COUNTY POOR FARMS AND CEMETERIES

Washington County, Tennessee

Old County Farm

The Washington County Court Minutes contain information on the County Poor House or Poor Farm. In the January 1895 term of County Court, the sale of the county farm was approved and a committee appointed to look into the matter. ¹ April 1895 the committee reported the farm was approximately 11 miles from Jonesboro, containing 230 acres. ≥The soil is thin but will produce worth $12.00 per acre.≤² The old County Farm was divided into 3 sections for sale. Thirty acres on the east at $8.00 per acre, 25 acres on west at $10 per acre, and 175 acres remained intact. ³ October 1896, Commissioners authorized the sale of the Old County farm.⁴ Mr. H.A. Dickerson from Pulaski, VA bought 178 acres, Mr. J.A. Keys bought 40 acres which bordered land owned by F.H. Cockran, heirs of Wm. McClackin, Jas. McMackin and heir of N. Harrison. Another part was purchased by Lewis Cooper. ⁵

¹Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court January Term, 1895, p. 83.

² Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court April Term, 1895, p. 127.

³ Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court July Term, 1895, p. 184.

⁴ Washington County [Tennessee] Deed Book, Book 73, p. 83.

⁵ Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court October Term, 1896, p. 513.

Source: Information found by Dawn Peters, Donna Briggs and Betty Jane Hylton who were in the Jonesborough Courthouse looking for a list of people who died at the County Farm (Poor House).

Old County Cemetery

Mr. Bud Cox helped the team locate the Old County Farm Cemetery in the 17th Civil District off Glendale Road. [GPS location: 36.19.19N  082.36.48W] 7 Nov 2002

Cemetery is in the clump of trees.

Diagram of old cemetery.

Apparently there are 38 graves. The cemetery is 81'x77'x26'x65'. The fence is no longer standing. Livestock and wildlife have trampled the area. Mr. Bill Rector owns the land surrounding the cemetery. His father bought the land from the Keys heirs. Mr. Key's father had owned the land before him. The deed has the cemetery area set aside.

New Washington County Farm

July 1895, a new tax levy was set at five cents per $100 of property for the New Asylum for the Poor. Commissioners appointed to locate new property and take bids for a suitable building were Dr. J.L. Clark, Geo. M. Farnham, Geo. E. Clark.⁶ In October 1895, the committee recommended the purchase of the M.H. P. Panhorst property, formerly owned by John Simpson, deceased. The property was priced at $20.00 per acres and was located 3 miles south of Jonesborough in the 15^th Civil District.⁷ Plans for the new building were approved with revisions during the January 1896 term.⁸ During this same term, the building committee for the New County Asylum reported that seven bids were received. Lyon & Cooper contractors bid $2275, which was approved.⁹ October 7, 1896, the building is completed.¹⁰

In 2004 the Washington County Farm closed the doors. It was the last operating County Poor Farm in the state of Tennessee.

Throughout the Court Minutes, we found that the County paid individuals to keep the poor in their homes.

⁶ Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court July Term, 1895, pp. 195-196.

⁷ Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court October Term, 1895, p.245.

⁸Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court January Term, 1896, p.282.

⁹Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court January Term, 1896, pp.290-291.

¹⁰ Washington County [Tennessee] Court Minutes, Book L, County Court October Term, 1895, p. 508.

 

 

New Washington County Cemetery       Prior to 1986, burials were in a cow pasture (with no markers) at the County Farm, 330 County Farm Road, Jonesborough, TN. The cemetery was surveyed by Donna Briggs, Dawn Peters and Betty Jane Hylton on December 30, 2002. Evidence of one hundred and forty-one graves was found. There could be more undetectable graves. Not all residents were buried at the County Farm Cemetery. Several were taken to family and church cemeteries.

Approximately 141 graves are in this cemetery.

Present Washington County Cemetery

After 1986, residents were buried at 116 Frank Hardin Rd., behind Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Section 3 of the Cemetery, Jonesborough, TN.

Surveyed, photographed and contributed to the Washington County, TNGen Web Site by Bud Cox, Donna Briggs, Dawn Peters and Betty Jane Hylton, Sept. 2005.

U.S. Census Records of Washington Co. Poor Farm Residents, 1850-1930

Posted 1 Oct 2005.

TNGenWeb Index