1891-1915 Poor Master Book

Archive

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Town of Sand Lake, New York

1891-1915 Poor Master Book: Thirty-Eight-Page downloadable PDF.
1891-1915 Poor Master Book

Thirty-Eight-Page downloadable PDF.

Name/Title

1891-1915 Poor Master Book

Entry/Object ID

2021.2.52

Scope and Content

This entry includes two different public welfare-related PDFs as follows: - First is a thirty-Eight-Page PDF of the Poor Master's Book of the Town of Sand Lake, NY, which records public welfare expenses, justifications, and audits from 1891 through 1915. Poor Masters validated requests for public relief either directly or via a subordinate Overseer of the Poor. For example, page 23 (displayed below) approves Overseer of the Poor Charles Larkin providing six families with medical and basic needs, paying for six burials, supporting illegitimate children, and committing one able-bodied debtor to the county poorhouse. Per the, "1895-1934 Overseers of the Poor Accounting Ledger," entry in this folder, Towns and their Overseers of the Poor were primarily responsible for public welfare until the New Deal of the 1930s shifted most of that responsibility to the State and Federal governments. The PDF is downloadable while fully logged into the system. Refer to the example page for a preview of its content. A much higher resolution PDF is stored off-line and available upon request under the file name: 1891-1915_Poor_Master_Book_Hi_Res.pdf The original book is stored in a locked fireproof safe at Town Hall. - Second is an eleven-page PDF of numerous actual receipts submitted by the Poor Master and Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Sand Lake from 1906 through 1909 for specific goods and services rendered to the poor. The services range from groceries and lodging to medical care and funerals. The PDF also includes a Candidate's Statement of Election Expenses submitted by Overseer Frank Keller while running for an Overseer of the Poor position in 1907 attesting that he spent, "not one cent," on his election. The PDF is downloadable while fully logged into the system. The receipts are stored along with the above-mentioned Poor Master Book in a locked fireproof safe at Town Hall.

Cataloged By

Michael Frederick Perry

Acquisition

Accession

2021.2

Acquisition Method

Found

Dimensions

Height

14 in

Width

9 in

Depth

1 in

Created By

curator@slhstrustees.org

Create Date

March 22, 2022

Updated By

curator@slhstrustees.org

Update Date

March 29, 2022