Daily AncestorOverseer of the poor
An overseer of the poor was a local official who arranged help for poor residents of a town, often placing them with families or on the poor farm.
Following English poor law, American towns and counties were responsible for their own poor. Overseers of the poor decided who received help, collected or spent the poor tax, and arranged care, sometimes by boarding paupers with the lowest bidder.
Their records can name widows, orphans and elderly people who appear nowhere else.
As seen in a recordNew England and New York town meeting records
Voted: Jno. Fisk, overseer of the poor
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Daily Ancestor. "Overseer of the poor." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/overseer-of-the-poor. Last checked 2026-10-01.