Overseer of the poor facts for kids

An overseer of the poor was a special helper in olden times. Their job was to give out aid like money, food, and clothes to people who needed help. This happened in England and other countries that followed English laws, like the United States.

Helping People in England

In England, overseers of the poor were part of a system called the Poor Law. They gave out money, food, and clothes to people who were struggling. This important job started with a law called the Act for the Relief of the Poor 1597.

Overseers were often chosen for the job even if they didn't want it. They didn't get paid for their work. They worked under the guidance of a justice of the peace, who was like a local judge. The law said two overseers had to be chosen every Easter. Often, churchwardens or landowners were picked for this role.

This new system of helping the poor also helped keep society organized. It gave a way to manage people who were less fortunate. The overseers of the poor were later replaced in 1834 by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. New groups called boards of guardians took over. However, in some places, overseers still helped collect money for the poor.

What Overseers Did

Overseers had four main jobs:

• They figured out how much money was needed to help the poor. This helped them set the poor rate, which was a local tax.
• They collected the poor rate from people in the town.
• They gave out the poor relief, like money or food, to those in need.
• They looked after the poorhouse, a place where poor people could live.

Helping People in Vermont

In the U.S. state of Vermont, overseers of the poor were also chosen by the town. They were often reluctant to take the job and did not get paid. Sometimes, towns were very small. A few people asking for help could quickly use up all the money set aside for aid.

If someone asked for help too often, they might be sent to a county poor farm. People living there were expected to work to support themselves. They also had to help care for older or disabled residents. Sometimes, there were more people needing help than those who could work. This made it very hard for the able-bodied residents.

The state of Vermont took over welfare services in 1968. This meant the overseers of the poor were no longer needed.

See also

• Poormaster
• Overseer (slave plantation)