The picture, provided by Clarke County Historian
Marie White
shows the house on the County Poor Farm, leased
for the purpose of caring for the poor. It was
closed on March 1, 1938, marking an important
milestone in the care of the poor in Clarke County
Iowa.

A credit to humankind is concern for the disadvantaged. In ancient Greece, the maintenance of the poor was a matter of state concern, and in early days of the Roman republic, stringent legislation attempted to limit personal wealth within reasonable bounds. In records of ancient Jewish law, provision was made to care for the poor. Feudalism involved the dependence of the serf upon his lord for maintenance, and throughout the middle ages the Church became the greatest almsgiver by the channel or rich religious houses. The law of 1621, which forms the basis of the English poor-law system, taxed every inhabitant of a parish for the relief of the poor. Tn the United States, from early times, every town in New England, every county elsewhere, has had its poorhouse. (Source material: Grolier's Encyclopedia under "Pauperism," the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 15:7-11) Within the memories of those who lived during the Depression, "bums" or "tramps," roamed the countryside and housewives provided food. They traveled from place to place in boxcars of trains. Clarke County provided for the poor by means of the

CLARKE COUNTY POOR FARM
Introduction by Diane Shough

Before there was welfare and Social Security, or even old age assistance, there were people who needed help and no one to give enough of it, except the government. If they happened to live in a rural area such as Iowa, they might go to the Poor Farm, or County Home. There some were able to work in the house, garden, fields or barns to help the farmers produce their own food and clothing. Everyone was expected to do what they could. There were people with physical ailments, such as blindness, lameness, etc., and there were some with mental illness, or those who could never learn to make a living on their own. There were alcoholics, and people who had just gotten too old to do a full days labor to support themselves. There were even widowed or deserted mothers with young children and no means to feed and support them, and young orphaned children. It seems like an awful place to raise children, and one can only hope that the various men put in charge of the county farm were not only good farmers, but kind caretakers for the people in their charge. Some of the "inmates" lived there for years and years, while others moved on as circumstances allowed, or died there. At one time there was a cemetery at the Farm, but it was destroyed and/or abandoned and the bodies moved to Union Chapel or Maple Hill cemeteries, where most lie in unmarked graves.

The following article about the Home is from Page One of the Thursday, January 16, 1908 issue of The Osceola Democrat "Clarke County Farm"

Through the courtesy of the Board of Supervisors and the kindness of Superintendent Miller, of the Clarke County Poor Farm, the editor of the Democrat spent an interesting and profitable day at the County Poor Farm Thursday of last week. It was the occasion of tile inspection of the premises and property by the Board of Supervisors. The county farm consists of a square tract of 160 acres of beautiful land about three miles northeast of Osceola, in Osceola Township adjoining the Fremont Township line. The county purchased the farm about 34 years ago and has used it ever since as a home for the poor of the county who become county charges and eligible for that institution. For the past 14 years it has been under the management of Superintendent Miller and his wife, who live on the premises.

Aside from the use of the farm which is thoroughly worked each year, the increase in value of the property has been such as to make it a very advantageous investment for the county, as itis now well worth $100 an acre and would readily sell for that.

The first thing that strikes a visitor to the farm is the extreme neatness of appearance of everything about the lawns, yards, orchard, and barns. Fences and gates were in perfect repair and order, and scrupulous neatness marked all the surroundings. The spacious barn, cribs and granaries were stored with a goodly supply of feed for stock and spoke well of the productiveness of the farm and its good management. The party spent most of the forenoon inspecting the stock on the place. There were over a hundred head of fine thrifty hogs of the Poland China breed, a large number of which were being fed for market. The cattle, about 30 to 40 head, were mostly cows and heifers of the Shorthorn variety, among them were some splendid specimens. All showed marks of good care and were thrifty. A number of horses and colts were in the same thrifty condition and were apparently well contented with the treatment they were receiving. The premises fairly swarmed with poultry, nearly always an indication of thrift and prosperity.

The noon hour having arrived, the party was summoned to the dining room where Mrs. Miller had provided an elaborate and sumptuous dinner, to which all the company did ample justice. After dinner, the party was escorted over the house. In one wing, Mr. and Mrs. Miller have their living apartment. There are accommodations in the pauper wards for 18 or 20 persons, but at present there are but eight inmates, four women and four men. The men's quarters are in a frame building slightly removed from the main house .

It has a sitting room well warmed, with sleeping rooms opening off. The utmost cleanliness prevailed in every nook and corner. The beds were clean and comfortable looking and provided with ample covering. Two of the males were aged men, and every appointment was such as to insure their comfort. The ward for women was on second floor of the main house, and was especially homelike and comfortable. A well-warmed sitting room with sleeping rooms opening off constituted the ward. Opening from the hall was a large and well equipped bathroom, which under the regulations of the place was in frequent use. There seemed to be good ventilation throughout the house and scrupulous neatness and cleanliness were the conspicuous features. Some of the inmates are able to assist in the work about the house and premises, but of those who are not, it was plain to be seen but little could be expected. There are no children at present in the Poor House.

After going through the house, the party walked over the farm. Fences were found in repair, the fields clean and clear of noxious weeds, all bearing evidence of careful cultivation. At least one hundred and thirty acres of the farm is smooth land well adapted for any kind of crops, while fifty acres is rolling and just the thing for pasture. On the whole, condition of the farm, stock and house was such as to please and gratify any citizen of the county, and makes it evident that whoever should succeed Mr. & Mrs. Miller in the management of the Poor Farm will have a high standard to maintain and will find it no easy job.

Probably the most interesting character among the inmates at the Poor Faun is the venerable James Madison Walters, who has made his home there for the past five years. Mr. Walters now 88 years old, is tall and erect. In portions of his life, he has had wealth, friends, political influence and official rank and prestige; yet he is spending his declining years in the poor house waiting for the grim reaper.

Sixty-Five years ago Mr. Walters settled on land in Marion County, Iowa, which he secured from the government. The early settlers of that  time and vicinity selected him for his intelligence and enterprise as their first Justice of the Peace and he exercised jurisdiction over a vast territory. When Marion' County was organized, he was elected their first Sheriff and served two terms. Afterward he was made postmaster at Knoxville, in which office he served several years. Subsequently, he was sent for two terms as representative in the legislature from Marion County. Afterward he pursued a varied business life at one time having considerable wealth. In later years he came to Clarke County, living near Murray. One evening, about five years ago, he came walking to the poor house and asked for admission. He was an old man, then 83 years old, and he announced that he was destitute, and must make that his home. From that time he has remained an inmate of the place. He keeps neatly dressed, is a ready and willing conversationalist of intelligence and culture. With various old-time acquaintances and with his few relatives he maintains regular correspondence. The success of no man's life can be accurately measured until its close.

(There followed in the original report, is a list of County Home Residents from 1880-1920, with an explanation that it was not intended to be a complete list of all the people who lived in the Clarke County Poor Farm. The shock to current day readers is the designation of the residents as pauper, colored, and idiot. Those words have thankfully been omitted from current day use.)

The County Home was closed March 1, 1938.

MY REMEMBRANCE OF LIVING ON THE CLARKE COUNTY FARM 1938-1948
By Mama K. (Katie) Kerr Morgan

The County Home was closed in 1938. Following are some of my remembrances of living on the County Farm: My parents, Gordon and Theresa Kerr, brother Jim, and myself moved to the County Farm in 1938, I was 1 1/2 years old and my brother was 3 1/2. My Dad's brother, Guy Kerr, with wife Evah and children, Ronald and Doris, moved there also. Our Grandma Kerr lived with us, too.

It was a large 18-room home, consisting of living quarters in each end, a large room in the middle and 6 smaller rooms in the middle of the top floor. These rooms were mostly empty and we kids had so much fun playing in them. The large room in the middle on the bottom floor was often cleared out and neighbors would gather for a potluck and dance. Our neighbors, George and Wilma Casey, provided the music with a fiddle and piano.

I remember the County had a Corn Picking contest with the school. They brought their horses and wagons, and each person had one hour to pick corn. It was then weighed on platform scales at a building south of the house and to my knowledge those scales are still there. I don't remember who won the contest or the prize.

At one time bees invaded the wall to my aunt and uncle's kitchen. Our dads would pull the wainscoting loose when the bees left, get the honey, and nailed the wall back for the next year.

One day a B24 plane landed in the field east of the house. The pilot was not injured but needed parts to repair the engine. Our family took him to town to get the parts. He repaired the plane, flew it out, and was on his way.

On the north side of the house was a large Dynamite Cave the County used for storage. It was empty, of course, and we kids had lots of fun in it.

From Highway 69, we had 3 roads we could travel on — to the west, south and north. All were dirt roads. When the weather was bad , I remember my dad parking our car on Highway 69 and on Saturday evening we would walk in the snow or mud to get to the car. We did not want to miss our Saturday evening in town.

We had very good neighbor's on all sides of us. Cochrans , Emarys, Newmans and Casey's.

We lived at the County Farm for 10 years and moved when my Dad bought a farm east of town. My uncle's family bought south of town and moved a few years before we did.

Bob Cooley bought the County Farm and a short time after they moved there they tore the house down and built a new home.

Update furnished by Jack Cooley, a Clarke County Supervisor

At the end of 1945, Bob Cooley was discharged from the Air Force, after serving 4 years during World War II. He returned to Osceola and worked for Dr. Harken as a herdsman at Harken Farms. After 2 years, he worked as a freight hauler for CB & Q Railroad.

On February 25, 1949, Bob and Helen Cooley along with their children, Jack age 5 and Jane age 4, bought the Clarke County Poor Farm from Clarke County, the transaction to take effect March 1st. It consisted of 160 acres, the price $100 per acre. The deed describes the location as the Northwest Quarter of section 4, Township 72 north, range 25 west. It was attested by Avis Kyte, County Auditor; Fred Franck as a member of the Board of Supervisors, and sealed by E. L. Garris, Notary Public.

The house on the farm was a very large two-story home that housed the indigent of Clarke County. There were 21 bedrooms and 2 jails on the 2nd floor of the house. The downstairs was heated by two oil burning stoves. There was no indoor bathroom.

In the summer, when it was unbearably hot, the Cooley family slept on the porch. In the winter, they slept upstairs, where there was no heat "My mother would heat bricks and wrap them in a towel to keep our feet warm. Often during the night, we would reach for a glass of water and it would be frozen on the night stand.

In the summer of 1950, we tore down the county home and hired Joe, Bill, and Shorty Adamson to build a new home where the old County Home once stood. We used a lot of lumber from the County Home to build a new home.

Jane and I have fond memories of running through the house playing hide-an-go seek and pretending we were in jail.

Allen and Lena Smith
on their wedding day, November 26, 1913.
They are the parents of Linda Smith Reed who
contributed the picture.
They were married at the County Home, where Lena lived
and even though it has been too long ago for Linda to be absolutely sure, it is possible
her father lived there also, maybe even the minister.

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Last Revised January 11, 2015