County Home Collections and Archives

Genesee County Home and Poorhouse Records Inventory

The Genesee County History Department maintains archival records related to the Genesee County Home, Poorhouse and Alms House. This detailed inventory identifies record groups, document boxes, archival locations and file-folder contents dating from 1820 to 1975.

Collection Information

  • Record series: Genesee County Home/Poorhouse Records
  • Housed: History Department's County Archives
  • Inventoried: 2005
  • Genesee County Historian & Records Management Officer (RMO): Susan L. Conklin

Records Pertaining to the Genesee County Home

  • Retention schedule number: 21.[634] = Register or equivalent Summary Record Listing Residents of County Poor House or Alms House
  • Dates: 1820-1975
  • Volume: 6 cubic feet and 17 books
  • Condition: Good condition
  • Location: Archives; see listing below

Contents and Historical Value

Includes: Correspondence, receipts, inventories, account ledgers, immigrants, lists, copies of legislative proceedings, financial records, reports, copies of orders and purchases for paupers. File-folder headings are listed below.

Historical value: Documents care levels, facility development, County Farm growth and changes in social reform.

Cubic Foot Storage

Genesee County Home and Poorhouse Archive Storage
Dates Collection Location Contents
1852-1901 Doc. Box 3A 1.A.4 Correspondence
1847-1973 Doc. Box 3B 1.A.5 Lists
1828-1975 Doc. Box 3C 1.A.6 Medical
1820-1903 Doc. Box 3D 1.A.2 Financial Records
1820-1927 Doc. Box 3E 1.A.3 Financial Records
1820-1900 Doc. Box 3F 1.B.4 Financial Records
1820-1900 Doc. Box 3G 1.B.1 Financial Records

Associated Archive Information

Document Box 3A – Correspondence

File Folder Headings

  • Denials – 1853
  • Forms – Samples of Blank Applications for Admission
  • Inventories of Inmates' Personal Property
  • Letters:
    • Adoption Request / Letters Concerning Children of County Home 1830-1866
    • Declaring Individuals Insane A-Z
    • Lists Individual Letters of Request / Orders A-D
    • Lists Individual Letters of Request / Orders E-K
    • Lists Individual Letters of Request / Orders L-S
    • Lists Individual Letters of Request / Orders T-Z
    • Miscellaneous Letters
    • Miscellaneous Letters 1852-1857
    • Miscellaneous Letters ca. 1860s
    • Miscellaneous Letters 1860-1867
    • Miscellaneous Letters A-M
    • Miscellaneous Letters N-Z, 1 of 2
    • Miscellaneous Letters N-Z, 2 of 2

Document Box 3B – Lists and Account Records

Account Ledgers

  • 1847-1853
  • 1850s
  • 1954-1955 – Individual Accounts
  • 1954-1965 – Farm Record

Immigration and Naturalization Records

  • Immigrants Fed and Sheltered at County Home, 1855-1859
  • Immigrants Fed and Sheltered at County Home, 1860-1862
  • Maciura, Anastazia [see – Tecanook, Dominic]
  • Naturalization Lists, 1920-1929
  • Naturalization Lists, 1930-1939
  • Naturalization Lists, 1940-1941
  • Naturalization Lists – No Dates
  • “Ship List” [Marine List], 1852-1864
  • Tecanook, Dominic [see Maciura, Anastazia]

Resident, Relief and Institutional Lists

  • Forms of Account to be kept by the Overseers of the Poor, 1850-1873, 1 of 2
  • Forms of Account to be kept by the Overseers of the Poor, 1873-1886, 2 of 2
  • Home Relief 1950, 1 of 2
  • Home Relief 1950, 2 of 2
  • Infirmary, 1972-1974
  • “In Institution,” 1948-1953
  • “In Institution,” 1969-1974
  • Lunatics, 1846-1866
  • Mortuary, 1948-1974
  • “Orders Drawn at the Poor House,” 1841-1866
  • Paupers, 1877-1878 [names, ages, causes of pauperism]
  • Paupers Assisted Only, 1847-1872
  • Paupers Fed and Sheltered, 1855-1894 [Many years are missing – bulk 1870s]
  • Paupers kept at Poor House – Amount of Time & Expenses of Towns, 1841-1862
  • Paupers and Private Boarders in County Poor House, 1841-1867
  • Paupers that Resided at the County Home, 1851-1872
  • Paupers by Town, 1839-1854
  • Statistics of Poor Persons Relieved, November 1901-October 1902
  • Tramp Account, 1876 & 1880
  • Transient Persons, 1872 and 1877-1878
  • Transients, 1967-1973
  • Transportation Orders with Names, 1843-1867
  • Transportation Orders without Names, 1901 & 1902

Document Box 3C – Medical, Property, Reports and Government Records

Medical Services

  • Examinations / Declarations of Individual Lunatics A-Z, 1835-1902
  • Receipts for Overall Services Rendered by Physicians A-Z
  • Receipts for Services Rendered to Individuals A-M, 1 of 3
  • Receipts for Services Rendered to Individuals A-M, 2 of 3
  • Receipts for Services Rendered to Individuals A-M, 3 of 3
  • Receipts for Services Rendered to Individuals N-Z, 1 of 2
  • Receipts for Services Rendered to Individuals N-Z, 2 of 2
  • Receipts for Services Rendered to Various Individuals 1828-1901, 1 of 2
  • Receipts for Services Rendered to Various Individuals 1828-1901, 2 of 2

Historical Research

A Historical Perspective of the Genesee County Nursing Home, paper written by Craig A. Duncan. A copy is located within the Research Library.

  • Illustrations, research notes and outline for manuscript
  • Research – Public Welfare in New York State 1609-1866, copy
  • Research – Public Welfare in New York State 1867-1940, copy

Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors

  • 1802-1948 [Digest]
  • 1849
  • 1910-1925
  • 1926-1930
  • 1931-1935
  • 1936-1945
  • 1946-1955
  • 1956-1965
  • 1966-1975

Property Records

  • Deeds
  • Gas Well Lease, 1912
  • Insurance Policies
  • Inventory of County Home Property, 1844, 1845, 1859, 1862 & 1867
  • Livestock Purchases, 1855, 1862 & 1867
  • Specifications for Alterations to County Home, 1931
  • Specifications for Dairy & Horse Barn and Milk House, 1928

Reports

  • Inspection by New York State Board of Charities, 1912-1916
  • Inspection by New York State Department of Agriculture, 1913
  • Movement of Patients, 1961-1973
  • New York State Department of Social Welfare, 1948-1953 [Monthly Summary]
  • Produce Sold by County Farm, 1839-1866-1902
  • Superintendents of the Poor, 1838-1859
  • Superintendents of the Poor, 1860-1902 (* Not every year is included)

Document Box 3D – Financial Records

Audits

  • General Audited Account Lists, 1830-1870
  • General Audited Account Lists, 1871-1903
  • Town Audited Accounts and Receipts

Care, Relief and Lodging of Individual Paupers

  • Dates Unknown
  • 1820s-1830s
  • 1840s, 1 of 2
  • 1840s, 2 of 2
  • 1850s
  • 1860s, 1 of 2
  • 1860s, 2 of 2
  • 1870s
  • 1880-1900s

Other Financial Records

  • Cash Receipts & Orders, 1836-1874
  • Coffins Purchased and Individual Burial Information A-Z – Receipts
  • Funds and Securities Held in Trust, 1884

Food and Food Stuff Purchased – Receipts

  • Dates Unknown
  • 1820s-1830s
  • 1840s
  • 1850s, 1 of 2
  • 1850s, 2 of 2
  • 1860s, 1 of 3
  • 1860s, 2 of 3
  • 1860s, 3 of 3
  • 1870s
  • 1880-1900s

Document Box 3E – Financial Records Continued

Financial Records

  • 1860s, 2 of 2
  • 1870s
  • 1880-1900
  • Payments Paid by Keeper to Paupers – Miscellaneous Accounting Records
  • Payment Receipts to Individuals for Goods, 1835-1869, and Miscellaneous Relief to Unknown Paupers, 1835-1900
  • Payment Receipts to Individuals for Goods, 1870s-1900s
  • Payment Receipts to Individuals for Goods, 1890-1893
  • Payment Receipts to Individuals for Merchandise, 1869-1873
  • Payment Requests to Poor-masters for Payment, 1836

Minute Books

  • Agreements, Reports and Minutes, 1877-1900
  • 1917-1922
  • 1922-1927

Document Box 3F – Financial Records

Large Orders Purchased – Receipts

  • Dates Unknown
  • 1820s
  • 1830s, 1 of 2
  • 1830s, 2 of 2
  • 1840s, 1 of 3
  • 1840s, 2 of 3
  • 1840s, 3 of 3
  • 1850s, 1 of 2
  • 1850s, 2 of 2
  • 1860s, 1 of 4
  • 1860s, 2 of 4
  • 1860s, 3 of 4
  • 1860s, 4 of 4
  • 1870s, 1 of 2
  • 1870s, 2 of 2
  • 1880s
  • 1890s
  • 1900s

Lodging and Care for Various Paupers – Receipts

  • Dates Unknown
  • 1820s-1830s
  • 1840s
  • 1850s
  • 1860s
  • 1870s
  • 1880-1900s

Document Box 3G – Financial Records

Singular Items and Small Orders Purchased – Receipts

  • Dates Unknown
  • 1820s-1830s
  • 1840s, 1 of 2
  • 1840s, 2 of 2
  • 1850s, 1 of 2
  • 1850s, 2 of 2
  • 1860s, 1 of 3
  • 1860s, 2 of 3
  • 1860s, 3 of 3
  • 1870s, 1 of 2
  • 1870s, 2 of 2
  • 1880-1900
  • Unknown Services Rendered, 1834-1902 – Receipts
  • Receipts for Unknown Articles Furnished, 1834-1862

Various Services and Purchases Made for Various Paupers

  • Dates Unknown
  • 1820s-1830s
  • 1840s
  • 1850s
  • 1860s, 1 of 2
  • 1860s, 2 of 2
  • 1870s
  • 1880s
  • 1890s
  • 1900s
  • Vouchers
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