The Crockett County Poor Farm was located about two miles from Alamo, Tennessee off the Alamo to Maury City highway. The farm was purchased in 1879 and the main building was built at that time, with additional buildings being built as needed.
The concept for the caring for the poor in America had its beginning with the Alms charity houses that were scattered throughout Europe during the Medieval period and afterwards. The early immigrants who came to America brought the concept with them and as early 1727, there was an Alms House in Plymouth, Massachusetts that had been voted at a meeting, Dec. 29, 1728, providing “that there be an Alms House built for the Entertainment of the Poor of the Town of Plymouth.” In 1820, the Massachusetts General Assembly set up a committee to recommend revisions of the laws on poor relief. They discussed several avenues as to how to best meet the needs of the poor in their community. They reached the following conclusion: they could, 1). provide for the poor, by letting them out to the lowest bidder, in families at large, within the town; 2) provide for the poor, by letting them to the lowest bidder, together, that is, all to one person; 3) provide for the poor, by supplies, in money, or articles, at their own houses; or 4). provide for the poor by establishing poor, or alms houses.
The fourth and last mentioned, the provision for the poor by establishing houses, explored the experience that England had with their houses, which had resulted “in every case, where means of work were connected with such houses, in united districts, and when they have been superintended by the principal inhabitants, they have been greatly beneficial. This has been done in various parts of England, by a number of parishes being united into one district, with evident good effect, both as it respects the better condition of the poor, and also as to the reduction of the expense.”
The concept of the small farm environment sufficient for agricultural purposes, allowing those who were physically able to work would be a benefit to the overall expense of the establishment. This concept was the one adopted by the Crockett County Court when it set up its system to care for the poor. Some of the other methods were tried in other counties of the state.
When the settlement of the Western District of Tennessee began, in 1821, the new counties, by 1840, began to feel the need for some place to care for the more disadvantaged citizens in their communities and Gibson County, in 1840, bought 100 acres about five miles southwest of Trenton and established a Poor House. The first superintendent was Allen Parr. Likewise, Madison County, the same year established a Poor Farm for its poor. Any resident within the area that was later to encompass Crockett County would have been sent to those Poor Houses or Farms or ones in Dyer and Haywood counties.
As early as 1832-33, the settlers between the Hatchie and Forked Deer Rivers had seen the need for a county of their own in order to better make the laws and expedite them in a more convenient location. They floated a petition in 1833 that did not seem to go anywhere and they continued to petition the Tennessee government and an Act passed, on December 20, 1845, by the General Assembly entitled them to establish the county of Crockett in honor of David Crockett, who had represented the settlers in Congress. In the spring of the following year, the newly appointed commissioners marked off the boundary lines, and selected Cageville (later Alamo) as the county seat.
However the Act passed in 1845 was to be short lived. After organizing the government for the new county, the new circuit court met in session in October. The court was presided over by Judge J. C. Reed. The question of the new county’s constitutionality was raised, and was referred to Judge Reed, whereupon the Judge decided against the county, adjourned the meeting and went home.
The desire for a more centralized form of government continued to be a quest for the residents and a renewed effort was begun to petition the General Assembly. A petition similar to the one passed in 1845 was finally passed, on November 23, 1871 and a commission was appointed to lay out the new court from parts of Madison, Gibson, Dyer and Haywood counties. The Act, in addition, named the county, Crockett, and the county seat, Alamo.
On March 9, 1872, an election was held and the county began having its court sessions in the Odd Fellows and Masonic Halls meeting place which was located in the upper floor of the Alamo Methodist Church on Johnson Street.
A court house was completed in 1875; the jail had been completed, in 1874; and now the court turned it’s attention to taking care of the poor in its community. In 1879, the county purchased a 90 acre farm in the 6th district located about two miles west of Alamo.
A careful look at the inhabitants in the town of Alamo gives one a picture of a thriving town at the time the 1880 census was taken. It had twelve lawyers, Caswell A. Goodloe, Robert S. Thompson, William F. Poston, Little B. Lewis, William A. Spence, Herman E. Austin, Howell H. Mahan, James W. Williams, Edward J. Read, Jr., William H. Biggs, E. James Buchanan; six doctors, Dr. Francis M. David, Dr. Robert W. Fleming, Dr. Ephraim T. Austin, Dr. James H. Clay, Dr. David W. Harris, Dr. David A. Walker; four ministers, Joseph M. Maxwell, W. A. Cook, Thomas S. Freeman, Clayton J. Mouloin; one dentist, Pink B. Tatum; and one druggist, Theophilus G. Johnson. Businesses included Undertaker, Henry M. Klyce; Grocers, F. Blythe Fisher, John H. Revel, Virgin M. Tucker, Ephraim Ellington, John Clay, Solomon H. Clark, James Harris; Dry Goods, John B. Fleming, George F. Tatum, P. Booker Nance; Hotel, William N. Braden; Newspaper, William J. Elliot, Editor, John C. W. Nunn, Printer; and Livery Stable, John B. Yancy. Craftsmen included Carpenters, Thomas H. Durham, Edwin B. Crandle; Brick Masons, John H. Payne, Eliza Forester; Wheelwright, Samuel J. Hopkins; Blacksmith, Joseph Ezell; Stone Cutter, William Patterson; Shingle Maker, John Henderson; and Miller, William D. Crandle. Officers of the law were Sheriff Andrew J. Collingsworth; Deputy Sheriff; Thomas J. Evans; County Court Clerk, William N. Brown; Circuit Court Clerk, William A. Johnson; and Chancery Court Clerk, John Harris.
The land for the farm and the main building cost the county $2,000. Additional buildings were added as the need presented itself. Since it was to be a working farm, one would assume that the barn was built next with various additional outhouses to follow.
The main house was a rectangular structure with a porch extending across the front. It followed, basically, the “dog trot” type house design where you had two wings and a central open space for outside activities. In the case of the Crockett County Farm, the dog trot was enclosed. The entrance was a rather small room that could serve as a living room, if desired, with the family dining room behind it. On the front of the house and to the right was a bedroom with a large fireplace. To the left was a large bedroom with large fireplace. This room was, what we would call today, the master bedroom. It was the center of activity since the kitchen was behind it on the back side of the house and you could count on it being warm in the winter-time from the fireplace and kitchen heat. Across the back and next to the kitchen was a dining room for the superintendent’s family and next to it was a small porch leading to the outside, but entrance to the back bedroom could be accessed from it, also. A door in the superintendent’s dining room open into a flight of stairs that led to the upstairs where there was only light available from each end of the building through two windows. This space could have been used for additional bedroom space, if needed.
Behind the kitchen was a long dining room that would accommodate three long tables with benches and cane bottom chairs. A small screened porch off this dining room, served as a place for containers for waste food that was feed to the pigs on the farm. This dining room was where the inmates ate. From it, a door led to a room that was occupied mostly by the more infirm females at the farm. Another door led to a porch which gave access to the additional two rooms attached to the building. This porch was covered in order to give as much protection as possible in going to and from the dining room. It also provided a place for the inmates to sit.
There were three privies on the farm: one for the superintendent’s family; one for the female inmates; and one for the male inmates. These were all the standard outside privies until the Works Project Administration, in 1936, replaced all with the newer concrete lined waste containers and two hole seats.
In the center of the back yard, and in close proximity to the main house, was a small one room building that was probably built to accommodate the black inmates. To the right of this building was a long building that housed three rooms with a porch. This area was the residence of the male inmates.
In the beginning the water supply was furnished by a well near the men’s quarters. In time, a windmill was built that had a large tank on a raised platform that served the inhabitants and watered the livestock. This water had a very high iron content and caused staining on all the cooking utensils as well as everything else it came in contact with. In addition, it had a strong taste, that made it unappetizing to drink.
Below is a very rough drawing of the farm as I knew it. I am not an architect, my daughter is the architect in my family, however it should give you the general idea as to the layout of the farm.
Crockett County, Tennessee Poor Farm, c1945
The dwellings were located in the center of the farm with the fields surrounding them.
The 1880 Census of Crockett County, Tennessee list, in District 4, the following household: 266: John F. Carter, age 41, farmer; Nannie W. Carter, age 33, wife; Willia A. Carter, age 14, daughter; William T. Carter, age 8, son; Irene Carter, age 2, daughter; Abraham Wade, age 37 (b), hired hand; Thomas Steward, age 82, boarder, pauper; Eliza Young, age 75, boarder, pauper; John W. Todd, age 27, boarder, pauper; Lee Johnson, age 5, boarder, pauper; Edward Horton, age 77, (b) boarder, pauper; and William Taliferro, age 76, (b), boarder, pauper.
The 1900 census shows D. W. Cates and family living in household 155 and lists the inhabitants in household 156 as paupers. One might assume that D. W. Cates was the superintendent of the Crockett County Poor Farm at that time. He was listed along with: Jennie Cates, his wife; Clara Cates, daughter; Herbert Cates, son; Alma Cates, daughter; Gladdis Cates, daughter; Vera Cates, daughter; Mary Cates, daughter; and Jefferson McLemore, servant. The paupers were: Gus Hudson, age 96 (b); Robert Ridley, age 50, (b); Nicey Patterson, age 60; Bettie Smith, age 60; Joe Cunningham, age 65; Vera Cunningham, age 65; Sally Baker, age 60 and Bud Farrow, age 35.
The 1910 census records that William R. Boling, age 33, as superintendent of the farm. Listed as his wife is Florence I. Boling, age 26. They had no children. The inmates were Betty Smith, age 58; Della Sisk, age 23; Vinia Cunningham, age 69; Boling Sisk, age 4; Ruby Sisk, age 4 months; Joe Cunningham, age 80; James Sexton, age 50; and Bob Ridley, age 60 (b).
In the 1920 census Ed Brown, age 49, was listed as superintendent of the farm. His wife was Belle Brown, age 48. Two sons were listed, Ed Thomas Brown, age 25 and Lofton Brown, age 17. Letitia Lewis, age 78, was listed as mother. There were only five people listed as boarders: Becky Dial, age 78; James Keyton, age 50; Thomas Richardson, age 65; Will Hayes, age 57, and Ed Cleek, age 26.
The 1930 census lists W. H. Turner. age 59, superintendent. His wife, Lucy was age 44. Children listed were: Willie Lee Turner, son, age 25; C. Turner, son, age 17; Allie Turner, daughter, age 14; Mary F. Turner, daughter, age 12; and Evelyn Turner, daughter, age 5. Boarders were: Jim Saxton, age 70; Jim Taylor, age 49; L. Taylor (female), age 69; Mollie Forsythe, age 82; Betty Lowery, age 49; Junior Lowery, age 4 years, 8 months; Maude Covington, age 59; Pierce Oldham, age 64; Orlan Jones, age 59; Alice Jones, age 58; Kate Jones, age 10; James Jones, age 7; Viola Jones, age 5; Ray McLaughen, age 51; Homer Wylie, age 46; Lucile Wylie, age 41; Neal Wylie, age (?); and Ruby Wylie, age 2.
My grandparents, William Neal and Cordelia Laman Nolen took over the management of the County Poor Farm in 1935. They continue the management until the death of my grandfather in 1941 and the death of my grandmother in 1943. When my grandfather died, my father, Jesse Pierce Nolen, moved his family to the County Farm to help my grandmother fulfill her commitment. He was superintendent until his death in 1960.
Photograph Missing
Crockett County, Tennessee Poor Farm, c1936
Neal Nolen is in center of picture dressed in black. Facing the picture and to the left of him is Cordelia Nolen. Three of the children in front of the Nolens are grandchildren. The main house is in the background, and to the right in the picture is the windmill and tank. One of the inmates, Elmer Ballentine is holding the two prize mules used on the farm, Buck and Epp.
When my grandparents took over the management of the county farm, there had been an increase in the number of boarders since the results of the depression was taking its toll.
The theory behind the working farm was to let the farm to a family who would be given a certain amount for the board of the each inmates. He, in turn, employed the inmates in the working of the farm. The superintendent furnished, food, and clothing, and the county paid the superintendent extra for the laundering for the inmates. The county paid for the medical expenses and medicine. It seemed to have been a mutual benefit for both the superintendent and the county.
Life on the farm did not seem to be a depressing one to the inmates. While my grandparents and parents were in charge of the farm, the boarders ate the same food that was served on our table. This consisted of country style fresh vegetables; pork of all kind, such as, ham, bacon, tenderloin, and pork chops; chicken, beef, mostly roasts; wild game; and biscuits, corn bread, yeast rolls, cakes, pies, fried pies, and other desserts. A trip to Cracker Barrel Restaurant would give you an idea of the menus of that time. The food was good and there was plenty of it.
On many weekends churches, would have groups come and preach and have singing with the inmates. There was a piano in the dining room and they would usually congregate there for their gathering. Many of the boarders had family members who would visit them and bring them either money or gifts.
In 1972, the county decided to close the County Poor Farm and move the residents to the new Crockett County Nursing Home. It was felt that it could better serve the needs of the indigent there. The facilities were new and sterile, a far cry from the century old county farm. There are probably none of the residents who lived at the farm who are still living today, but the ones who were moved stepped into a different life, and one could argue whether it was a better life. The fresh air was gone, the incentive to ‘get up and move about’ was gone, the farm fresh food was replaced with menus planned by a nutritionist, and their privacy was gone.
If you drove out County Farm Road and dead ended into the farm, I don’t think you would find much to remind you of the activity that took place there for almost one hundred years. Only memories and a grave yard in the upper corner of the farm that is the resting place for many of those residents who resided there.
2005 – Margaret Nolen Nichol