File submitted for Lincoln County Missouri History Page by June Groshong, Oct 10, 2006.  Link change or update: 15 Jan 2007

From The History of Lincoln County, Missouri, (Chicago : Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1888, pp. 278, 279, 280).

Also, see the 1870-1930 U.S. Census entries for the County Poor Asylum and the platt map showing the location of the farm and cemetery.

In November, 1865, the Court appointed Richard Wommack commissioner to select a proper site for a county poorhouse, and authorized him to advertise for proposals for a tract of land not exceeding 160 acres, and to purchase the land he might select, and agree to pay one-half of the purchase price in cash and to issue bonds bearing the 10 per cent interest for the other half, payable in one year after date. The Court reserved the right, however, to confirm or reject such purchase. In February following, the commissioner not being ready to report, the above order was renewed and further time given. At the May term, 1866, Commissioner Wommack reported that in response to advertising as ordered he had received six offers of farms, three of which he deemed entirely unsuitable, and that the other three consisted of 157 acres, lying two miles north of Troy, owned by Charles W. Parker, the price of which was $2,000, and a farm of 160 acres, owned by Joseph H. Withrow in Township 49, Range 1 west, the price of which was $20 per acre, and another farm of 160 acres, owned by Francis C. Cake, the price of which was also $20 per acre. The Court, after approving the report and discharging the commissioner, viewed and examined the three farms offered, and decided that the one offered by Mr. Cake should be purchased on the terms expressed in the foregoing order. Whereupon Francis C. Cake presented to the court a deed, executed by himself and wife, conveying to Lincoln County, for the sum of $3,200, the southwest quarter of Section 2, in Township 48 north, Range 1 west, containing 160 acres, it being the farm selected. This deed was accepted by the Court and placed on record.

The Court then appointed J.B.Miller and James M. McLellan commissioners to prepare plans and specifications for the building of a poor asylum, and in July following Francis C. Cake was appointed to receive sealed bids for building the same. In August following the Court accepted the proposals of Ezekiel B. Adams, John R. Kendall, and James H. Green, and entered into a contract with Messrs. Adams and Kendall for furnishing the materials and building the stone and brick work and plastering the poor house, according to the plans and specifications then on file, for the sum of $5,600. The contractors afterward gave bond to the satisfaction of the Court conditioned for the faithful performance of their part of the contract with James H. Green, who engaged to furnish the material and to do the wood and carpenter work and painting of the building for the sum of $4,200, and afterward filed his bond to the satisfaction of the Court, conditioned for the faithful execution of his part of the contract. Afterward, on January 3, 1868, J. B. Miller, who had been appointed to superintend the building of the poorhouse, reported that Adams and Kendall had completed their part of the work according to contract. Accordingly the work was accepted from their hands, and the balance due them on the contract order allowed. The Court then appropriated $525 for the purpose of procuring furniture for the poorhouse, and appointed Francis C. Cake agent to purchase it. In February following Mr. Cake reported that he had purchased the furniture for $399.30, and thus saved $125.70 of the amount appropriated.

On the 28th day of November, 1868, Supt. Miller reported to the Court, recommending that certain deductions, amounting in the aggregate to $1,055, should be made to the amount agreed to be paid to James H. Green for failures to perform his part of the work according to contract. The Court approved the report and withheld the balance claimed by the contractor. Consequently, in April following, Green brought suit against the county, in the circuit court and asked for judgement in his favor for the sum of $1,055 claimed by him to be remaining due. The suit was brought by Henry Quigley, plaintiff's attorney , and A. V. McKee became the attorney for the county. The case was continued until April, 1870, when it was tried before a jury, who rendered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for $699.91, whereupon judgement was entered accordingly. In May following the county court allowed the plaintiff, James H. Green, the sum of $702.91, being the amount of his judgement and costs. The first superintendent of the poor farm was Henry G. Bickel, who agreed with the Court to furnish to the County the services of himself and wife in managing the farm and taking care of the paupers for the twelve months, commencing October 1, 1870, for the sum of $650. He was succeeded by James W. Brown, who took charge of the farm and the paupers December 1,1871, and has continued to superintend it ever since. The first year he received for the services of himself and wife the sum of $400, and since then his annual salary has been sometimes greater and sometimes less than that amount.

File submitted for USGW/MOGW Lincoln County Missouri History Page by June Groshong, Oct 10, 2006.  Link change or update: 15 Jan 2007

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