Index to Poorhouse Records 1875-1892 - Cliff Lamere

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       Index to Records of Inmates at the 
          Rensselaer County Almshouse 1875-1892

 

                   Index and Notes by James Corsaro, Librarian of

                 the Rensselaer County Historical Society, Troy, NY

 
                               
 

                           Webpage by Cliff Lamere   Jan 2002 

 

                      

 
The Rensselaer County Almshouse was built in 1821 in Troy, New York. The
property of about 160 acres was located south of Spring Avenue near the mill
ponds on  the Wynantskill Creek.  Itıs original name was House of Industry
and the name was later changed to Rensselaer County Almshouse. The main
building was built of brick and in 1860 a wooden building was added. A brick
³lunatic asylum² was added at a later date. In 1882, during the time  the
records indexed here were compiled, the almshouse included the keeperıs
residence, dormitories for men and women inmates, dining halls, kitchens and
laundry along with farm and other service buildings. The Lakeview Sanitarium
was erected adjacent to the almshouse in 1910 and this was converted into  a
county hospital in 1919. The property was sold sometime after 1925 and the
buildings demolished.

This set of original archival inmate records appears to have been preserved
from a larger group of records that appears not to be extant.  The records
can presently be viewed at the Rensselaer Co. Historical Society, Troy, NY. 
The names in the index are shown as they appear on the record; there are 
many names that appear to be misspelled and some of the entries are nearly 
illegible.  While each record does not include information for each of the 
following categories, much information is found in each inmate record; the 
clerks entering the information on the record seem to have been fairly
conscientious about completing each record. The dates of the records range
from 1875 to 1892; some records have several dates as inmates were admitted
and re-admitted at different times. There are approximately 250 inmate
records. At least two inmates probably could not be identified by name by
the clerk entering the record and they are given the surname, Doe. Each
inmate record may include the following questions about the inmate:
[Notes by James Corsaro]  
Name, Record Number

Date of Admission, Re-Admitted Dates, Discharged Dates
Sex, Age, Color
Single, Married, Widower
Birthplace: State or Country; County; Town or City
If Foreign Born how long in the U.S.
How long in this state
At what port landed
Was Head Money Paid
Is the person naturalized
Birthplace of Father: State or Country; County; Town or City
Birthplace of Mother: State or Country; County; Town or City
Education
Habits
Habits of Father, Habits of Mother
Occupation, Occupation of Father
Condition of Ancestors and other Relatives (living or dead) as to whether
   Pauper or Self-Supporting:
   Grand Parents Paternal Side, Grand Parents Maternal Side, Father, Mother,
   Brothers, Sisters, Other Relatives
If a  Parent, how many children living: State their condition-whether in
   Poor Houses, Asylums, Hospitals, other Institutions, or Self-Supporting
Existing Cause of Dependence
What kind of labor is the person able to pursue, and to what extent
Has the person received public or private out-door relief; if so, how long
Have the parents or other relatives been thus aided; if so, state the fact
Has the person been,heretofore, an inmate of poor houses; if so, how long
Has the person been an inmate of any other charitable institution; if so, 
   note the fact.
What is the probable destiny of the person as respects recovery from the 
   cause of dependence.
Remark. (This column often includes information about the death of the 
   inmate)
  

                      

 

[Notes by Cliff Lamere]  According to Linda Crannell (The Poorhouse Lady), the records for the people who are in the index below may be on microfilm at the NY State Archives.  For the same period of time (1875-1892), about 3550 certificates were microfilmed.  The Rensselaer Co. Historical Society has about 220 of the certificates, and the route by which they arrived there could mean that they were not with the others when the microfilming took place.  There are an additional 1700 or so from 1892-1899 and many more from then up to 1920.  There is no overall index to all of them, but some of the microfilms contain handwritten quasi-alphabetical indexes that were made at the time the forms were filled out.  For information on how to borrow these microfilms by using your local  interlibrary loan service, click HERE.

 

                      

 
 
All names are listed as spelled in the inmate record. There may be spelling
errors for some of the names, and some of the writing has faded or is
illegible. Page numbers indicate the page where the inmateıs record may be 
found.

Name                                                                                      Page Number
 
Adgatent, William H.                     55
Allen, Betsy                             79
Ambrow, Edmond                           6
Barrett, Richard                         82
Barringer, Ralph                         23
Barry, Michael                           81
Basler, John                             34
Bennett, Peter                           28
Bewer, Simon                             29
Bishop, Jack (?)                         20
Bloomingdale, David                      31
Bloomingdale, Edward                     6
Boach, Ellen                             58
Boardman, George W.                      26
Boardman, Mary                           26
Boardman, William                        26
Bohn, Patrick                            64
Boodery, Felix                           33
Bouge, Saphrona                          78
Bradshaw, Bridget                        2
Brennan, Lawrance                        12
Brimer, Horace                           78
Bryant, William                          54
Buffalo, John                            71
Buhr, Sophia                             66
Burge, James                             30
Burk, James                              7
Burk, Susan                              71
Burke, James                             43
Buterfield, Josephine                    67
Butler, Lewis                            29
Buttler, Catherine                       70
Cady, James                              28
Cameron,Daniel                           7
Campbell, Hannah                         85
Campbell, Samuel                         21
Carrell, Michael                         24
Carrell, Robert                          33
Carter, Charles                          32
Cary, Johanah                            76
Cavanaugh, Charles                       34
Chase, Mary                              9
Clark, Hannah                            31
Clark, Louisa                            25
Colbat, James                            11
Cole, Henry                              18
Colopy, William                          38
Commons, Mary                            58
Connors, Ann                             74
Connors, James                           50
Corcron, Maggie                          65
Cota, Phoebe                             83
Cray, Patrick                            75
Cronon, James                            19
Cutler, Simon                            40
Debrire, John                            83
Dennis, Philip                           1
Diston,  Kate                            36
Diston, William                          36
Doe, John                                68
Doe, Julia                               46
Doherty, Michael                         1
Donahue, John                            29
Donnely, James                           15
Donnely, Mary                            15
Duhigg, Mary                             43
Dunn, An                                 12
Dunn, Julia                              23
Ellick, Sarah                            52
Farrell, John                            3
Faurget, Jane                            11
Fitzgerald, Mary                         45
Fitzpatrick, Eddy                        60
Fitzpatrick, Ellin                       14
Flynn, Ann                               75
Foley, John                              36
Forget, Mary E.                          10
Fowler, John                             3
Francisco, Joseph                        57
Frazer, William                          20
Fury, Bryan                              3
Gallpo, Nelson                           13
Gannan, Kate                             24
Gauthier, Victoria E.                    40
Gaynor, John                             84
Gleason, Thomas                          22
Gleason, William                         22
Grace, John                              74
Green, Mary                              16
Griffith, Ann                            54
Haggerty, Mary                           84
Haley, James                             41
Haley, Margt.                            63
Haley, Martin                            41
Haley, William                           41
Hall, Joshua P.                          2
Halon, Mary                              49
Halpin, Mary                             15
Halpin, Thomas                           37
Hanlon, Peter                            72
Harney, James                            65
Harper, Gennett                          5
Haverman, Jospeh                         59
Hazzard, James                           48
Hennesy, Daniel                          8
Higgins, Michael                         31
Hill, Joseph                             57
Hines, Ellen                             32
Hogan, Patrick                           64
Holmes, Lizzie                           68
Houston, Joseph                          63
Irvin, Margt.                            84
Jacob, Ann M.                            85
Johnson, Henry                           35
Kalacka, Cath.                           2
Keling, William                          17
Kelly, Anne                              9
Kelly, Bridget                           73
Kelly, Dennis                            85
Kelly, Mary E.                           35
Kennedy, Margt.  P                       10
Kennelly, John                           58
Kenny, Eliza                             47
Kernan, Philip                           77
Kinney, Charles                          34
LaFrind, Ira                             27
Lahey, William                           38
Lampson, Ira                             45
Lane, (?), John                          42
Lawler,  Michael                         24
Lawson, Thomas                           42
Lennon, James                            43
Lewis, A.W.                              18
Lindsay, Cath.                           53
Little, David                            81
Livingston, Henry                        30
Lofty, Margaret                          49
Long, Mary                               79
Looney, Jane                             69
Looney, Mary                             69
Looney, William H.                       70
Lynch, Thomas                            4
Machan, Bridget                          21
Machan, Catherine                        21
Macks, Joseph                            57
Madden, Mary Ann                         85
Madigan, William                         6
Mahoney, Marl(?)                         54
Manning, Elvira (?)                      5
Marrah, William                          45
Matchet, James                           13
May, Kate                                14
McBride, James                           69
McCarty, Betsy                           76
McCarty, Eliza                           73
McCoy, Jane                              37
McCue, Delia (alias Crawford)            5
McDougan, William                        44
McGovern,Peter                           47
McGrath, Mary                            56
McIntyre, Lizzie                         48
McIntyre, Robert                         48
McKenney, Annie (alias Harper)           19
McMahon, John                            16,
McNamary, Mary                           63
McNamery, Michael                        17
McNichol, Marg.                          78
Meisener, Sylvaneous F.                  79
Moffet, Joseph                           62
Moore, Marthy J.                         62
Moran, Daniel                            14
Moran, Jerry                             55
Munson, Ann E.                           68
Murphy, Catherine                        80
Murphy, Eliza                            30
Murphy, John                             39
Murphy, Mary                             50
Musselman, Henry                         71
Myres, Margt.                            17
Nolan, John                              13
Noonan, Cath.                            25
O' Brien, Annie                          4
O'Brian, Annie                           67
O'Brian, Annie                           72
O'Brian, Bridget                         72
O'Brian, Mary                            46
O'Brien, James                           59
O'Brien, Lizzie                          39
O'Donald, James                          11
O'Donnald, Patrick                       65
O'Neil, Charles                          9
O'Neil, James                            73
Oaks, Andrew                             46
Osier, Jane                              70
Parker, Charles                          7
Pierce, Edward J.                        32
Polock, John                             62
Priggs, Margt.                           82
Provost, Charles                         4
Quigley, Michael                         20
Quinbin, Bridget                         33
Quinlin, Mary                            51
Quinn, Mary                              47
Ray, Volney                              53
Riley, James                             8
Robinson, M.C., (male)                   44
Rogers, Charles                          66
Ross, Katie                              1
Russell, John                            66
Ryce, Thomas                             67
Sacket, Nancy                            80
Scully, Mary                             44
Shanley, Mary                            25
Shaver, John                             35
Sheffer, Samuel                          50
Shelly, James                            83
Sherlock, Frances                        27
Shey, Patrick                            12
Simpson, Henry                           23
Slattery, Thomas                         38
Smith, Eliza                             64
Smith, Henry                             80
Smith, John                              28
Smith, Maggie                            27
Smith, Sally A.                          77
Smith, Thomas                            61
Smith, William                           22
Snyder, George                           77
Spoten, Bridget (or Strong)              75
Steward, Julia                           42
Stokes, John                             52
Sulivan, Dennis                          10
Swartz, Charles                          49
Sypherfelt, Peter                        8
Taylor, George                           56
Taylor, Lizzie                           55
TellDeanvil (?), Vincent                 18
Tierney, Cath                            39
Tobin, Richard                           19
Toohey, Anne                             16
Van Alstyne, Allen                       81
Van Benthuysen, Lucinda                  56
Van Benthuysen, Thomas                   51
Van Nalds, Sally Ann                     61
Wall, Patrick                            40
Wall, Patrick                            82
Walsh, Edward                            37
Walsh, John                              52
Welch, Ann                               74
Welch, Dennis                            76
Whalon, Margt.                           59
White, Fisher A.                         53
Wilkinson, Margt. (alias Mary Coleman)   51

 

                      

 

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