Almshouses

Poor Farm

"At one time, there was a Poor Farm out where the Sulphur Springs Cemetery (Nilwood Township) is. It was there awhile but the one north of Carlinville was soon built." – M. Trover

The Home

The Home is an institution of which Girard is justly proud. Located at the northwest corner of town, it was built in 1906, and is owned and maintained under the management of The Church of the Brethren, Southern District of Illinois. Cullen C. Gibson who settled on the north edge of Girard in 1864, was a leader in the building project. Dan Vaniman, father of Herbert, Roy and Frank Vaniman, who own the home farm one half mile north of Girard, solicited all of the funds. In addition to being a guest home for elderly people, it was the county orphanage from 1910 to 1920. Thirty to forty children were cared for in the north wing of the building. The home is now filled to capacity with elderly guests and has been modernized in every way. The present House Managers are Mr. and Mrs. Velmer Molen.

Contributed 2022 May 11 by Norma Hass, extracted from History of Girard, Illinois, "From then 'til Now," 1855 – 1955, published in 1955 by the Girard Historical Committee, first paragraph of Chapter 14.

Old Folks Home

"The old Macoupin County Nursing Home building is no more! On July 7, the Prose Bulldozing and Excavating Company of Girard began to knock down the huge brick building on Route 4 just north of Carlinville [where, in 2009, the county highway building stands]. The cornerstone shows it was built in 1912 with J. I. Rinaker and R. Furrow as Architects and W. P. Dunn, Contractor. Those on the committee of the Board of Supervisors at that time were D. M. Thompson, R. T. Ross, R. S. Hemphill, C. W. Soapes, T. B. Weller, Q. B. Bates, and C. Schoeneman. The front brick entry gate was erected in 1938 and members of that committee were: W. Stone, H. J. A. Beinke, T. Perrotpet, and W. Nieman, Supt. The old nursing home facility was used until March, 1976, when residents were transferred to the newly opened University Manor." - Newspaper Article, Jul 1983, and photo contributed by Carolynn Bettis

Ron Robinson wrote, "My grandfather was living there when he passed away in 1962."

Josephine Remling, age 93, advised today that she was working at the Nursing Home when the residents were relocated. She stated it was very confusing, sad, and depressing for the employees and residents.

In the 1960's, laws were implemented regulating Nursing Home, Hospital, etc., and Macoupin County Old Folks Home was in a dilemma as many others. No elevators, multiple floors, not handicap accessible, lack of ventilation, inadequate heating, no AC, food facility preps, etc.

University Manor was the new Macoupin County Nursing Home constructed and occupied in March, 1976, located on the very NW point of the Blackburn College Campus. Blackburn University was the previous name of the college; thus, the County named the new County Nursing Home facility, "University Manor". Today, it is privately owned and is known as "Heritage Manor," and it is located in the SE area of the Plaza Shopping Center.

Contributed by Carolynn Bettis

Orphanages

Brethern Orphanage, in Girard
Bethel Holiness Orphanage, in Carlinville

The Bethel Holiness Orphanage was located at 738 West Main. It is said that the big yellow house (just west of the Dairy Queen) was one of two buildings at the site. The yellow house pictured (Sep 2009) was razed about 2015.

Reports

Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities of the State of Illinois. (1879). Fifth Biennial Report, page 244, Weber, Magie & Co., Springfield, IL; Report includes inspection results by the commission circa 1878: "Macoupin — One hundred and twenty acres, a mile and a half north of Carlinville; cost fifty-five hundred dollars; farm of medium quality and poorly stocked. The almshouse has been built at three different times, and the front presents a singular appearance, in consequence of the line being part of brick and part of wood painted white. The internal plan is not good, but admits of separation of the sexes; they dine in a common room, which is not large enough; the number of rooms in the entire house is forty-seven, of which the keeper occupies six. The furniture is scanty, the house-keeping fair, the inmates apparently well cared for, in general; the female side of the house is the most comfortable. There were thirty-eight paupers when inspected, of whom nine were insane. The insane department is in the basement of the north wing; it contains six cells, four by eight feet each, with brick partitions, cross-barred iron doors, locked by padlocks and wooden bars across the windows, nailed on the inside of the lower half of the sash; the cells are arranged in a double block; back to back, with a corridor, three feet wide, on three sides; they are heated by a stove in the hall, and in winter the patients must suffer from cold; no bedsteads but loose straw, without ticks, on the floor; ventilation has been attempted by grated openings in the wall, but there is no current of air; no privy seats except one in the yard, not protected from the weather and with no vault — the hogs act as scavengers. This department is simply disgraceful; the insane are treated as if they were animals and not men. There are two yards for the two sexes, separated by a high board fence. The out-buildings are inferior and insufficient. The keeper's salary is five hundred dollars. The amount of out-door relief is large."

1880 Charity Report, 6th Biennial report, Nov 1880, page 249: "Macoupin — Macoupin county is under township organization, but all pauper expenses are paid by the county. We regret to be under the necessity of repeating the criticism upon the condition and management of the county almshouse in our last report, in which we said that "the insane department is simply disgraceful; the insane are treated as if they were animals, and not men." The description of the department then given by us fully bears out the truth of this assertion. There has been no change for the better. The number of inmates, when inspected, was twenty-two, of whom six were insane; three of them were in seclusion, in brick cells with iron grated doors. The almshouse keeper receives a salary of five hundred and fifty dollars, and the county physician one hundred and fifty dollars. The physician visits the almshouse' and the jail, and furnishes medicines at his own cost. The cost of the alms- house for the last fiscal year was twenty-one hundred dollars, and the amount expended for outdoor relief about fourteen hundred. An almshouse register has been kept since January, 1866, and the, accounts and reports required of the overseers are regularly filed with the county clerk. We express the earnest hope that the condition of this almshouse will receive early attention at the hands of the county board.

Biennial report of the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities of ... By Illinois Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities, April 22, 1907, page 51: "Macoupin — There is no provision for the care and treatment of the insane, but there are iron cells into which they are locked at night. These cells are in two rows in the middle of a large room. They are dark and have no opening but the door. They have practically no ventilation."

Biennial report of the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities of ... By Illinois Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities, April 22, 1907, page 78: "Children, Epileptics, and Consumptives in Illinois County Almshouses. Provision for Insane. Majority have no children. Children in 40 almshouses. Tabular statement. When the Board of Charities inspected conditions surrounding the insane in almshouses, outside of Cook county, maintained by Illinois county governments it also noted the children, the epileptics and the consumptives kept in these institutions. Children in Almshouses. The aim of the State that no children shall be cared for in the almshouse, in the sense of making that their home and growing up under the influence of such associations, is being faithfully supported in the great majority of the counties. Of the 98 counties for which these facts are reported, 58 have no children in their almshouses. namely: Adams, Alexander, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, DuPage, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Ford, Fulton, Gallatln, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Iroquois, Jackson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Lake, Lee, Macon, Macoupln, Marshall, Mason, Massac, McHenry, Menard. Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Perry, Piatt, Pulaskl, Putnam, Randolph, Sangamon, Stephenson, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, Whlteside, Wlnnebago, Woodford."

Biennial report of the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities of ... By Illinois Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities, page 86: "Epileptics in Illinois County Almshouses. Fifty-five of the 97 counties returned for the inquiry regarding epileptics had cases of inmates subject to attacks of epilepsy. Of these 55, twenty had one case each, namely: Alexander, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Christian, Greene, Hamilton, Kane, Lake, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Perry, Putnam, Saline, Shelby, Stephenson and Washington. Seventeen others had two each, namely: Adams, Champaign, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Jasper, Kankakee, Lee, Livingston, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Richland, Rock Island, White, Will and Williamson. Nine had three each, being Douglas, Hancock, Iroquois, Marion, Marshall, McHenry, Peoria, Tazewell and Union. LaSalle, Logan, Ogle, Pike and Vermilion had four each; Knox and Sangamon five, and St. Clair nine. Seventeen of the epileptics are also classed as feeble-minded; two idiotic, one blind and one insane. A considerable number of these unfortunate epileptic and of the feebleminded beings owe their existence to criminal conditions in the lack of separation of the sexes where feeble-minded and insane women of child-bearing age are the subjects of public care in Illinois."

Biennial report of the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities of ... By Illinois Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities, page 111: "Macoupin — This almshouse is located at Carlinvllle. The Insane are locked in cells at night. These cells are made of sheet Iron and are arranged in two rows of five cells each, placed in the center of a large room. Each cell is __ feet and has no other opening than the door. They are dark and very poorly ventilated. There are 20 such cells In addition to eight cells of a more modern form. An old frame building is used by the male inmates as a loafing place in the day time. The bonded Indebtedness is $240,000.00. all registered. There is no flouting debt. Date of inspection, Dec. 26. 1906.

Twenty-first Fractional Biennial Report of the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities of the State of Illinois Being Statistical Record of the Public Charity Service for the Period July 1, 1908 to December 31, 1909, and Embracing Final Recommendations of the Board. Springfield, Illinois, Illinois State Journal Co., State Printers 1911.

CERTIFIED ORPHANAGES [page 157]
Certificate expires one year from date given. Corrected to Feb. 28, 1913.
4. Bethel Holiness Orphanage, Carlinville, Aug. 18, 1912. Superintendent, Rev. E. D. J. Haug.

OLD PEOPLE’S HOMES IN ILLINOIS [page 165]
Compiled by the Department of Visitation of the Board of Administration …
Macoupin County.
Old Peoples' and Orphans' Home of the Church of the Brethren of the Southern District of Illinois, Girard. M. Smeltzer, superintendent; no age limit; no fixed compensation.

CERTIFIED ORPHANAGES [page 252]
Certificate expires one year from date given. Corrected to June 30, 1913.
4. Bethel Holiness Orphanage, Carlinville, Aug. 18, 1912. Superintendent. Rev. C. C. Brown.

BETHEL HOLINESS ORPHANAGE [page 321]
The Bethel Holiness Orphanage, under the management of the Bethel Holiness Association, is located in Carlinvllle. N. B. Herrtll, is superintendent.
SUNSHINE SOCIETY.
The Sunshine Society is established for the purpose of ministering to the poor and sick. Mrs. William Otwell is president.
CARLINVILLE HOSPITAL.
The Carlinville Home Hospital recently completed, cares for all save contagious diseases.
HOME OF GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHERN GIRARD.
The Home of the German Baptist Brethern for the Aged is located at Girard.

CHAPTER I. REPORTS OF INSPECTIONS [page 367]
Carlinville, Illinois.
The following are reports of inspection of institutions caring for dependent and delinquent children made during the eighteen months' period by the State agent or the inspectors under him:

BETHEL HOLINESS ORPHANAGE.
The incorporators of the Bethel Holiness Orphanage, Carlinville, Illinois, having made application to the Secretary of State for a charter, the same was referred to this office for approval, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 23, sec. 182 of the Revised Statutes. I made a thorough inspection of their plans of work and the premises occupied by the Home and would submit the following report.

The Home consists of a two story frame house of 12 rooms, with attic and basement, situated on a plat of four and a half acres, west of the depot at Carlinville.

First floor consists of a large reception room, double parlor, divided temporarily and used for sleeping rooms, kitchen, dining room, pantry and closets.

Second floor consists of seven bed rooms, bathroom and closets.

The attic is unfurnished and is used for store rooms.

There is a window in the roof and two small windows on the sides and I recommended the opening of the side windows to prevent spontaneous combustion.

The basement consists of a furnace room, coal room and storage rooms. Fifteen tons of hardcoal have been purchased and paid for, for next winter's use.

The building is heated by steam and lighted with lamps.

There is a very large hall way on the first and second floor of the building opening on the veranda, and running the full length of the house. Every room in the house has good light and air. The large hallway upon which the rooms open makes ventilation complete. There are grates in the hall, and in nearly every room in the house. The water is furnished by two good cisterns and two wells; the cistern water is pumped to a tank over the bathroom and is conducted to bath room and kitchen by pipes for use in the house. There is plenty of room for an extra single bed in all but two rooms in the house. Iron beds, with few exceptions, are used; most of them single beds. The building was clean and sanitation throughout was good. Small rugs were used on the floors which were clean. The paper on all but two rooms was in excellent condition. There is a small brick building at the rear of the house used for laundry and storage purposes. A brick barn has been repaired in which one room is used for a manual training department, where the older boys manufacture picture frames. For untrained bands they have exhibited considerable skill in workmanship. This building will soon be converted into a school building. At present the school grades are taught in the main building during the school months.

The frame barn is used for general barn purposes. They have one cow, the property of the Orphanage, and one they use which is donated them for the pasturage; have also one horse, three pigs and twenty chickens. They raise most of their vegetables on the orphanage property. They have purchased eight acres of farm land a few rods north of the orphanage and have five acres of corn, one acre of potatoes; one and a half acres of cucumbers; to date they have sold $30.00 worth of cucumbers and hope to make it $50 before the close of the season.

The Orphanage property was purchased from Mr. Brockmeyer at the price of $6,000 on which they have paid $1,700, the balance being borrowed from the Farmer's bank of Carlinville at 6 per cent interest. The interest is paid to date.

The purchase price of the farm land was $1,600; $200 was donated and $100 paid in cash with balance for five years from March 1, 1909, at 6 per cent interest. The matron stated that they had nearly enough of subscription to pay for the property; a donation of paint for the floors has been made and this work will be done soon.

There were thirty-one children, twelve boys and nineteen girls, ranging in age from 18 months to 14 years; all well dressed and appeared to be happy and contented. The incorporators C. C. Brown, Walter Poole and Will Poole are members of the Holiness Association and the Orphanage is under the auspices of this association. The property is held in trust by C. C. Brown and wife but on issue of the charter will be transferred to the trustees of the Bethany Holiness Orphanage.

I consider this Orphanage an excellent property and a well conducted Home. They have no placing out system, their purpose being to keep the children in the Home for school and missionary training. I would recommend that the certificate for incorporation be approved and charter granted and that a certificate be also given them from this Board, enabling them to receive commitments from the court on the granting of the charter.

[Page 398] Macoupin County — New infirmary being constructed.

Second Annual Report of the State Charities Commission, page 484: "Macoupin County Farm — December 9, 1910. J. O'Neil, Superintendent. Carlinville. The Macoupin county farm is provided with a large, attractive, two-story brick building, situated on an elevation which affords excellent drainage. There is a good basement, which is used for wash room, kitchen and dining rooms. Dark oil cloth is used on the tables; the eating rooms are gloomy. The building extends north and south. The bed rooms are clean, but bare. Several beds are placed in most of the rooms, which are heated by steam. There are several iron cells, originally for insane, at the northern end of the building. Most of the cells are being torn down and converted into rooms. A few cells will be left. Four insane at present in the county farm are locked in these cells at night. One idiot, who would run away, is locked in one of the iron cages. There are almost no rockers at the farm. The men's sitting room is furnished with old benches and nothing more. A little repairing would make this house very habitable. The ventilation is excellent; windows are opened during the day and inmates are not allowed in their rooms. At about 8:00 o'clock in the afternoon, the heat is turned on. Paint is badly needed; the old dark paint on the walls and the worn paint on the floors make the rooms gloomy. There is a two-story frame building, very old and tumbledown, which is now used for men until more room is made in the main building. The rooms are heated by stoves. They are bare and dilapidated. There were thirty-two inmates at the time of inspection. Five of them were insane, two feeble-minded, four crippled, and sixteen old. The inmates receive only two meals a day. They do their own cooking. Both the superintendent and his wife are good managers; their discipline is excellent. It is by rule of the county board that they feed but two meals a day."

Library of Princeton University, Institution Quarterly, Vol. IV. Springfield, Illinois, March 31, 1913. No. 1, pages 260-261: "Macoupin County Outdoor Relief. Macoupin County has twenty-six supervisors, who act as overseers of the poor in their respective towns. Names of poor persons relieved, including indigent soldiers, are published in the newspapers. A county physician receives $150 per year for attendance upon county farm and jail. Orders for poor relief are written by the supervisors on regular forms upon which the merchant or grocer presents his claim. Claims are frequently allowed only in part. The county clerk does not make a yearly statement of amount expended for relief of poor. The claims for poor relief are classified in the record of board proceedings, but are not totaled. No rent is allowed to poor families. The board fixes no limit to the amount of relief which a supervisor may allow a family. Blind are not regularly pensioned. At present one blind man is receiving a pension from the county."

Contributed by Carolyn Cooper and Gloria Frazier