Grundy County Poor Farm

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Grundy County Poor Farm
Established 1842
Location Morris, IL
Alternate Names




History[edit]

The records of Grundy County show that the first pauper bill allowed was ordered paid March 7, 1842. It was for the sum of $10 for medicine and attendance to one "Joseph Brown, pauper." Unfortunately with the development of any community comes poverty, and the tax payers are always forced to make provision for those whom the chances of life leave destitute. Grundy County has not been exempt, and its people have nobly risen to the occasion, and now have one of the best equipped poor farms in the State. The first farm of 160 acres was in Norman Township. The county paid $2,400 for it but found it was too large and portions of it were sold to outsiders.

On October 27, 1879, eighty acres of land was bought for $45 per acre, in Wauponsee Township to build a new poor farm. An old brick building standing upon the property was torn down and a large frame building was built. This was used for about twenty years, and when it was decided to build new quarters, it was partially wrecked, and the rubbish was sold to a party who removed it. In the December meeting of the county board, in 1903, the committee to which was referred the county almshouse on the county farm.