The First Poor House
of Campbell County
by Margaret Strubel Hartman
From the creation of our county, people who were unable to
provide for themselves were taken care of by the county. The boys and
girls were apprenticed to families who would teach them a trade so that they
could support themselves when they became of age. The infants and adults
were cared for by families who would accept the responsibility and their
maintenance was paid for out of county taxes.
It was in November 1828 at the meeting of the county court that William Caldwell, Thomas Buckner, James G Arnold and Samuel Baker were appointed commissioners and ordered "to receive proposals for erecting a poor house in this County of such materials and dimensions as they may deed advisable and to ascertain if a suitable site can be obtained and for what price and what number of acres of land will be necessary for what it can be obtained and report their proceedings to the next May court."
In November 1830, Stacey Reeves, proposed "to let the county court have all the land he owns on the West side of the state road leading from Newport to Alexandria and near the said town of Alexandria at the price of $6 per acre for the purpose of establishing a poor house for this county. It was supposed that the quantity of land will be between 40 and 60 acres." The land was sold for $300 but Stacey and Sarah Reeves signed and recorded the deed June 5, 1838.
At the February 28, 1831 commissioners reported that they had contracted for the building of the poor house in Alexandria. Henry E Spilman, was the contractor and posted his security with James G Lindsey "in the penalty of $1000 conditioned for the faithful erection of said buildings agreeably to contract by the first of October next. The buildings were completed by November 29 and the court hired William Thatcher as supervisor for one year at $200.
On September 24, 1832 Stacy Reeves, William DeCoursey and Benjamin Beall were appointed commissioners "to examine the Condition of the Poor house... and the expenses which have been incurred by the County up to the time of their report and the debts due by said Poor house and all other matters in relation to the said house that may be necessary to enable the Court to judge of the condition of the Poor house and report their proceedings to the next court."
On November 26, 1833 Alphonzo Brooks was appointed keeper of the house and was given $75 for his services. On May 26, 1834 the court paid $62 to Luther White for digging a well for the poor house.
The next known keeper of the house was Lucinda Thatcher who was hired on October 23, 1854. She was the widow of William Thatcher. By February 23, 1857 it was decided to sell the poor house and build another one. The land was sold to John S Youtsey for $42.50 an acre as recorded on March 23, 1857. The exact site of the first poor house was on the west side of U.S. 27 opposite Enzweiler Road in Alexandria.
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Cincinnati Daily Press, Wednesday, 9 October 1861, page 3
We learn that a tax of seventy-five cents on the $100 has been ordered in this county, (Campbell) for the purpose of erecting a County Poor House.