New York State Board of Charities Registers of Tramps Applying for Relief

Each volume within this series contains reports for a single month. Within each volume, the reports are arranged alphabetically by county and alphabetically by town or city within each county.

Legislation enacted in 1875 (Chapter 141) required superintendents of the poor, and other officers charged with relief and support of indigent persons, to furnish keepers and officers in charge of poorhouses and almshouses with "as full information as practicable in relation to each person" whom they had referred to such institutions. Keepers and officers in charge of poorhouses and almshouses were required to record this information on standard forms, retain the forms in their respective institutions, and submit copies thereof to the State Board of Charities on a monthly basis.

This series consists of standard reporting forms submitted to the Board of Charities by keepers or officers in charge of poorhouses and almshouses. The forms provide personal data regarding tramps who applied to local overseers of the poor, police, or keepers of poorhouses and almshouses for food and/or lodging. The term tramp referred to an individual with no established residence or means of financial support.

An entry for each person contains the following information: name; color; sex; age; physical characteristics; birthplace; the port of arrival, length of residence in the state and country, whether head money paid, and whether naturalized (for those foreign born); marital status; education; physical condition; occupation; place from which person began tramping; length of time spent tramping; where last aided; why relief required; type and amount of relief given; cost of relief furnished; and general remarks on health, appearance, and habits.

Microform is available at the New York State Archives through interlibrary loan.

A1978Series A1978, New York State Board of Charities Census of Inmates in Almshouses and Poorhouses, contains related records for the period 1875-1921.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this series.