GenMassachusetts-L Archives

From: "Bruce Lord" <>
Subject: Re: [GM-L] Almshouses in MA during late 1800's
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 17:29:26 -0500
References: <Pine.GSO.4.44L0.0301080757310.22952-100000@shell.core.com> <000901c2b721$8bc766e0$15f05b18@ne2.client2.attbi.com>

If your looking for Alms houses in Massachusetts, you should be looking for
Poor Farms. Beginning about 1810 or so most towns in Massachusetts had Poor
Farms. They were operated by a local body called the Overseers of the Poor.
The Poor Farms lasted into the early 20th century. The system eventually
became the local departments of welfare which were taken over by the State
in 1968.

The records of each Poor Farm were local and can be found, if they still
exist in the local clerk's records or vault. Unfortunately many towns do not
know if they do or do not have them.

Many towns, even if the records exist do not allow these records to be
looked at because they record a very raw part of our heritage, including
rape,incest, beatings, etc., and also because many of the families that were
in the Poor Houses in the 1800s still have descendents in the towns today.

Bruce Lord

http://www.bwlord.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Holli Leamey" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: [GM-L] Almshouses in MA during late 1800's


> Hi,
> The link below will take you to a site where you can order Mass Pauper
> records.
> Good-luck,
> Holli
> http://www.archivepublishing.com/records_paupers.htm
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "schradea" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 9:00 AM
> Subject: [GM-L] Almshouses in MA during late 1800's
>
>
> > Anyone know of almshouses in MA in the late 1800's? I
> > believe my ggrandfather was in one somewhere in the state
> > but don't know exact site or year. Someone has searched
> > the Tewksbury records for me already. Are there any
> > other indexes or lists I can research? Thanks.
> >
> > Ray MacDonald
> >
> >
> >
> > ==== GenMassachusetts Mailing List ====
> > Find your Rootsweb subs at: http://www.passwordcentral.rootsweb.com
> >
>
>
> ==== GenMassachusetts Mailing List ====
> Find your Rootsweb subs at: http://www.passwordcentral.rootsweb.com
>
>

This thread:

• [GM-L] Almshouses in MA during late 1800's by schradea <>
  • Re: [GM-L] Almshouses in MA during late 1800's by "Holli Leamey" <>
    • [GM-L] city directories Franklin County by "wis1848" <>
    • Re: [GM-L] Almshouses in MA during late 1800's by schradea <>

    • Re: [GM-L] Almshouses in MA during late 1800's by "Bruce Lord" <>

  • Re: [GM-L] Almshouses in MA during late 1800's by Mariana <>