THE WACHOVIA MORAVIAN, Feb 1897
In September, 1849, it was ordered by the Court that F.C. Meinung, Michael Hauser and Matthew Crews, who had been Wardens of the Poor for Forsyth Co., while
it was still a part of Stokes, should continue to act in that capacity, and should associate with themselves as many others as the law required, to hold office until the
regular election in March. In December, F.C. Meinung, C.L. Banner and Michael Hauser were appointed a Committee to select a site for a Poor House, and in
March, 1850, they were empowered to buy land and proceed with the building. The tract selected contained about 90 acres, lying on "Waters of Brushy Fork,
Middle Fork of Muddy Creek, and on both sides of the road 'leading to Germanton,"and was about three and a half miles northeast of the Court House.
On May 1, 1850, it was bought for $270.00 from Chas. F. Kluge the Administrator of the Unity in Wachovia; the deed was probated in 1852 at the March term of
Court. In order to obtain funds for buying the land and for necessary buildings the Court in June, 1850, authorized the Committee to borrow $1000.00, which the
County of Forsyth pledged itself to repay. (Forsyth County Deed Book 1 Page 475)
The following information was found in the 1859 Forsyth County Pleas & Quarterly Session records.
[page stamped 284] September Term 1859
Poor House Report
To the magistrates of Forsyth County Gentlemen
At last March Term of this Court a suggestion or proposition was made to change the manner of letting and conducting our County poorhouse & in the course of
remarks the poorhouse of Guilford County & its management was referred to and represented as a model of its kind & well worthy of imitation whereupon the Court
appointed the undersigned three magistrates a committee to go & examine the Guilford PHouse its management & C & report to the magistrates at September Court.
We beg leave now to report that we have preformed the duly required of us Some weeks since we repaired to Greensboro from whence we were accompanied to
the PHouse by the able and worthy chairman of the wardens Court of Guilford & the principal manager of the affairs connected therewith James Sloan Esqr through
whose polite and kind attention we were permitted & enabled to examine into the whole arrangement & management of the well regulated establishment.
Guilford County has one of the finest looking & probably the most extensive Poor Houses of any County in the Western part of the State The rooms are large and
well ventilated & we found but one thing objectionable in its construction & that was the close connection of the family rooms of the superintendent to the rooms
occupied by the paupers there might be times when contagious diseases would be prevalent among the paupers & the whole family of the superintendent would
thus be unavoidably exposed to contagion We should prefer the two to be entirely disunited. The present superintendent Mr Ward appears to be a man
remarkably well qualified for the position & under the are of himself & lady
[page stamped 285] September Term 1859
the whole is managed pretty much as a large well regulated family & the wants of both body & soul cared for.
Their present number of inmates is about 40 the cost of keeping and providing for these is less per head than what we are now paying in this county the average
cost in Guilford is about $35.00 The County owns a farm of about 250 acres of land. The Superintendent receives a salary of $200 pr annum & board for himself &
family. The Chairman of the board of Wardens supplies him from time to time with all necessaries not raised upon the farm & kitchen supplies the whole household
They often hire one or two hands to assist in farm work the County owns the Land the improvements the Horses Cows hogs &c in Short every article of Stock
provision &c is the property of the county The superintendent keeps a record book at the PH. containing names {???} of the paupers date of admission & dismissal
the Cause of their destitute condition &C. The Chairman of the board annually submits his book & assets to the inspection of the Court of finance or the Court or
both.
Upon the superintendent and matron revolves the principal responsibilities & the board of wardens {???} none unless they are satisfied as to their business
qualifications & then character for benevolence Piety and industry. They have never a lack of applicants whenever the post of Superintendent becomes vacant the
wardens advertise for propositions but reserve the right to make the Selection out of those who propose or others & the contract entered into is yearly though it may
continue from year to year so long as both parties are satisfied either party must give three months notice of separation.
One or two subjects might here be referred to about the control of which there has been adversity of opinion Firstly prospect of maintaining or assisting so many
persons throughout the County without going to the PHouse in Guilford
[page stamped 286] September Term 1859
they pay as much outside through the County as they expend at the PHouse in or about 2/3 as much Second. some have objected to the admission of those
abandoned woman who are without powers & go to the PH to remain during confinement are received waited upon & nursed there & as a reward therefore leave
behind them their offspring a charge upon the County Some agree we are encouraging vice and immorality We find the same course is pursued in other counties
& believe it is unavoidable.
Guilford County is laboring under a disadvantage that we suffer under likewise Our PH & farm being located on such very poor & unproductive soil. The Crm Nr
Sloan thinks if their establishment had been located on good land the whole concern could be made self sustaining.
Without making any complaint or finding fault as to what is past but feeling it a duty incumbent upon us as a human & christian people to provide for those who
either by misfortune by the dispensation of Providence or even by their own mismanagement have become destitute & helpless we would offer having this
examined into the management of our own & other PHouses & consulting together take the liberty of suggesting the following .
1st Resolve that the management of the poor & PH of the County be entrusted to the board of wardens as here defined
2nd that by the time of the next letting of the PH that wardens advertise & try to obtain the services of some competent person to act as Superintendent at a Salary
to be paid by & that the whole establishment be hereafter managed similar to the one here reported
3rd Resolved that the wardens take into consideration the propriety and practicability of selling the present PH tract & purchasing another body of land better suited
for farming purposes ascertain what could be done in regard to this matter & submit a report at next March Court,
Respectfully submitted John M Stafford
Sept 5th 1859 John Watson
E A Vogler
FORSYTH COUNTY
POORHOUSE RECORDS
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Editors Note: If you have any information, newsclippings, records, etc., regarding the poorhouses of
Forsyth County, then please consider sharing them with the FCHA. These records are difficult to find and
any assistance would be appreciated!
Records of Moravians in NC, Vol XII- 1856-1866, pg 6690: Salem Diary Entries 1857-1866--
Macy, an old married woman who was baptized May 31, 1858. Funeral preached June 6, 1858 at the poorhouse.