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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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Historical Collections made by the
Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, Vol. XXVIII
Robert Smith Printing Co.
State Printers and Binders Lansing, Mich - 1909

         [PG 37]
         
         Gorthy - The death of MRS. ROBERT GORTHY, who passed away
       May 13, 1897, terminates a contract which her husband made
       with the poor commissioners but a short time ago, and calls
       to attention an interesting arrangement. During the latter
       part of January MR. GORTHY, who owned a 120 acre farm in
       Victor which was incumbered for $1,800, went to the poor
       commissioners and explained that he and his wife would like,
       for certain reasons of their own, to deed over all their
       property to the county, if the commissioners would bind
       themselves to thereafter maintain the two of them. The
       board took the matter under advisement and concluded that
       owing to the enfeebled condition of the old pair, it would
       be best for the county to accept their proposition. Accord-
       ingly a contract was drawn up, by the terms of which, MR.
       GORTHY deeded over his farm and gave a bill of sale of all
       his personal property, including wheat, oats, corn, hay,
       etc. The county agreed to furnish them a home, which it 
       was expressley understood should not be at the poor farm,
       and were to allow them $3.00 per week for living expenses.
       About $300 was realized from the sale of the personal pro-
       perty. This contract was made the latter part of January
       and on April 28th MR. GORTHY, who was over 80 years of age,
       died. Fifteen days later his life-long companion followed
       him to the other shore, and strangely enough Clinton county
       has become heir to the property, after keeping the old
       couple but a trifle over three months. They were moved from
       the farm into St. Johns into a house owned by the county
       last winter. There they comfortably passed the few remain-
       ing days of their lives and made the journey almost side
       by side into the great unknown.
         The farm is probably worth at least $25 per acre and
       this would figure up $3,000, less an $1,800 mortgage would
       leave $1,200 net. The old couple did not consume the amount
       realized from the personal property in the short time which
       they lived, after the agreement was entered into, so the
       county becomes the gainer by from $1,000 to $1,500 accord-
       ing to the sale which can be made of the farm.
       
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