During the 19th and 20th centuries, many counties in the United States had places where the indigent could live and take shelter. They were typically called Pauper's Homes, Poor Houses, Alms Houses, or Poor Farms. They were often located close to the county jail, as many of the poor houses were on county-owned land. By definition, a pauper is not only a very poor person, but historically a person who receives government relief or public charity. Most of the inmates (explained later) were elderly women and young children, with few exceptions.
Strangely, but perhaps related to the scarcity of county government land, poor houses normally were located near county convict camp locations. Another odd similarity is occupants of poor houses are listed as 'inmates' on census records. In Pickens County, the Convict Camp building is located near the Sheriff's Department and the Pauper's Home site.
The first mention of the Pauper's Home was in the Pickens County newspaper, The Republican, dated 1891. It detailed the need for the creation of a poor house in the county. Samuel Tate, John Allred, A.P. Mullinax, T.J. Bryan, and C.J. Cornelison the town Ordinary, declared they would allocate funds for its purchase.
In November of 1895, the town Ordinary leased out the management of the Pauper's Home and Farm to Elias Allred.
Looking back through census records, I was able to establish the residents of the home.
In 1900, the home was run by Elias Allred. his wife, and four daughters.
The inmates in 1900 were:
Susie King, age 75
Annie King, age 35
Sarah Norris, age 48
Effie Norris, age 6
Jennie Stewart, age 65
Wash Townsend, age 70
Later in 1910, the oversight of the home was transferred to John Padgett. His wife and daughter lived in the home.
The inmates in 1910 were:
Susie King (now listed as Susian), age 84
Annie King, age 44
Sarah Norris, age 62 (life must have been tough as she aged 14 years in a decade)
Martha Jones, age 77
Susian Stone, age 85
In 1920, The home was run by Truman Whitfield. His wife and son lived in the home. It now takes on the name Alms House and is on Alice Street.
The inmates in 1920 were:
Anne King, age 50 (life must have been easy as she aged six years in a decade)
Jane Eddleman, age 62
Elizabeth Dinkens, age 65
Margret Swann, age 52
Baby Cowort, age 60
Although I cannot find the census record for the home in the 30s, James Swann, brother of Margret Swann died at the Pauper's Home in 1932.
When inmates would die, the Pickens Progress would run an obituary for them, telling all where they were to be buried. Most of them were buried at the town cemetery (Jasper United Methodist Church cemetery). Others were interred at Philadelphia Baptist Church or the Tate Cemetery.
There is a chance there was a Potter's Grave nearby that has been lost to time. However, as tradition would hold in the south, the graves would be east of the home to be ready for their resurrection during the Second Coming of Christ. There have been unmarked graves from Pauper's homes found in Cherokee and Fulton Counties within the last decade. However, they housed far more indigents, elderly, and infirm than Pickens.
I could not find any mention of the Pauper's Home of Pickens beyond the 1930s. Perhaps, the social net programs that arose during the Great Depression Era eliminated the need for them. It should be noted that Pauper's Farms generally were not profitable and operated at a loss.
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