every point ; but they are sufficiently comprehensive and correct for the purposes of this history. Each year is understood to close between the middle of February and first of April, or thereabouts. The average number at the asylum implies, of course, that many more may have been transiently provided for there. Very brief notes will fill a seventh column, which will give the amount of personal property at the asylum.

288

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

Year.

In Asylum.

Outside

Cost.

Town Deaths.

State Deaths.

Total Expense.

Cost of outsiders not given. The establishment reported prosperous. Not in command of this year's report. Establishment in fair condition.

Movable property on hand, . $1,651 75 =

1,961 58 1,731 64

1862

661 60

3,076 44

1863

1,065 89

3,060 88

1864

1,040 78

3,914 14

1865

1,156 28

4,711 28

Prosperous. Movable prop-

4,601 85

1866

1,630 79

5,142 92

Prosperous. Movable prop- erty on band 4,519 59 . Prosperous. Movable prop- erty on hand 4,900 55 .

1868

35 1,413 67

4,500 00

. Prosperous. Movable prop- erty on hand

4,020 00

1869

1,857 45

4,865 10

Prosperous. Movable prop- erty on band

4,288 64

1870

47 2,182 06

5,000 00

Prosperons. Movable prop- erty on hand ·

4,577 75

1871

2,433 10

3 5,000 00

property on hand

4,433 19

1872

2,095 47

5,506 01

Fair condition. Movable

4,242 00

1873

195

1,868 12

4,863 78

able property on hand 4,690 26

1874

2,319 14

6,650 00

Tramps abound. Movable property on band

4,628 80

1875

2,508 77

6,597 84

Expenses increase. Mov- able property on hand .

4,558 00

1876

3,281 29

8,660 00

289 tramps lodged. Movable property on hand

4,499 70

1877

127

6,627 98

12,500 00

Heavy expenses. Movable property on hand Much sickness. Movable

4,463 66

1878

152

7,167 06

13,364 86

property on hand

4,271 00

1879

142 5,434 63

- 11,539 23

Deaths not reported. Mov- able property on band. . 4,038 48

1880

3,902 29

12,479 31 -

214 tramps. Movable prop- erty on hand

. 4,092 58

2,300 00

1858

2,285 70

1859

15 (not found)

2,180 80

1860

$289 55

2,578 19

1 861

366 20

2,359 51

Prosperous. Movable prop-

erty on band

. 2,306 94

Prosperous. Movable prop- erty on hand · 3,182 47

1867

41 1,448 94

5,600 00

Fair condition. Movable

property on hand

Insanity increases. Mov-

Whosoever has curiosity enough to find the formidable amount which it has cost the Town to maintain its poor since 1855, may do so. For some of the years no deaths were reported, probably through omission. For 1878 the overseers reported five deaths at the asylum, and a total of thirty-four, but without specification where. They say, "There has been more sickness among the poor that have re- ceived aid for the past year, and more deaths than ever in one year, - thirty-four." This matter of deaths ought to be better reported. Many of the annual reports purport to give the average weekly cost per pauper. In 1860 it is put down at $1.95; in 1870, at $1.90; in

Brief Notes.

1856

16 (not found) 20 $337 00

$2,141 67

1857

and

erty on band

CAUSES OF PAUPERISM. - SUPERINTENDENTS, ETC. 289

1879, at $1.70 ; in 1880, at $1.63. Just how this was ascertained, I do not clearly understand, but experts probably can. As to the causes of all this pauperism, I see that in one report the overseers charge four-fifths of it to intemperance, either directly or indirectly. The major portion of it undoubtedly proceeds from this desolating vice. But there are many other causes constantly co-operating to the general result. Some of these are obviously misfortunes, casualties, and infirmities which imply no blame as due to their subjects, or per- haps to any human being. Others are owing to customs, habits, and influences which society might rectify, were it wiser and better. The remainder is brought on individuals, either by their own follies and sins, or those of others, in less excusable ways. But when we con- sider the immense amount of ignorance and evil circumstances amid which our general population passes through mortal life, it is safer to pity than blame, and for the more favored classes to work for better conditions than to curse the legitimate consequences of unreformed causative influences. I think of nothing more to mention under this head, unless it be to give the names of those who have been superin- tendents and matrons of our poor-establishment since it was opened in 1825, and likewise their compensation. The overseers of the poor, during this period, will be found specified in their place'in Chap. XVI., which treats of the succession of our civil officers, etc. So far as I have been able to ascertain the names of our superintendents, etc., they are as follows : -

John Stearns and wife, to first of April, 1826; compensation, $300 per annum.

Moses Albee and wife, to first of April, 1828; compensation one year, $230 per annum.

Elijah Hayward and wife, to first of April, 1829; compensation one year, $225 per annum.

Nahum Legg and wife, to first of April, 1830; compensation one year, not found.

Chester Clark and wife, to first of April, 1833; compensation three years, not found.

Nathan Keith and wife, to first of April, 1835; compensation two years, $210 per annum.

Josiah Gould and wife, to first of April, 1837; compensation two years, $200 per annum.

Peter Adams and wife, to first of April, 1839; compensation two years, not clear.

Asia Madden and wife, to first of April, 1840; compensation one year, $300 per annum.

Joseph Richards and wife, to first of April, 1843; compensation three years, $254 per annum.

290

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

Cyrus Ballou and wife, to first of April, 1846; compensation two years, $250 or more.

Abner A. Leland and wife, to first of April, 1848; compensation two years, $300 perhaps.

Alvan T. Adams (not clear just how this case was), 1851; compensation one year, not clear.

Independence Gore and wife, to first of April, 1855; compensation four years, $350 or more.

Ferdinand Whipple and wife, to first of April, 1858; compensation one year, $350.

Willard Follet and Mrs. Laura A. Ballou, to first of April, 1861; compensa- tion three years, $350 per annum.

John D. Balcomb and wife, to first of April, 1862; compensation one year, $250.

Orlando J. Davis and wife, to first of April, 1867; compensation four years, $250-$300.

Charles Leland and wife, to October, 1868; compensation one year and a half, $250.

Orlando J. Davis and Mrs. Eliza Chapman, to April, 1869; six months, $178. Sumner Harrington and wife, to April, 1879, etc .; eleven years, $450, $500, $600.

Elias Whitney and wife, to April, 1880, etc .; one year, etc., $550.

I suppose it will not do to assume that the above is perfectly accu- rate, as to names, facts, and figures ; for it was very difficult to deduce them from the records and accounts at command. But the errors, if any, must be unimportant. Perhaps I ought to say that Mr. Harrington received $550 per annum for the years 1877 and 1879, ending April 1, 1880; though for the three preceding years he re- ceived $600.

HISTORY AND STATISTICS OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.

Milford decided to have a Board of Health early in 1859. At their April meeting of that year it was voted to choose a Board to consist of five members, three of whom should be physicians and two not. Their first annual report (which was printed, as all subsequent ones have been) opens the history of the Board as follows : -

" At the Annual Town Meeting, holden April 4, 1859, Dr. Dwight Rus- sell, Dr. A. C. Fay, Dr. J. Barnes, George W. Stacy, and A. T. Wilkinson were chosen as a Board of Health for the year ensuing.

"Dr. Fay and Dr. Barnes said, on notification, that they should not serve; and, in view of that fact, were not notified to attend the meeting for the organization of the Board.

" At a meeting of said Board, holden May 9, George W. Stacy was chosen

291

BOARD OF HEALTH ORGANIZED.

Chairman and A. T. Wilkinson Secretary. Dr. Dwight Russell was chosen physician to the Board.

" The following Rules and Regulations were adopted for the government of the Board; and it was voted that the same be published for three suc- cessive months in ' The Milford Journal:' -

"' ARTICLE I. - The Board of Health shall examine into all nuisances, sources of filth, and causes of sickness, that may, in their opinion, be injuri- ous to the inhabitants within the town, and shall destroy, remove, or pre- vent the same, as the case may require.

"' ART. II. - Whenever any nuisance, source of filth, or cause of sick- ness, shall be found on private property within the town, the Board of Health shall order the owner or occupant thereof to remove the same at his own expense, within twenty-four hours after notice is served upon him; and if the owner or occupant thereof shall neglect so to do, he shall forfeit the sum of twenty dollars for every day that he shall knowingly permit such nuisance, filth, or cause of sickness, to remain, after the time prescribed for the removal thereof.

"' ART. III. - If any householder shall know, or have reason to believe, that any person within his family is taken sick with the small-pox, he shall immediately give notice to the Board of Health; and, if he refuse or neglect to give such notice, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding fifty dollars.

"' ART. IV. - When any physician shall know that any person whom he is called upon to visit is infected with the small-pox, or any other disease dan- gerous to the public health, such physician shall immediately give notice to the Board of Health; and every physician who shall neglect or refuse to give such notice, shall forfeit a sum not less than fifty dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars.

"' ART. V. - Any person who shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, in any pond, or stream of water, any dead or living animal, or deposit, or cause to be deposited, in any public street or highway, any substance which may be deemed a nuisance, such person shall be dealt with according to law.

"' ART. VI. - The Board of Health would recommend that each individual pay particular attention to cleanliness, personal, and also to the condition of drains, cesspools, out-buildings, and all sources of filth and disease in his vicinity, thereby removing one of the most common causes of disease in a thickly-populated community.

" ' ART. VII. - We would recommend vaccination as a preventive to the small-pox, and that all heads of families and guardians of youth see that those under their care be vaccinated; also that the physician of the Board be instructed to vaccinate all those who may apply to him, that in his judg- ment may require vaccination, and that the expense may be charged to the Town, when in his opinion the applicants are unable to pay for the same. It was also voted that each member of the Board be a health officer, for the purpose of discharging the duties of the Board, and that any official act thus. performed shall be considered sanctioned by the Board.

" ' Voted, To adopt the following form of notice to be served upon owners,

292

HISTORY OF MILFORD.

occupants, or persons responsible, in any case of nuisance, viz .: Whereas complaint has been made to the Board of Health that - - is a nuisance, and whereas the Board of Health, after due examination, judge the same to be injurious to the public health, and justly obnoxious to complaint, you are hereby required to prevent or remove the same forthwith."

I suppose these Rules and Regulations, in substance at least, if not in form, have continued in force ever since, or certainly very similar ones.

This report of Feb. 25, 1860, sets forth the importance of health regulations in a populous community ; that several prominent nui- sances had been abated (specifying the samc) ; that proper precau- tionary measures had been taken for the future; that one case of small-pox and three cases of varioloid had come under the notice of the Board, the small-pox case proving fatal ; that there had been some reluctance in certain quarters to conform to the requirements of the Board; and that the selectmen had made thorough work of vaccinating those who needed it throughout the town.

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History of the town of Milford, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to 1881, Part 34

Author: Ballou, Adin, 1803-1890 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Boston : Rand, Avery, & co. Number of Pages: 1328

Author: Ballou, Adin, 1803-1890
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Boston : Rand, Avery, & co.
Number of Pages: 1328