Butler County Poor Farm
(Butler County Home)
Records Index 1900-1963
The Butler County Poor House, also known as the County Home or Poor Farm, was opened on 25 Oct 1900 to accept the homeless and infirm who were unable to provide for themselves. It was reorganized in 1963 as Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The Stewards (superintendents) maintained various records, which were aptly called “Steward’s Register of the Names of Paupers Admitted to the Butler County Poor House”. The admission records commenced in 1900, with the opening of the Poor House, and end in 1963. Additionally, every three months a Census of residents was entered into the Register. Consequently, residents were recorded at the time of admission and in each quarterly Census during their stay. While most people were from Butler County, neighboring counties also placed residents at the Poor House.
Information recorded includes: name of resident, age, sex, race, date of admission, date of discharge or death, by whom committed, residence, place of birth, port of entry (if immigrant), marital status, drinking habits, “Moral Condition”, number of times admitted, physical condition, “Classification” (sanity, idiotic, blind, deaf, vagrant), disease, cause of pauperism, and remarks.
How to Search
For Births and Burials, click on the link for the desired type of record.
For Census and Deaths, select the link that contains the first letter of the person's last name. Scroll down to the desired name.
ADMISSIONS /CENSUS partially completed
BIRTHS completed
BURIALS in the County Home plot
(reconstructed and periodically updated)
DEATHS completed
How to Obtain a Photocopy of a Complete Entry
To order copies of items in the Poor Farm Index, please print and complete the Request Form and mail, with payment, to:
Butler Area Public Library
Genealogy Department
218 N. McKean St.Butler, PA 16001