By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–A full house was on hand Friday to hear former Henry County Mayor Brent Greer relate the history of the former Henry County Home, which was a “welcome shelter for those with no place to go” for many years.
Greer spoke at the latest in a series of Lunch & Learn programs for the Paris-Henry County Bicentennial at the Heritage Center. A ‘boarding house’ meal of ribs, cornbread, beans, greens and cabbage was served.
Greer said the County Home was utilized before the days of public assistance as a means of caring for those who could not care for themselves. He noted that in its early days it was called by the unfortunate name of “the Poor Farm’.
The Henry County Commissioners purchased over 100 acres in 1837 six miles northeast of Paris for a home for paupers and James Moore was appointed steward. Greer said that property was in the area of what is now Old Paris-Murray Rod. The farm was used for the poor until 1873 when it was sold. The poor had lived on the farm and also housed in the homes of others. The county would pay for the care of the poor and homeless at the private homes, he said.
The records that covered caring for the poor were scant for that time period and Greer said if it wasn’t for the ladies at the Henry County Archives, that time period would not be as well documented as it is now.
In 1873, the county purchased a 243-acre farm from James D. Porter for $1000 and the buildings on the farm were adapted for use as a home for the poor for at least 30 residents to live there. Additionally, some 25 people farmed out to citizens for housing and to help with their work.
Greer said James Moore was contracted as caretaker of the home in 1878 and his duties included clearing the grounds, feeding the residents and maintaining the building. In its early days, it was referred to in county records as an ‘asylum’ or ‘work house’, he said, and anyone living there had to go through the courts to be sent there.
The home was maintained by Wiley Ranson and Lillie Bell Paschall Owen in the mid-1930s and their daughter Lorene Owens Miles spoke to the Genealogy Society of her memories of growing up in the home. She also was interviewed for a couple of articles in PARIS! Magazine.
Greer recalled that Reed Shepherd and Dillard Castleberry were instrumental in bringing attention to the unmarked burials at the County Home when they began clearing the thickets that had grown up on the property and placing a large white cross there.
After a discussion with Greer, the wheels were set in motion for the appointment of a County Cemetery Committee which then began researching the burials and identify many of those who were buried there. Greer noted that their work was difficult and exhaustive and involved utilizing a number of resources.
Gage Starks then took it on as an Eagle Scout project and worked to clear the burial grounds and mark the graves with white crosses. Starks is the son of Henry County Commissioner Monte Starks.
Greer noted that relatives of the stewards of the County Home property were on hand for the program, including Jan Neumann, daughter of Lorena Miles, and Tom Winchester, who is a relative of Wiley and Lillie Owens.
At Greer’s invitation, Winchester spoke to everyone about his memories of the County Home. He remembered that the property included a main house, outbuildings, barn, and chickenhouse and that cows, chickens, horses and pigs were raised there and with a garden, everything for the home was raised on the property.
Greer said the County Home was closed in the 1940s around the time that the federal government began providing public assistance to the needy.
Greer praised the County Cemetery Committee as “one of the most important committees” that he appointed during his time as County Mayor. He introduced County Archivist Stephanie Tayloe and members of the committee. Tayloe said the County Home “was the end of the road for many, but also a shelter in the storm.”
The next Lunch & Learn program will be Friday, October 21, at which Suzanne Richter will speak about a local fireman whose valor changed firefighting.
Photo: Former County Mayor Brent Greer relates County Home history before a full house. (Shannon McFarlin photo).