![The Ohio County Poor Farm Cemetery monument placed at the Ohio County Community Golf Course. Pictured L-to-R: Judge-Executive David Johnston, Magistrate Kenny Autry, Kristina Chapman, Renetta Romero and Earl Jones.]()
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![The Ohio County Poor Farm Cemetery monument placed at the Ohio County Community Golf Course. Pictured L-to-R: Judge-Executive David Johnston, Magistrate Kenny Autry, Kristina Chapman, Renetta Romero and Earl Jones.]()
The Ohio County Poor Farm Cemetery monument placed at the Ohio County Community Golf Course. Pictured L-to-R: Judge-Executive David Johnston, Magistrate Kenny Autry, Kristina Chapman, Renetta Romero and Earl Jones.[/caption]
A small group gathered at the Ohio County Community Golf Course to unveil the newly placed monument commemorating the old Ohio County Poor Farm Cemetery on a cold Wednesday afternoon last week.
Judge-Executive David Johnston said that the original poor farm was created by the county in 1887 when it set aside $500 for the project.
One side of the monument lists all of the names of those that were buried in the cemetery and the back tells the story of the Ohio County Poor Farm.
Ohio County Poor Farm was in existence from at least 1851 to after 1950 serving a population of black and white races, ages from infants to nearly 100. The residents included orphans, crippled, elderly, infirm, blind and people with no other place to live, usually numbering 7 to 22 residents. An earlier location was sold in 1873. This location was purchased in 1871, from John & Sally Ann Pirtle a farm 'for the use and benefit of the county paupers.' One hundred acres of this property was advertised for sale in 1883, again in 1897 (to build a new poorhouse or almshouse) again in 1918. It being sold in 1958 with the money from the sale to be used for addition to Ohio County Hospital. Ohio County repurchased this land in 2012.
In 1904, dedication of new chapel for the Ohio County Poor Farm. 'The little chapel has been erected mainly for the edification and accommodation of the inmates of the county infirmary, and although of humble pretentions, is an elegant little structure. It is thought to be the only chapel of a county poorhouse in Kentucky. It adjoins the west wing of the main structure, and is so built that is can be reached by the inmates without stepping upon the ground.'
The cemetery was used for residents of the poor farm, transients and other county residents, it was not moved but original tombstones were eradicated to allow for golf course construction.
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The Ohio County Poor Farm Cemetery monument placed at the Ohio County Community Golf Course. Pictured L-to-R: Judge-Executive David Johnston, Magistrate Kenny Autry, Kristina Chapman, Renetta Romero and Earl Jones.[/caption]
A small group gathered at the Ohio County Community Golf Course to unveil the newly placed monument commemorating the old Ohio County Poor Farm Cemetery on a cold Wednesday afternoon last week.
Judge-Executive David Johnston said that the original poor farm was created by the county in 1887 when it set aside $500 for the project.
One side of the monument lists all of the names of those that were buried in the cemetery and the back tells the story of the Ohio County Poor Farm.