The Mercer County Poor Farm - 1918 to 1951
NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN

In the early 1900's, some residents of Mercer County encountered hardships and were no longer able to support themselves. Not having anywhere else to take refuge, they often took residence at the Mercer County Poor Farm. Here, they grew their own produce and raised livestock in exchange for basic living necessities.

Mercer County Poor Farm
Mercer County Poor Farm

When residents died, they were buried at the Poor Farm Cemetery, which still exists today. The Mercer County Commission closed the Poor Farm in 1951 and is currently working to identify the unmarked graves of those who once lived in this historic community (Source: Images of America - Forestry Sciences Lab in Mercer County by William "Bill" Archer).

BURIALS IDENTIFIED

According to the Mercer County Commission, about 300 or more graves are located at the Poor Farm Cemetery. The following list is a portion of those individuals identified so far.


Arlena Wills
Age: 81
Died: January 8, 1929 at 11am
Cause: No cause listed

J.W. Perkins
Age: 74
Died: August 26, 1930 at 6pm
Cause: No cause listed

Jesse Thomas
Age: 76
Died: May 5, 1929 at 5pm
Cause: No cause listed

Suze Rinehart
Age: 75
Died: May 5, 1929 at 5pm
Cause: No cause listed

Walter Reese
Age: 51
Died: November 14, 1928
Cause: No time or cause listed

M.J. Clark
Age: 67
Died: November 25, 1928 at 8am
Cause: No cause listed

Junior Harlow
Age: Unknown
Died: Admitted 12/21/28 died 12/25/28 at 8am
Cause: No cause listed

A.H. Cox
Age: 51
Died: September 21, 1933 at 5am
Cause: No cause listed

Tom Tolliver
Age: 68
Died: September 21, 1933
Cause: No time or cause listed

Louise Park
Age: Unknown
Died: September 8, 1933 at 5am
Cause: No cause listed

Hattie Saunders
Age: 36
Died: September 22, 1929 at 2pm
Cause: No cause listed

Billie Caruthers
Age: Three days old
Died: April 18, 1929 at 8pm
Cause: No cause listed

Oliver Wilbur
Age: 55
Died: July 28, 1929 at 9am
Cause: No cause listed

John Kish
Age: Age unknown
Died: July 20, 1929 at 11:30am
Cause: No cause listed

D.K. French
Age: 74
Died: February 17, 1930 at 5:30pm
Cause: No cause listed

Hyram Pennington
Age: 53
Died: January 16, 1934 at 6am
Cause: No cause listed

Mankin Gravely
Age: 44
Died: December 3, 1936
Cause: No cause or time of death listed

Bettie Kale
Age: 83
Died: April 26, 1934 at 1 pm
Cause: No cause of death listed

Lnifie Parks
Age: 91
Died: August 31, 1934 at 6am
Cause: No cause of death listed

George Pennington
Age: 54
Died: September 15, 1934, at 4pm
Cause: No cause listed

Winton Carr
Age: 70
Died: December 26, 1931
Cause: No time of death or cause listed

Sarah E, Nicewander
Age: 83
Died: March 19, 1932 at 9:30pm
Cause: No cause listed

William Asbury Taylor
Age: One day old
Died: February 14, 1932
Cause: No cause listed

Austin Evans
Age: 62
Died: June 9, 1932 at 6:30pm
Cause: No cause listed

Eliza Hobbs
Age: 83
Died: June 9, 1932 at 6:32pm
Cause: No cause listed

J.W. Boothe
Age: 65
Died: July 4, 1932 at 12pm
Cause: No cause listed

Joe Sisteristie
Age: 42
Died: October 28, 1932
Cause: No time of death or cause listed

Stephen Farmer
Age: 65
Died: May 14, 1934 at 4am
Cause: No cause given

Willard B. Mathena
Age: Two days old
Died: October 14, 1931 at 7pm
Cause: No cause listed

T.A. Byba
Age: 60
Died: March 30, 1932 at 4:30pm
Cause: No cause listed

Henry Porter
Age: 47
Died: August 15, 1933
Cause: No cause listed

Mary Kidd
Age: 40
Died: October 19, 1933 at 6pm
Cause: No cause Given

Thomas Smith
Age: 65
Died: October 12, 1934
Cause: No cause listed

John Galbreath
Age: 54
Died: August 12, 1934
Cause: No cause given

Annie Fletcher
Age: 84
Died: November 15, 1935
Cause: No cause given

Ed Bethel
Age: 36
Died: October 2, 1935
Cause: No cause given

James Goode
Age: 50
Died: March 5, 1936
Cause: No cause given

Jack Hatcher
Age: Unknown
Died: July 21, 1935
Cause: No cause listed

Ester Swatts
Age: 49
Died: November 12, 1935
Cause: No time of death or cause listed

J.W. Darnell
Age: 75
Died: April 10, 1936
Cause: No cause listed

Jackie Lee Hubbard
Age: Unknown
Died: June 7, 1936
Cause: No cause listed

Gwen Gillooly
Age: 69
Died: January 24, 1937
Cause: No time of death or cause listed

Anthony Adverse Griffey
Age: Five days old
Died: July 11, 1937
Cause: No time of death or cause listed

Della Dale Akers
Age: 45
Died: February 23, 1941
Cause: Auto accident

Roxie Bailey
Age: 67
Died: December 17, 1945
Cause: Tuberculosis

Albert W. Blankenship
Age: 70
Died: February 11, 1945
Cause: Heart and Renal failure

Edward Samuel Blankenship
Age: 22
Died: September 3, 1948
Cause: Cancer

Margia Marshall Clendenon
Age: 99
Died: January 5, 1922
Cause: Old age

Luticia Daniel
Age: 22
Died: October 9, 1925
Cause: Homicide, gunshot wound

Victoria Harris
Age: 54
Died: April 1, 1957
Cause: Heart failure

George Lilly
Age: 65
Died: December 7, 1953
Cause: Heart, renal failure

Toler Martin
Age: 74
Died: December 23, 1944
Cause: Heart renal failure

Willie Adam Neal
Age: 68
Died: January 4, 1945
Cause: Pneumonia

George J Pennington
Age: 60
Died: September 15, 1934
Cause: Cancer

Charlie "Gypsy" Puckett
Age: 59
Died: February 17, 1951
Cause: Died in fire

Freeman Howard Roope
Age: 44
Died: January 24, 1934
Cause: Pneumonia

Lafayette Williams
Age: 77
Died: March 9, 1947
Cause: Old age

Samuel Rexwood Woodyard
Age: 58
Died: July 29, 1938
Cause: Syphilis

Mary Yost
Age: 29
Died: March 6, 1936
Cause: Syphilis

Rebecca Kinzer
Age: two months
Died: December 15, 1944
Cause: Pneumonia

Nannie A Kidd
Age: 56
Died: October 19, 1933
Cause: Syphilis

William Pegram
Age: 83
Died: October 19, 1952
Cause: Cerebral hemorrhage

Charles C. Bailey
Age: 66
Died: November 9, 1939
Cause: Uremia

W.G. Harris
Age: Unknown, birthdate unknown
Died: about February 22, 1923
Cause: Homicide by clubbing

Dominick Mosalinski
Age: Unknown
Died: March 2, 1947
Cause: Respiratory failure

Joe Popp
Age: 56
Died: October 1, 1944
Cause: Apoplexy stroke

H.J. Russell
Age: 78
Died: June 23, 1922
Cause: Gastrointestinal disease

Allie Ruth Weatherford
Age: 24
Died: April 6, 1928
Cause: Tuberculosis