Monroe County
lInfirmary – The infirmary pictured above was the Monroe County’s institution
for the care of the poor and infirmed.
The building was built in 1899 at a cost of $40,000. The average number of residents in 1905 was
40 to 45. The Superintendent in 1905
was W. B. Taylor.
The following is
an article describing the Monroe County Infirmary that was written by Clyde
Decker-Jeruslem and published in the Spirit of Democracy, Woodsfield, Ohio on
Friday, December 17, 1982. It appears
to describe a structure that precedes the building described above.
John Pfalzgraf (February 11, 1837-May 10, 1919) was elected
Director of the Monroe County Infirmary, in 1873, and served the county in that
capacity for a total of six years. Located a mile or so north of Woodsfield
(County Road #27), the Infirmary Farm then contained 121 acres. The main
housing structure was erected with bricks, in 1854, and was 40 feet by 80 feet
in size and with two one-storied wings-each 22 by 80 feet in size. The County
Home at the farm was then used to house the impoverished and those with
physical infirmities or with unsound minds. A burial plot was also established
on the farm. For many years some of the food supply for residents in the county
home came from animals and crops raised on the farm’s acreage. Those residents who were able assisted with
the farm work.
Daniel Neuhart, Sr., contracted for the erection of the
original county Infirmary buildings (Hardesty’s History). Daniel was born in
Germany, October 28, 1828, to Lawrence and Maria Elizabeth (Ehrzott) Neuhart.
Maria died November 10, 1850. Lawrence died November 15, 1863. Daniel Neuhart,
Sr., was married in Germany on August 1, 1850, to Catherine Kestner who was
born in Germany, November 25, 1830, to Louis and Catherine E. (Weber) Kestner.
Daniel and Catherine (Kestner) Neuhart located in Monroe County, in 1852, and
Neuhart followed contracting the early part of his life. He also built several
church buildings and a number of Monroe County’s fine residences. Daniel
Neuhart, Sr., was a leader engaged in the Marble-cutting business (Woodsfield).
Picture from the book, “Souvenir of Woodsfield and Monroe County 1906” issued
by The Monroe County Republican, Woodsfield, Ohio, 1906
Provided by Richard Harrington and Lena Kahrig -- e-mail: [email protected]
& [email protected]