Discoveries Abound at Family Search. Today's subject is Paupers.

    In the last few months, I became aware of the improvements made on Family Search.  They have a search feature called "Full Text" that is being used on selected records.  It is an AI that reads handwritten pages and does a fairly decent job of transcribing it. I have spent many learning new things about my family.

For instance, the Meeks family.  When I questioned my aunts and uncles they all had one response, "I don't know much except they were as poor as a church mouse."  Full Text verified this





Wayne county Sept 1845 is evidently where Martha "Patsy" was living and it seems Andrew was in Russell county.

January Term 1846   Ordered that Andrew Meeks infant son of Patsy Meeks aged about 5 years be bound out to Michael Huffaker until he arrives at the age 21 years of Whereupon the clerk of this Court together with said Huffaker executed and acknowledged in open Court the proper Indenture, which is ordered to be recorded.

 I found page after page of Pauper records. Scanning thru them, I found another relative.

  

Over the years this great great aunt is at her father's home, with regular entries such as ---

 On proof to the satisfaction of the Court Ordered that Eda Mahala Hill be and she is hereby declare ed a Pauper and Henry Hill is appointed her Committee and he will furnish her at the rate of Twenty three 50 / 100 dollars per anum    (Oct 1885)  Eda M. Hill declared a pauper and Henry Hill appointed her committee and directed to furnish her at the rate of Twenty three dollar and forty is per for the next year -(Oct 1886)

  Ordered that Henry Hill Keep his daughter for the next year at the rate of $23.40 per   annum and pay doctor Bill.                                                                                                                           Then in October 1890 there is this

J E Hays attny along for Emily Hill a pauper Comes with care and moved the court to make provisions for support of said Pauper at the home of her father. Henry Hill upon hearing of the   motion of the court refused to make provisions for said pauper other than at the poor house.          Ordered  that Emily Hill a pauper be taken care of and provided for at said Sullivans , keeper of poor house in Russell County,

  This aunt is known to me as Eda E. or Ede M. born at 1867 and died 1896, The court has used the names Emily, Edy, Eliza.   I do not yet know why she was considered a pauper   

I am still investigating this.  I will post an update if I find answers.                                                




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