Overseer of the poor

An overseer of the poor was an official who administered poor relief such as money, food, and clothing in England and various other countries which derived their law from England, such as the United States.

England

In England, overseers of the poor administered poor relief such as money, food and clothing as part of the Poor Law system. The position was created by the Poor Relief Act 1597.

Overseers of the poor were often reluctant appointees who were unpaid, working under the supervision of a justice of the peace. The law required two overseers to be elected every Easter, and churchwardens or landowners were often selected.

The new system of poor relief reinforced a sense of social hierarchy and provided a way of controlling the 'lower orders'. Overseers of the poor were replaced in the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, and replaced with boards of guardians, although overseers remained in some places as a method of collecting the poor rate.

Duties

Overseers had four duties:

• Estimate how much poor relief money was needed in order to set the poor rate accordingly;
• Collect the poor rate;
• Distribute poor relief; and
• Supervise the poorhouse.

Vermont

In the U.S. state of Vermont, the former post of overseer of the poor was an elected town office responsible for welfare benefits. A 1797 law requires town overseers to "relieve, support and maintain" the "poor, lame, blind, sick and other inhabitants within such town or place, who are not able to maintain themselves." Some records survive relief recipients, along with amounts provided. Several towns maintained town farms (known as "poor farms") in which the poor lived and worked for their support (akin to the workhouses of England). Some disabled Vermonters were sent to the Brandon State School instead.

Effective October 1, 1968, Vermont abolished the post of overseer of the poor, and the state took over welfare.

See also

• Poormaster
• Overseer (slave plantation)