New York State Board of Charities Examinations of Dependents in County and City Institutions
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Overview of the Records
Repository:
New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
Summary:
The examination forms in this series constitute part of an effort to compile statistics regarding the causes of dependency
on public charities. Forms document the personal and family history of each dependent, as well as past history of dependency,
existing causes of dependency, and future prospects for self-sufficiency. In addition each form includes: name; age; birthplace;
marital status; if temperate; occupation; family background; and general remarks on health, behavior, and habits.
Creator:
Title:
Examinations of dependents in county and city institutions
Quantity:
Inclusive Dates:
1874-1875
Bulk Dates:
bulk 1874
Series Number:
A1987
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by county or city; examination forms within each volume are numbered in the order that
examinations were conducted. Family members in the same institution were examined consecutively whenever possible.
Administrative History
The State Legislature, by virtue of a concurrent resolution passed in May of 1873, directed the Board of State Commissioners
of Public Charities to investigate the causes of crime, pauperism, and insanity in New York. Acknowledging a "vast increase
of crime and pauperism in this State" and the need to supply taxpayers with "statistics in concise form which shall show the
various influences that are producing these effects," the legislature empowered the board to "examine the records of all public
institutions and institute inquiries." The resolution further directed the board to submit a report of its findings to the
next legislature. Shortly after the resolution was passed, the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities was renamed
the State Board of Charities (Laws of 1873, Chapter 571).
Scope and Content Note
The forms in this series were used by the State Board of Charities and its local committees and agents to record information
obtained during examinations of dependents in county and city institutions throughout the state. Forms document the personal
and family history of dependents, as well as their past history of dependency, existing causes of dependency, and future prospects
for self-sufficiency.
While the bulk of the examinations documented in this series were conducted at county poorhouses and city almshouses, examinations
were also conducted at a number of mental health institutions: Kings County Alms House Lunatic Asylum; Monroe County Lunatic
Asylum; New York City Lunatic Asylum at Blackwell's Island; New York City Asylum for the Insane at Wards Island; Idiot Asylum
at Randall's Island; Oneida County Poor House Insane Asylum Department; and Onondaga County Poor House Department for the
Insane. The series also contains records of examinations conducted at the Epileptic and Paralytic Hospitals at Blackwell's
Island and the Children's Hospital at Randall's Island.
Standard forms are divided into several sections. The first section contains personal information including name; sex; age;
social condition (marital status); color; birthplace, and whether born in a poorhouse or other public institution; length
of time in U.S., length of time in New York, and port where landed (if foreign born); birthplace of father and whether born
in a poorhouse or other public institution; and birthplace of mother and whether born in a poorhouse or other public institution.
The second section documents past history of dependency and includes age at which person first became dependent on public
charity; first mode of public aid; if first aided outside of institutions, length of time that aid was continued; age at which
person first became an inmate of a poorhouse and duration of residence; history of residence in additional poorhouses and
total length of time spent in such institutions; history of commitment to or residence in insane asylums, blind asylums, idiot
asylums, deaf and dumb asylums, or refuges; and history of criminal convictions and commitment to correctional institutions.
The third section addresses personal and family history of the dependent, including legitimacy or illegitimacy of birth; whether
consanguinity exists in parents; ability to read and write; history of "fair school" education; habits of idleness and thrift
and saving; level of alcohol consumption; parents' level of alcohol consumption; history of moral and religious training;
youthful habits of vagrancy or idleness; occupational and residential history prior to current dependency; occupation of father
or husband; family history of pauperism, insanity, idiocy, inebriation, and criminality; and number and condition of children
(if dependent is a parent).
The final section of the forms addresses existing causes of dependency: childhood homelessness due to death or pauperism of
parent(s); adult homelessness due to death of or abandonment by husband; old age or destitution; permanent or temporary disabling
disease; crippling physical condition or deformity; loss or impairment of senses, faculties, or bodily powers; insanity, epilepsy,
idiocy, or paralysis; general feebleness of mind or body; impairment or degeneration of bodily powers or mental faculties
due to inebriation; and mental or moral perversion, or morbid and debasing conditions of mind. This section concludes with
an assessment of the dependent's future prospects for self-sufficiency, including ability to support self with or without
supervision; manner of spending time while in current institution; chief causes of and possible remedies for current state
of dependency; likelihood of recovery from present causes of dependency; and existence of relatives capable of providing financial
support.
Alternate Formats Available
Microform is available at the New York State Archives through interlibrary loan.
Related Material
Record series A1978, New York State Board of Charities Census of Inmates in Almshouses and Poorhouses, contains similar data
compiled using slightly less detailed forms during the period 1875-1921.
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this series.
Access Terms
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Detailed Description
Dates |
Contents |
Box |
Roll |
Accretion: A1987-78 |
1874 December 31 |
Vol. 1, Albany City Alms House |
1 |
1 |
1875 February 8 |
Vol.2, Allegany County Poor House |
1 |
1 |
1874 October 17 |
Vol. 3, Broome County Poor House |
1 |
1 |
1874 October 10 |
Vol. 4, Cattaraugus County Poor House |
1 |
1 |
1874 September 2 |
Vol. 5, Cayuga County Poor House |
1 |
1 |
1874 October 13 |
Vol. 6, Chautauqua County Poor House |
2 |
1 |
1874 August 14 |
Vol. 7, Chenango County Poor House |
2 |
2 |
1874 August 13 |
Vol. 8, Chemung County Poor House |
2 |
2 |
1874 August 21 |
Vol. 9, Clinton County Poor House |
2 |
2 |
1874 October 5 |
Vol. 10, Columbia County Poor House |
2 |
2 |
1874 November 18 |
Vol. 11, Cortland County Poor House |
2 |
2 |
1874 December 24 |
Vol. 12, Delaware County Poor House |
2 |
2 |
1874 November 19 |
Vol. 13, Dutchess County Poor House |
3 |
2 |
Undated |
Vol. 14, Erie County Poor House Dept. for the Insane |
3 |
2 |
Undated |
Vol. 15, Erie County Poor House |
3 |
3 |
1874 August 19 |
Vol. 16, Essex County Poor House |
4 |
3 |
1874 August 24 |
Vol. 17, Franklin County Poor House |
4 |
3 |
1874 October 3 |
Vol. 18, Fulton County Poor House |
4 |
3 |
1874 September 19 |
Vol. 19, Genesee County Poor House |
4 |
3 |
1874 November 12 |
Vol. 20, Greene County Poor House |
4 |
3 |
1874 November 25 |
Vol. 21, Hempstead Town Alms House |
4 |
3 |
1874 September 30 |
Vol. 22, Herkimer County Poor House |
4 |
3 |
1874 August 26 |
Vol. 23, Jefferson County Poor House |
4 |
4 |
1874 December 2 |
Vol. 24, Kings County Alms House Survey Dept. |
5 |
4 |
1874 December 10 |
Vol. 25, Kings County Alms House Almshouse Dept. |
5 |
4 |
1874 December 15 |
Vol. 26, Kings County Alms House Lunatic Asylum |
6 |
4 |
Undated |
Vol. 27, Kings County Alms House Hospital Dept. |
6 |
4 |
1874 November 14 |
Vol. 28, Kingston City Alms House |
6 |
4 |
Undated |
Vol. 29, Lewis County Poor House |
6 |
4 |
1874 August 26 |
Vol. 30, Livingston County Poor House |
6 |
5 |
1874 August 12 |
Vol. 31, Madison County Poor House |
6 |
5 |
1874 September 23 |
Vol. 32, Monroe County Lunatic Asylum |
6 |
5 |
1874 September 22 |
Vol. 33, Monroe County Poor House |
7 |
5 |
1874 October 1 |
Vol. 34, Montgomery County Poor House |
7 |
5 |
Undated |
Vol. 35, New York City Alms House Dept. Proper (Females) |
7 |
5 |
Undated |
Vol. 36, New York City Alms House, Blackwell's Island (Males) |
7 |
5 |
1875 January 21 |
Vol. 37, Epileptic and Paralytic Hospitals, Blackwell's Island, New York City |
7 |
6 |
1875 February 15 |
Vol. 38, New York City Alms House Dept. of Incurables, Blackwell's Island |
7 |
6 |
1874 December 26 |
Vol. 39, Nursery Hospital, Randall's Island, New York City |
8 |
6 |
1875 January 18 |
Vol. 40, Idiot Asylum, Nursery Hospital Dept., Randall's Island, New York City |
8 |
6 |
1875 January 25 |
Vol. 41, Infant Hospital, Randall's Island, New York City |
8 |
6 |
1874 December 5 |
Vol. 42, Nursery Department, Randall's Island, New York City |
9 |
6 |
1874 December 5 |
Vol. 43, Nursery Department, Randall's Island, New York City |
9 |
7 |
1874 December 5 |
Vol. 44, Nursery Department, Randall's Island, New York City |
10 |
7 |
1875 January 25 |
Vol. 45, Infant Hospital, Randall's Island, New York City |
10 |
7 |
1874 December 18 |
Vol. 46, New York City Lunatic Asylum, Blackwell's Island (Onsite Use Only-Not Available on Microfilm) |
10 |
|
1875 January 19 |
Vol. 47, New York City Asylum for the Insane, Wards Island |
11 |
7 |
Undated |
Vol. 48, Newburgh City Alms House |
11 |
7 |
1874 November 5 |
Vol. 49, Niagara County Poor House |
11 |
7 |
1874 November 24 |
Vol. 50, Oneida County Poor House |
11 |
8 |
Undated |
Vol. 51, Oneida County Poor House Insane Asylum Dept. |
11 |
8 |
1874 December 22 |
Vol. 52, Onondaga County Poor House |
12 |
8 |
Undated |
Vol. 53, Onondaga County Poor House Dept. for the Insane |
12 |
8 |
1874 August 11 |
Vol. 54, Ontario County Poor House |
12 |
8 |
1874 October 19 |
Vol. 55, Orange County Poor House |
12 |
8 |
1874 November 6 |
Vol. 56, Orleans County Poor House |
12 |
8 |
1874 September 7 |
Vol. 57, Oswego City Alms House |
12 |
8 |
1874 September 10 |
Vol. 58, Oswego County Poor House Dept. of Sane Paupers |
12 |
8 |
1874 October 28 |
Vol. 59, Otsego County Poor House |
13 |
9 |
1875 January 7 |
Vol. 60, Town Poor House for Oyster Bay and North Hempstead |
13 |
9 |
1874 November 16 |
Vol. 61, Poughkeepsie City Alms House |
13 |
9 |
1874 November 23 |
Vol. 62, Putnam County Poor House |
13 |
9 |
1875 January 13 |
Vol. 63, Rensselaer County Poor House |
13 |
9 |
1874 November 27 |
Vol. 64, Richmond County Poor House |
13 |
9 |
1874 November 13 |
Vol. 65, Rockland County Poor House |
13 |
9 |
1874 August 25 |
Vol. 66, St. Lawrence County Poor House |
14 |
9 |
1875 January 7 |
Vol. 67, Saratoga County Poor House |
14 |
9 |
1874 October 8 |
Vol. 68, Schenectady County Poor House |
14 |
9 |
Undated |
Vol. 69, Schoharie County Poor House |
14 |
9 |
1874 August 14 |
Vol. 70, Seneca County Poor House |
14 |
9 |
1874 August 18 |
Vol. 71, Steuben County Poor House |
14 |
10 |
1874 October 26 |
Vol. 72, Suffolk County Poor House |
14 |
10 |
Undated |
Vol. 73, Sullivan County Poor House |
15 |
10 |
1874 September 22 |
Vol. 74, Tioga County Poor House |
15 |
10 |
1874 November 12 |
Vol. 75, Tompkins County Poor House |
15 |
10 |
1874 January 5 |
Vol. 76, Ulster County Poor House |
15 |
10 |
1874 October 19 |
Vol. 77, Warren County Poor House |
15 |
10 |
1874 October 23 |
Vol. 78, Washington County Poor House |
15 |
10 |
1874 September 3 |
Vol. 79, Wayne County Poor House |
16 |
10 |
1874 October 29 |
Vol. 80, Westchester County Poor House |
16 |
11 |
1874 October 5 |
Vol. 81, Wyoming County Poor House |
16 |
11 |
Undated |
Vol. 82, Yates County Poor House |
16 |
11 |