by Alex Brooks
Saturday, October 2, 1830: Today I went to Pittsfield with my double wagon and carried 16 bushels apples and sold them at 25 cts per. I advertised the pocketbook in the Sun that I found in Cheshire to training. I paid 59 cts.
Monday: On this evening I rode over to Wm L. Gardner’s, one of the Poormasters, and returned the names of a tenant that I took in to my Rodgers house last Monday by the name of Aaron Clark from Hancock. Said Clark agrees to pay me one dollar per month for one half of the Rodgers house until next April.
George must report his new tenant to the “Poormaster” because if someone from out of town is able to establish residency in Stephentown, and he ends up needing assistance, it could be expensive for the town.
Since 1784, when New York State passed its first general law concerning poor relief, each town had been responsible for caring for the poor among its residents. Each town elected “Overseers of the Poor” annually to make arrangements for the relief of poor people in the town. Under this law and revisions to it added in 1788 a person who was “settled” in a town had to be maintained at the town’s expense if they couldn’t provide for themselves. In 1824 the responsibility for the poor was shifted to the counties, and most of the counties started building poorhouses to serve as a residence for the indigent. but counties in most cases continued to charge the towns for the cost of maintaining their poor persons, so the question of residence continued to have a financial impact on the towns.
Renselaer County was among the first in New York State to build a County poorhouse, which was ordered by an act of the County government in 1820, and built in 1821-22. The poorhouse was a fine building about a mile and a half southeast of the center of Troy, and was originally run with an admirable concern for the health and safety of the indigent. But by mid-century conditions deteriorated quite dramatically, and the conditions in the poorhouse had become a scandal.
Wednesday: this morning at three o’clock brother Wm and I started for Cattle Show to Pittsfield peddling. We got onto the ground at an early hour and a good many people attended today. We stabled our horses at Capt Whitney’s and took lodging at one Miss Cases, a Milliners. I paid her in cider.
Thursday: We peddled to said cattle show and tonight we returned home. These two days I cleared nearly fifteen dollars. Today I lost a one dollar bill, I know not how.
Over the weekend George goes with his wife to a Baptist meeting in Windsor, Mass., to hear the preaching.
Monday, October 11: Today we returned home from Windsor through Lanesborough. We got home about sunset. When I got home I found that an owner had come for the pocketbook that I found and advertised. He did not leave any pay for my trouble, only advertising which I paid 59 cts. The man lives in Cheshire by the name of Morey.