Prohibitive Costs

During the mid-19th Century, local communities throughout the Maritimes were responsible for their poor. However, in the case of the transient poor, strangers without any ties to the area, the law did not hold communities responsible. Provincial governments set aside funds for the reimbursement of the expenses communities incurred in taking care of such strangers. Thus, as you saw in the previous subsection, when Gamby was found in the woods the Overseers of the Poor and those who took care of him filed invoices with the Parish of Chipman. The village then forwarded the bill to Queen’s County, which in turn passed it on to the New Brunswick government. In the fall of 1863, when the costs seemed excessive to all concerned, the taxpayers of Chipman decided they had to get rid of Gamby. Despite the ensuing scandal, no one was accused of any crime whatsoever. You will see that even those who were scandalized by this decision understood and forgave it.

Court Documents

• John O'Leary, George Benison, Samuel White, Warrant to Poor For £30.00, June 31, 1860
• George Gallaghar, Petition of George Gallaghar Praying impression of Court In payment of [charge] upon Overseers of the poor, January 8, 1864

Government Documents

• John O'Leary, George Benison, Samuel White, Overseers of the Poor for the Parish of Chipman Queens County 1861 for money to pay support of a poor foreigner, March 31, 1861
• Overseers of the Poor Chipman, Overseers of the Poor a/c Chipman [1863], January 19, 1864

Newspaper or Magazine Articles

• Morning Freeman Correspondant, Savage Barbarity, Morning Freeman (St. John, NB), September 15, 1863
• A Rate-Payer of Chipman, Q. C., To the Editor of the Freeman, Morning Freeman (St. John, NB), September 22, 1863