Tag Archives: the poorhouse

The Dotey family’s going from riches to rags was a shocking example

The Calvin B. Doteys, a wealthy and greatly respected family, had a very fine old home with spacious grounds on South Third Street. Old Mr. Dotey made his fortune in, and was president of, the Jefferson Iron Works in the lower end of town. He had a daughter Molly, who became the one and only [...]

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Everyday he went into the dark pits of the mines to earn what it took to care for us children

“Everyone we knew worked in the mine or in the machine shop. Dad met Inez Thompson and at the encouragement of [his stepmother] Della, married. Then came us four children and later a divorce after a long separation (between 3rd and 4th year of school) from Inez. Later, Dad married Rose Mae Jackson at one [...]

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Last stop: the poorhouse

The only asylumWas the poorhouse, and those who could afford,Rather than send their folks to such a place,Kept them at home; and it does seem more human.But it’s not so: the place is the asylum.There they have every means proper to do with,And you aren’t darkening other people’s lives…. Robert Frost (1874–1963), “A Servant to [...]

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