Freedmen's Bureau Records: H. H. Peck to [W. Storer
How], March 28, 1866
Summary:
Peck, President of the Augusta County Overseers of the Poor, explains what
resources the county may be able to provide to help support poor blacks. He
seems optimistic that the county will be able to provide such support through a
tax levy.
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen & Abandoned
Lands
Winchester Va
March 28 1866
Augusta County Va
As President of the Board of Overseers of the Poor of Augusta County, I beg to make the following reply to your communication of the 26th inst.
I cannot undertake to anticipate what the County Court of said County (the only body having power to raise money for County purposes) will do at its annual levy courts in June next, but I feel authorized to say that the Board over which I preside will ask that a sufficient sum shall be levied for to meet the necessities of the destitute persons having a claim upon legal residence in the County without regard to color or class, and I entertain no doubt but that said Court will make such levy and to that end, will assess an equal poll or capitation tax on all male inhabitants of the fixed age & who may not be exempt on account of physical infirmity.
We expect to provide as heretofore for all the destitute alike if
[unclear: our] people can stand the burden. We have a house of reception
for the paupers (to which is attached a farm) capable of accomodating about
sixty persons and have always made special appropriations (administered
[page 2]
by members of our board) to aid in the support of poor persons not
inmates of the poorhouse.
In asmuch as we cannot forsee what number of helpless or idle persons may be thrown upon the charity of the county for support, and as it cannot be [unclear: expected] that any large amount of tax will help [unclear: amply] or be collected of the freedmen it is impossible to anticipate [unclear: whether] the amounts we may have levied will be sufficient to meet all wants of the poor & needy.
I cannot say now what the poll or other tax will be. We have our [unclear: stated] meeting to fix the sum [illeg.] [illeg.] apply for in the [unclear: deemed] [illeg.] in next month. If an estimate shows [unclear: f---] that of the population in view it will be because there are more from in our county having [unclear: d------], than we are aware of or because our people are too poor, under present circumstances, to meet the demand, and if there should be a deficiency we [unclear: have] the Federal Government will [unclear: continue] it and its funds.
Nothing can be expected from the [unclear: contemplated] levy until the end of the present year as the collection cannot account for the time & any help given before that time must be in the faith & credit of the County.
I am not the representative of the Town of
[page 3]
Staunton, but feel
justified in saying that the overseers of the Poor acting in its behalf are
[unclear: activated] by sentiments similar to those I have expressed
for my board, but in as much as there has been an [illeg.] influx of
freedmen into the corporation from surrounding counties, I think it [deleted: ]
[illeg.] at present the people can well meet all demands the destitute
may make on its means, and [unclear: consequently] help may be needed of
the Federal Government.
Of one thing we can speak with certainty, everything humanity & justice may require within our ability to come up to will be done to [unclear: alleviate] & make contented & compatible the freedmen who have been thrown upon us for support, protection & [deleted: ].
I am very respectfully
your Obt
Servt
H. H Peck, President of the Board of Overseers of the Poor of A.Co.
