The First County Pauper

      The first assistance furnished by the county of Warren to her indigent and poor was in 1831, when Levi Murdock was paid $20, upon the order of the Commissioners, for keeping John Campbell, a transient pauper, five months. After this, orders of a similar nature are found with great frequency. Each township had Overseers of the Poor, whose duty was to see that the helpless of his township were provided with the necessaries of life, and given a Christian burial upon their death. The bills of expense, when properly authenticated, were paid by the County Board. Occasionally, in more than one township of Warren County, the township officers would order poor persons to depart the township forthwith, that they might not become a township charge. But that barbarous custom soon gave place to one of broader charity and humanity. The custom of farming out the paupers to the lowest bidders took the place of all others, and was continued many years. Sometimes the poor fell into cruel hands, and received rough treatment and fare from the farmers who had taken the charge solely to make money. Generally, however, the  humanity of the early settlers provided the county poor with comfortable homes. In 1833, Seymour Cobb was paid quite a sum for furnishing Elizabeth Bell, a pauper, with comfortable clothing and a home. James Foreman, a pauper, was buried at county expense in 1837. Thomas Thomas built the coffin. The annual county expense for the poor, during these years, ranged from about $20 to $70; but about 1837, the figures began to grow. The following is one of the early bills paid by the County Board:

 November the 20^th, A.D. 1838.

            Board of Commissioners of Warren County, Dr. to Isaac High for keeping Eliphalet Lovelett, a poor boy, four months, $27; nursing by Jerusha Ford for three months, $30; board for the nurse thirteen weeks, $13; doctor bill paid to Dr. J.H. Buell, $15; total debits, #85. Credits –One chest and one fiddle, $4; one coat and one pair of pants, $7; total credits, $11. Whole amount due, $74.

            Personally appeared before us, James S. Crawford and Ephraim Norton, Overseers of the Poor in Steuben Township, Warren County, the said Isaac High, and being by us sworn, says that the above amount is just and unpaid this 1^st day of September, 1845.

                                    Signed: Isaac (x his mark) High

             We, the Overseers of the Poor of Steuben Township, Warren County, Ind., after examining several disinterested witnesses under oath, allow the above amount to be legal and just this 1^st day of September, 1845.

            Signed: James S. Crawford and Ephraim Norton, Overseers of the Poor.

             This was the largest pauper bill paid up to November, 1838. Provision was made for a period, in each township, for the care of paupers at township expense, instead of at county expense, but to what extent cannot be stated, as the township records have been destroyed. As early as 1840, physicians in the county contracted by the year to doctor the poor of townships, and finally of the entire county. The pauper expense of the county for the year ending June, 1843, was $337.20, and for the year ending June, 1848, was $495.43; for 1849, it was $498.06; for 1850, $878.14.

Source: Counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper and Newton, Indiana by F.A. Battey & Co., 1883.