Almshouse Admission Records

A small but significant part of the Warren County archival collection includes various records documenting our role in servicing the poor. Prior to the Acts of the New York Legislature c. 1824-1827, the care of the poor rested with the town with government reimbursing citizens willing to take in the less fortunate. With the passage of legislation in the mid-1820's, greater responsibility was passed to counties to provide appropriate care and support to those individuals of such indigent circumstances that relief was required. The original laws, additions, and amendments charged counties with obtaining property in order to establish poorhouse, appointing a superintendent and keeper, and bearing the cost of all expenditures. State oversight was much in evidence with the creation of the State Board of Charities in 1867.

With the passage of Chapter 140 of the Laws of 1875 came the creation of perhaps the most detailed and historically valuable of all almshouse records. Warren County's Almshouse Admission Records, more commonly known as the Record of Inmates, were kept by Warren County from 1875 to 1979, with information contained within predating the original entry dates. According to the original instruction, copies of inmate information were forwarded to the State on the first of each month on blanks furnished for this purpose and are available under the series entitled Census of Inmates 1875-1921.

The Almshouse as created in the 1800's represents an era that is no longer. However, the social, cultural, demographics, and family history of a county, its people and its times survive in the records that we hold now in our custody.