As a youth, I often heard "the poor farm" mentioned. Texarkana and Bowie County might be considered my ancestral home and I'm sure there was a county run Poor Farm there but I know nothing (yet) of the specific history. Poor Farms kept people from dying of poverty and, in the US, were administered by counties. They were good incentives to avoid "poorness". Given our current costly welfare system, I can see value in the old, local only, welfare system.
This from Sunday morning wikipedia surfing which started with "I've Been Everywhere" and Hank Snow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ve_Been_Everywhere
I was greatly surprised to learn of the Australian origin and of the many variations. I incorrectly believed that Hank Snow first popularized the song.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Snow
Hank was removed from his home as a child when his mother was judged, by "The Overseer of the Poor", unable to support the family.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseer_of_the_poor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poorhouse
The modern welfare system attempts to remove the stigma of the inability to support one's self. I think that stigma served the very useful purpose of discouraging dependence on the welfare system.
