The County Asylum was first located three miles west of Plymouth on the LaPorte Rd. The farm was purchased from John Murphy and then sold to Joseph Evans in 1853. From 1853 to 1862 the "poor of the county were let out to the lowest bidder and did not always receive the care and attention that humanity would demand." The first "Poor Farm" built was on a farm one mile north-east of Tyner City in 1862. It was sold by the county in 1891 to Andrew Campbell for $6,000. The Independent, a local newspaper, stated in the Dec. 21, 1894 issue that, since the completion of the Asylum near Tyner, "no county in the state has taken better care of her poor than has Marshall."
The commissioners decided to relocate the poor farm at a site nearer the county seat, Plymouth. In September, 1891 they purchased 195 acres from Henry Humrichouser for $19,547.50 and contracts were let for the erection of the new asylum. In 1898, The Republican, another local newspaper, describes the 39 inmates at the home....."They do not belong to the criminal class, though the moral perceptions of some of them are weak because of mental defects, but they are respectable people who are obliged to partake of the bounty of the institution because of physical disability or mental taint and lack of relatives who are able to support them."
Visitors to today's "Shady Rest" Home will find a bright, clean, attractive homelike atmosphere where a resident is cared for with the utmost respect for their individual dignity. While the County Poor Farm of 1891 fulfilled the needs of its time, Shady Rest is truly a home, no longer an asylum.
The old register is being printed here due to the wealth of genealogical and historical information it contains. For the most part, age probably refers to the age at the time of entering the home, but not in every case. If there is a question, looking at the original entry is in order. An attempt has been made to copy entries as written, including misspelled words.
Researchers please note: This information has not been proofread. Errors could have been made at every level of entry. This should be used as a secondary source only.
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| Name | Age | Nativity | Date Committed | By Order of Trustee | Date Discharged | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MORICLE, Isaac | ? | American | bef 1 Dec 1868 | Tippecanoe Twp. | 7 Nov 1907 | 63 Aug. 31, 1900(probably referring to his age |
| VINNEDGE, George | 56 | American | bef 1 Dec 1868 | no | 9 Aug 1902 | Died 9 Aug 1902, buried in Asylum Cemetery 10 Aug 1902, Row 3, Lot 1 |
| WINKLEY, Catharine | 42 | American | 17 Mar 1874 | Bourbon Twp. | 24 July 1905 | Body buried in Asylum Cemetery at County expense, Row 3, Grave 6. Body claimed by Theo. Cressner, legal representative |
| WAGLEY, David | 56 estimated 31 Aug 1900 | Swiss | 2 June 1874 | German Twp. | not given | not given |
| ELLINGER, Henry | ? | American | 6 June 1885 | Polk Twp. | 23 May 1893 | Taken away by his brother, George Ellinger |
| MOORE, Joseph | ? | American | 16 Feb 1879 | Center Twp. | 28 March 1894 | Died of chronic diorhea 28 March 1894. Taken to Plymouth for burial in Oak Hill Cemetery |
| FRANCIS, Mary | ? | American | 28 Dec 1884 | no | 2 Sept 1891 | Died 2 Sept 1891, buried on the farm |
| BIXLER, Viola | ? | American | 28 Dec 1884 | no | 7 Aug 1896 | Taken to Longcliff, Logansport |
| FLORA, Lucinda | 17/18 | American | 13 Dec 1884 | Bourbon Twp. | not given | Daughter of Abraim Flora was born 23 June 1867 in Kosciusko Co. Her mother was Lavina Smith. Relatives live near Etna Green. Died 18 June 1942. Body taken by Danielson. Buried at Sandridge North of Bourbon. |
| DICK, Leah | 35, estimated 31 Aug 1900 | American | 20 June 1888 | Bourbon Twp. | 15 Feby 1905 | Taken to Longcliff, Logansport |
| LEHMAN, Barbara | ? | American | 31 May 1889 | no | 15 Jan 1891 | Sent to Asylum at Logansport, Ind. |
| JOHNSON, Vickey | ? | American | 25 Feb 1885 | no | 19 March 1895 | Died 19 March 1895 of consumption, buried on farm |
| BAGLEY, Jennie | ? | American | 3 Oct 1889 | no | 12 Oct 1891 | Taken away by Mr. & Mrs. Calvert Knott near South Bend, Ind. |
| RICE, Samuel | 38 | American | 24 Feb 1883 | no | 1 Oct 1890 | Returned to the Insane Asylum at Logansport |
| BAKER, Jacob | ? | German | 30 Sept 1889 | no | 14 April 1890 | none |
| HIGGINS, William | 52 | American | 7 Dec 1888 | Walnut Twp. | 17 Jan 1897 | Born in Ohio. Cor. William Spencer, Rutland, Ind. Died of Epilepsy and was taken away by his friends. |
| CLIPPET, John | 74, estimated 31 Aug 1900 | German | 6 Nov 1884 | Green Twp. | 19 Feby 1907 | Buried on Farm Cemetery, Row 3, Grave 8. Died Feby 19, Buried Feby 20, 1907 |
| MACALIER, James | 18 | American | 2 Nov 1889 | Center Twp. | 21 May 1890 | none |
| FRANK, Charles | 33, estimated 31 Aug 1900 (45 also written below) | American | 28 Jan 1890 | West Twp. | 31 Aug 1903 | Taken to Longcliff Asylum |
| KAISLER, Mary | 74 | German | 20 June 1888 | Bourbon Twp. | 28 May 1890 | none |
| DEVINNEY, Catharine | 58 | American | 28 May 1889 | West Twp. | 12 Oct 1891 | Sent to her sister, Mrs. Cook of West Twp., who had decided to keep her. |
| STEVENS, Christopher | ? | German | 21 Nov 1876 | Center Twp. | 12 Sept 1892 | Sent to Jolliett, Illinois there taken charge of by the Sisters in a Catholic Hospital. Mr. Stevens having received a pension. |
| JOHNSON, August | ? | Swede | 24 Nov 1873 | Polk Twp. | 2 Oct 1892 | Died 2 Oct 1892. Was taken away and burried in the Swedish grave yard. |
| TAYLOR, Chas. | 20 | American | 27 Jan 1889 | Walnut Twp. | 1 Mch 1890 | none |
| BURNS, John | ? | American | 28 Feb 1890 | Center Twp. | 5 Mch 1890 | Died 5 March 1890 of Titanis following amputation of finger on both hands because of being frozen. Was burried at the Farm. |
| TOWN, Lyman | 44 | American | 26 Feb 1890 | Walnut Twp. | 4 Mch 1890 | none |
| DAVIS, John I. | ? | American | 20 Feb 1890 | North Twp. | 12 Mch 1890 | Returned him to Rochester and delivered him over to the Trustee of Rochester Township of which place he was a lawful resident. |
| TOWN, Lyman | 44 | American | 10 Apr 1890 | Walnut Twp. | 21 Apr 1890 | none |
| RISTINE, Charles W. | 46 | American | 20 Apr 1890 | Walnut Twp. | 19 May 1890 | none |
| GALAWAY, Owen | ? | American | 2 May 1890 | Center Twp. | 17 May 1890 | none |
| MOORE, Mary | 22 | American | 23 May 1890 | Walnut Twp. | 14 June 1890 | none |
| SHADE, Rudolph | ? | German | 29 May 1890 | Bourbon Twp. | 2 June 1890 | none |
| KAISLER, Mary | ? | German | 4 June 1890 | Bourbon Twp. | 11 July 1890 | Died 11 July 1890, was taken to Plymouth and buried in the Catholic cemetery. |
| SHADE, Rudolph | 61 | German | 12 July 1890 | Bourbon Twp. | 22 Mch 1891 | Died 22 March 1891 and was taken to Bourbon for burial |
| HEALY, Frank | 20 | Irish | 2 Aug 1890 | Polk Twp. | 14 Aug 1890 | none |
| GREGORY, Lizzie (nee Kessling) | 45 | American | 19 Aug 1890 | Center Twp. | 30 Aug 1890 | none |
| HORNSBY, Eliza | 41 | American | 19 Aug 1890 | Center Twp. | 11 Sept 1890 | none |
| FIELD, Charles | 20 | American | 4 Dec 1890 | Polk Twp. | 10 Sept 1890 | none |
| BAKER, Jacob | 70 | German | 10 Sept 1890 | Polk Twp. | none | |
| DAVIS, Isaac | born 19 Dec 1858 | American | 17 Sept 1890 | Center Twp | 3 Feb 1927 | Burried in Hindle Cemetary. Bunnell Directors--has 1 brother Tom Davis. 1 sister in Mississippi |
| MATISON, Ora | 20 | American | 13 Oct 1890 | Center Twp. | 27 Feb 1891 | none |
| FISHER, Karl | 52 | German | 18 Oct 1890 | German Twp. | 31 Oct 1890 | none |
| TOWN, Lyman | 44 | American | 20 Oct 1890 | Walnut Twp. | 3 Nov 1890 | none |
| DUNBAR, Jacob | 3 | American | 5 Dec 1890 | Green Twp. | 12 Dec 1890 | Sent to the Orphans Home at Mishawaka |
| DOE, John (true name not given) | ? | American | 10 Dec 1890 | Polk Twp. | 12 Dec 1890 | none |
| DIGGINS, Lewis | 59 | American | 30 Dec 1890 | Walnut Twp. | 10 Mch 1890 | none |
| MOORE, Mary | 22 | American | 26 Dec 1890 | Center Twp. | 10 Jan 1891 | none |
| male child of MATISON, Ora | ? | ? | 8 Jan 1891 | no | 27 Feb 1891 | Gave birth to a male child |
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