SUMMARY OF PUTNAM COUNTY POOR FARM
The official records of the
Putnam County Poor Farm are contained in two small ledger books which are
presently stored in the County's Old Records Section in Palatka, Florida.
This home for the dysfunctional
poor was variously referred to in the record books as the "Putnam County
Poor Farm, County Farm, County Poor House, County Poor Farm, and County
Hospital." Those who were housed
and cared for were known as "paupers, inmates, and patients." They came from all walks of life and from
various sections of the United States.
The population at the poor farm was made up of the young, the middle
aged, and the very old. They were both
male and female and their race was black, white, and American Indian.
Regardless of how those who
were institutionalized were addressed, the County Poor Farm System served an
important role in the welfare of a considerable number of unfortunate people
who were old, sick, and in general without family or personal financial means
to care for themselves. Many were
vagrants, Ho-Bos, and tramps that, for whatever
reason, found themselves "down on their luck" in Putnam County,
Florida. But most important they were
human beings in need and were extended a helping hand by the citizens of this
County.
The Poor Farm System came into
being in Florida before there was a National, State, or County health and
welfare system as we know it today.
Local doctors served the patients at the "home" and there was
a regular visiting nurse, all paid at the expense of the County taxpayers. This program was administered by the Board of
County Commissioners who, along with the County Sheriff, kept a watchful eye on
all activities at the "farm."
When we first commenced
abstracting and compiling the Putnam County Poor Farm records, it was generally
assumed by many that the patient/inmates were treated poorly and provided for
in an uncaring manner. However, study of
these records do not bear this out. In
general, the system provided a much-needed service for those who were
"down and out on their luck."
The Sheriff picked up many of
the County Farm patient/inmates laying ill by the side of the road, brought
them to the "home" where they were fed nutritious meals, given a warm
dry bed, and treated for their medical ills.
For many of those unfortunate souls it proved to be a dry warm deathbed,
for they were terminally ill before they came into the care of the Poor Farm
Hospital.
Most of those who died at the
"County Farm" were given a modest Christian burial in a little
cemetery located nearby. At the time of
their death, there were few, if any, relatives or friends to mourn their
passing.
There are about 100-recorded
burials in the Poor Farm Cemetery.
Twenty other patients who died here were taken away for burial in other
local cemeteries. Records indicate that the
Putnam County Poor Farm began operation in January 1916 and officially closed
on October 16, 1935, having been in operation for almost 20 years. However, the County authorities and local
undertakers were still burying paupers in the Poor Farm Cemetery as late as July
1939. There may have been others buried
here at a later date for which we have no record.
In 1966 the Board of County
Commissioners granted Florida Power and Light a power line right-of-way, which,
unfortunately, went directly across the Poor Farm Cemetery. When contractors were clearing the
right-of-way the cemetery was "bull-dozed" and all traces of
individual burial sites were destroyed.
However, when the right-of-way was surveyed, a notation of the exact
location of the cemetery was made and by this means it is possible to
re-establish the boundary of the Poor Farm Cemetery. We hope the boundaries of this burying ground
will be re-established in the near future, and we believe it is the proper and
lawful thing for the County to do.
The Board of County
Commissioners sold this property February 25, 1965, to O. F. and Eva L. Allen
(husband and Wife) and Gerrit and Eramae
Dinkla (husband and wife), for the sum of $7,850.00
as evidenced by Putnam County Official Record Book 138 Page 586.
In addition to the names and
other data extracted from the patient/inmate sections of the Poor Farm Records,
the following information, from the monthly expense vouchers submitted to the
Putnam County Board of Commissioners, is interesting and informative:
1. January
13, 1916 - H.R. Rudianski was the
"Watchman" at the Farm and was paid $20.00 per month for his
services.
2. February
7, 1916 - B.G. Sykes was employed as "Superintendent” of the Poor Farm at
a salary of $50.00 per month.
3. March
15, 1917 - H. Pruitte was employed as
"Keeper" of the Poor Farm at a salary of $50.00 per month.
4. From
August 1917 to November 1921 - B.G. Sykes served as "Superintendent"
at a salary of $50.00 to $75.00 per month.
5. From
November 1921 to September 1926 - L. Bohanon replaced
B.G. Sykes as "Superintendent" at a monthly salary of $50.00 per
month.
6. In
October 1925 - L. Bohanon was paid $3.00 for burying
a pauper - R.W. Black (see Book #1 - Page 4).
7. April
1926 - G.W. Watkins replaced L. Bohanon as
"Superintendent" at a monthly salary of $50.00. In October 1926 his salary was increased to
$75.00 per month.
8. February 1928 - Mrs. G.W. Watkins replaced her husband as
"Superintendent" of the Poor Farm at a salary of $75.00 per
month. In addition to her salary, she
was also paid $5.00 per month gas allotment for the use of her private
automobile. Apparently Mrs. Watkins
served as "Superintendent" of the Putnam County Poor Farm from
February 1928 until it’s closing on October 16, 1935. (After Mrs. Watkins assumed the position of
"Superintendent" the records on the patients at the Farm seemed to be
kept in more detail, and more accurate, than by previous managers.)
Last updated: 11/28/2020