(By Judy Ann Fields from the People’s Defender 1967)
Under a legislative act of 1831 the county commissioners were authorized to purchase land and construct a poorhouse for the needy of the county. Two hundred and eleven acres were bought March 5, 1839, from G. L. Compton, located on Poplar Ridge about three miles southeast of West Union for $2,000.
Improvements and additions were added to the log structure already there. Mr. Compton served as the first superintendent.
In 1850 the name county poorhouse was changed to County Infirmary.
Before the conclusion of the war between the states, when hundreds of Ohio youngsters were left homeless, dependent children were apprenticed by the trustees of the infirmary. After the Legislative Act of 1865, steps were taken to better care for the county’s dependent children.
On August 7, 1858, the commissioners sold the infirmary farm to William Morrison and bought 52 ¼ acres from James McClanahan in Liberty Township to $1,767. 50. This land was not satisfactory and was exchanged with George S. Kirker for 66 3/4 acres. The deed was completed on March 16, 1859. A contract for the new county home was awarded to A. W. Ramsey on April 11 for $7,833 and the new building was occupied the following spring with William McNeilan as superintendent. This structure was enlarged in 1897 and remodeled in 1926.
Mr. Walker E. Warner of 107 E. Main Street, West Union was one of the infirmary directors from 1909 till 1913, beginning January 1, 1913 he took over the job of superintendent and held this job until June 30, 1943 when the home closed.
Under his management, farming was started on a larger scale. Livestock was raised for both food and produce. Corn, hay and soybeans were raised for the animal’s food. Large gardens supplied an abundance of vegetables and canning was a big job during the summer months to furnish most of the vegetables consumed by the old folks.
As superintendent and matron of the infirmary, Mr. and Mrs. Warner were the only ones sent to inspect the conditions of the poor and needy in the county.
Mr. Warner recalls that the few roads in the county were dirt and most creeks had no bridges. At times when traveling, they would have to drive in the creek beds because there were as yet no roads made into the rough country they were called to. Even after the car was used, at times the horse and buggy had to be taken instead.
In the building there were sixteen small rooms upstairs, large enough for two half beds, a hall and the women’s sunporch. Downstairs, there were six rooms, a hall, large dining room, kitchen and men’s sun porch. On the superintendent’s side of the home, there were six rooms, a kitchen, hall and dining room and two rooms and a hall upstairs. The large home was heated by coal stoves and grates until the early 30’s when steam heat was added.
A huge range was used for cooking the large meals and there were six cisterns and one well to supply an ample amount of water. The wash house had a furnace and four large kettles were used to heat the water for the laundry and baths. A bathroom was also at the wash house for the ones that were able to go there and bathe. A small barber shop complete with the barber chair was a part of the home. A barber came weekly. Kerosene lamps were used at first, later electricity was opened to them.
In 1919 the legislature changed the name again, to County Home. The average number of old folks were around sixty. For health reasons Mr. Warner was forced to give up his job and place the old folks in private homes. Now in his nineties, Mr. Warner still gets around town and enjoys talking about the days gone by that he remembers so clearly.
