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Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== "History of Green County, Wisconsin" Page 462 Nov 21, 1860 BY-LAWS OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE POOR Article 1. Application for relief or support of any pauper or paupers, may be made to the chairman of the board of supervisors of the several towns in this county, who are hereby authorized and empowered and whose duty it shall be to receive the same, and notify the superintendent of the district, immediately. Article 2. When application is made to any such supervisor, it shall be his duty to inquire into the circumstances of the applicant, ascertain his or her place of birth, age, occupation, length of residence in this county, length and place of previous residence and name and place of residence of his or her relations, if any, and ascertain if such applicant has any property or effects, and if so, make an inventory thereof and make report to the superintendent of his district, and also, if said applicant can be safely removed to the county poor house. Article 3. The county of Green shall be divided into three districts, each of which shall have a superintendent residing therein, to whom all applications for relief or support of paupers in his district shall be referred. Article 4. Until further ordered, the districts shall be divided as follows: District No. 1, shall consist of the towns of Cadiz, Clarno, Monroe, Jordan and Adams. District No. 2, shall consist of the towns of Jefferson, Spring Grove, Decatur, Sylvester and Albany. District No. 3, shall consist of the towns of York, Washington, New Glarus, Mount Pleasant, Exeter and Brookly. Article 5. No superintendent shall grant relief to any one person or family, to an amount exceeding $10, without the consent of the majority of said superintendents. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 463 Article 6. The superintendents shall, at their first meeting after the presentation of any bill, audit and allow the same, if just and chargeable to the county poor fund, and pay the same out of any moneys in their hands, belonging to said fund. Article 7. All services performed by any supervisor, in receiving and examining into applications for relief or support of paupers in his town, and reporting the same to the superintendent, and for removing paupers to the county poor house, must be at the expense of the town in which the said paupers reside, or make application for support. Article 8. The annual meeting of the board of superintendents shall be held at the courthouse, on Monday next succeeding the general election in each year, special meetings for the transaction of any business pertaining to their office, may be called at any time agreed upon by said superintendents. Article 9. The superintendents of the poor shall, annually, and within four days after the commencement of their annual meeting, make a report to the board of supervisors of the county, of the number of persons received into the county poor house, and to whom outside relief has been granted respectively, and the amount paid for such support, and out-door relief separately. They shall also make out a full and complete inventory of all the property in their possession, or under their control, belonging to the county, and make a detailed report of all their transactions as superinten- dents, with a statement of accounts allowed and presented, their journal of proceedings and books of accounts with their vouchers for the examination of the said board of supervisors. Article 10. The superintendents shall cause to be kept at the poor house, in a book to be provided for that purpose, a registry in which shall be entered the name, age, place of birth, occupation, date of admission, date of discharge, by death or otherwise, of every pauper received into the poor house, and such other entries as said superinten- dents may direct. On motion of Mr. Wescott, a special committee of three was appointed to propose a plan for districting the county, and report at 2 o'clock p.m. The select committee to whom was referred the districting the county preparatory to establishing the county poor system, made the following report, which was adopted, to wit: The select committee, to whom was referred the subject of districting the county, recommend that District No. 1 be composed of the towns of Cadiz, Clarno, Monroe, Jordan and Adams. District No. 2 be composed of the towns of Jefferson, Spring Grove, Decatur, Sylvester and Albany. District No. 3 be composed of the towns of York, Washington, New Glarus, Mount Pleasant, Exeter and Brooklyn. [Signed] E. Westcott On motion, voted to elect a director for district No. 1, the vote as follows; Whole number of votes cast, 17; of which number H. Rust received 9 votes, Jacob Mason received 1 vote, T. S. Bowen received 1 vote, D. S. Sutherland received 5 votes, E. Westcott received 1 vote. On motion, Hiram Rust was declared unanimously elected. The board then proceeded to a formal ballot for director in the 2d district: The whole number of votes cast was 17, of which number I. M. Bennett re- ceived 11 votes, H. Dunwiddie received 4 votes, T. A. Bennett received 1 vote, John Broughton received 1 vote. On motion, I. M. Bennett was declared elected. The board then proceeded to a ballot for a director for the 3d district: Whole number of votes cast, 17; of which number Ransom Drake received 9 votes, --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 464 William C. Green received 7 votes, Otis Ross received 1 vote. On motion, Ransom Drake was declared elected. I. M. Bennett offered the following resolution, which was adopted, to wit: Resolved, That the superintendents of the poor just elected, now draw lots, one to hold his office one year, one to hold two years and the other to hold three years, in case either of the superintendents be absent, the chairman shall name some one to draw for them. On motion the superintendents proceeded to draw lots for terms of office, resulting as follows: I. M. Bennett drew a term of one year; R. Drake drew a term of two years; H. Rust drew a term of three years. D. Sutherland was appointed by the chairman to draw for H. Rust, and W. W. McLaughlin for R. Drake, the both being absent. May 16, 1861. The committee to whom was referred the matter of appropriation for the support of the families of volunteers would respectfully recommend, that an appropriation of eight hundred ($800) dollars be made to C. S. Foster, M. Marty and Allen Woodle for the support of such families, and for the payment of board of volunteers. We would also recommend, that the said committee have power to appoint agents, in the several towns to have charge of such families. We would also recommend the adoption of the following resolution: Resolved, That in the opinion of this board the county will be willing to pay all the necessary expenses of maintaining families of all those who may volunteer (that need such assistance) during the war. C. F. Thompson D. Dunwiddie E. R. Allen Committee ===========================================================================