Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

In force Feb.[February] 20, 1841.

An ACT in relation to Paupers.
1

Persons chargable where they reside.

Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That hereafter any person becoming chargeable as a pauper in this State, shall be chargeable as such pauper in the county in which he or she resided at the commencement of the thirty days immediately preceding such persons becoming so chargeable.

Clerk of c’ty[county] to notify.

Sec. 2. If any person shall become chargeable in any county in which he or she did not reside at the commencement of the thirty days immediately preceding his or her becoming so chargeable, he or she shall be duly taken care of by the proper authority of the county where he or she may be found, and it shall be the duty of the clerk of the county commissioners’ court to send notice per mail to the clerk of the county commissioners’ court of the county in which such pauper resided as before stated, that said person has become chargeable as a pauper, and requesting the authorities of said county to remove said pauper forthwith, and to pay the expense accrued in taking care of him or them.

When person cannot be removed.

Sec. 3. If said pauper by reason of sickness or disease, or by neglect of the authorities of the county to which he or she belongs, or for any other sufficient cause, cannot be moved,

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then the county taking charge of such individual or individuals may sue for and recover from the county to which said individual or individuals belong, the amount expended for and in behalf of such pauper or paupers and in taking care of the same.

Explanation.

Sec. 4. The term residence in this act shall be taken and considered to mean the actual residence of the party or the place where he or she was employed, or in case he or she was in no employment, then it shall be considered and held to be the place where he made it his home.

This act to take effect from and after its passage.2

Approved, February 20, 1841.

1An unknown representative introduced HB Misc 1 sometime before January 27, 1841, when it was first read before the House of Representatives. The House passed the bill on February 11. The next day, the Senate rejected the bill by a vote of 15 yeas and 21 nays. The Senate reconsidered the vote later that day and passed the bill. The Council of Revision approved the bill on February 20 and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A.,289, 299, 370, 397, 451, 456, 460; Illinois Senate Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 294, 308.

2Previous laws concerning paupers specified that the pauper had to live in a county for twelve months prior to applying for aid (this term was changed to six months in 1839). These laws did not define “residence” or include provisions assigning responsibilities to the county of previous residence.
An Act to Amend an Act, entitled "An Act for the Relief of the Poor," Approved March 1, 1833; An Act to Amend the Act, Entitled "An Act for the Relief of the Poor," Approved March 1, 1833; “An Act for the Relief of the Poor,” 1 March 1833, Revised Laws of Illinois (1833), 480-81.