Since my family of Roberts’ came from Saco Street in Westbrook, I have always been curious about the Poorhouse also known as the Almshouse. It abutted my family’s property in the late 1800’s. One can move from household to household when searching   the 1880 census on www.familysearch.org , which is free. In this census, once you know a family name on Saco Street, as it is not divided by streets online, you are able to see the inmates at the Poorhouse. I would like to share the contents of a letter I recently purchased on Ebay for my personal collection written in 1835. It was one sheet of rag paper folded resourcefully with one section containing the contents of the letter and the rest fashioned into an envelope, complete with address. There was no waste with paper materials. When this was written, Maine was only a State for 15 years. President Andrew Jackson, our seventh President, held office at the time this letter was written. Understandably, I get very excited to find a treasure like this on Ebay. 
                     The letter was addressed to Gentlemen Overseers of the Poor of Bingham, County of Somerset, Main. It had been sealed with red sealing wax. Maine was spelled with no ‘e’. Inside the contents are as follows:

Westbrook September 15th, 1835

Gentlemen,

                      Mrs. Abigail Knight an inhabitant of your town has now become chargeable in this town as a pauper. We conceive it necessary to give you this information that you may order her removal or otherwise provide for her as you may judge expedient. We have charged the expence of her support which has already arisen to your town and shall continue to do so long as we are obliged to furnish her with supplies ~ Mrs. Knight is now at the house of Mr. Saml. A. Proctor in our town at an expence of one dollar twenty five cents per week & information we rec’d by Mrs. Proctor, a daughter of Mrs. Knight Certifies that her Mother was Lawfully Married to John Knight formerly a resident in your town.
                      We are Gentlemen with much respect
                      Your Most Obedient Servants

The Gentlemen Selectmen or Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Bingham}

                                                                                    Isaac Mason
                                                                                    Cyrus Cumings } Overseers of the Poor Westbrook
                                                                                    H.C. Babb

                    Some of the town reports regarding the almshouse and farm reveal a great deal of the problems of those who were unable to care for themselves, from other towns as well. There was mention in many of the early diaries I have been transcribing of my Roberts family, of having circle at someone’s home and many people in attendance, sometimes fifty. At these circles, women would make clothing for those in need and men would do tasks which were considered men's work. It seemed that men had their circles and women had their circles. There are some old records of the Martha Washington Charitable Society at the Westbrook Historical Society dating early 1840’s which were an attempt to help those less fortunate. I am not sure the inhabitants at the poorhouse would have been recipients of the items sewn at circle. The town considered these folks to be burdens to the town and in many cases, some were sent back to where they previously lived, in some cases to Canada. Inhabitants of Westbrook who had skills needed to sustain the Poorhouse, were compensated for their efforts. One year Lorenzo Towl was reimbursed for mason work $21.96, John Wood, received $17.25, S. E. McLellan, blacksmith work $48.84 and the list goes on and on. Total expenses one year were 1268.32. There is also mention of the Outdoor Poor. I am not sure if that meant that they boarded with families rather than the farm. Some of the itemized costs on this list include: Frenchman’s expenses to Canada $15.00; Amasa Winslow, furnishing coffin Knight Child $ 4.50; S.S. Rich, coffin to French child; Burial of Knight child $8.00; Insane Hospital , 3 qrs., Nettie Libby , $108.74, Insane Hospital Ester Kennard $ 102.22; B.M. Edwards , supplies to French family $2.86; Charles Jameson, board of William Jameson $19.50: Town of Deering, acct. Willie Jameson $79.00
                     Later it was written that Nettie Libby and Esther Kennard were still at the Insane Hospital at the expense of the town. The legislature of 1874 having passed an act looking to the discharge of ‘idiots and incurables’ from the Insane Hospital, we deemed it advisable to make preparations to receive Nettie Libby at the Alms House, and accordingly fitted up two rooms. But fortunately for the town, she is still retained at Augusta. They fitted up two rooms for transient  persons as well. Since September it was written that the Alms House lodged and fed 112 vagrants, also called ‘tramps’. It was reported there was trouble from the tramps from other towns, many from Portland, brought about by the severity of winter and tough times. They were made to pay their way by sawing wood. The Jameson boy from the previous report was being boarded with Mrs. Joseph Barbour at 3 dollars per week, which was paid in equal proportions by the town and by his relatives. 
                     I found it most interesting how many of the troubles within a town were usually handled by the town, in a day when there was not too much help for anyone. If you could not carry your own weight, you were considered a burden. I am glad that some of those attitudes have changed a little over the years. I often wonder what it must have been like to have a serious disability back then. Life was tough , and family and neighbors were a vital part of each family’s survival. Treasures on Ebay… you never know what you may find.