Throughout the pioneer days of Madison County, each township supported its own poor, but finally the duty devolved upon the county, and private individuals were engaged to support indigent persons, or paid for doing so. In September, 1857, the County Commissioners appropriated $15,000 toward purchasing land and erecting suitable buildings for a County Infirmary, provided, however, that the county vote in favor of said appropriation at the following October election. Whether or not the Commissioners' action was ratified, we are unable to say, but nothing was done toward establishing the Infirmary for more than six years subsequent to that event. On the 9th of June, 1864, the Commissioners purchased 110 acres of land from Jesse Watson and James Q. Minshall, paying for the same $95 per acre. It was located immediately south of London, and a portion of it is now inside the corporate limits. Fruit trees were planted, fences built and the property somewhat improved, but no buildings were erected, nor was it ever occupied for infirmary purposes, and was finally sold.
The present farm was purchased June 6, 1866, from James Rankin, Jr., and originally contained 68¼ acres of land, for which they paid $75 per acre. Additions have since been made and they now have a farm of 105 acres. The Commissioners met July 2, 1866, and appointed three directors, viz.: J. W. Carr, William Cryder and Richard Baskerville, and they in turn, subsequently, appointed G. W. Darety as Superintendent of the Infirmary. He took possession of the frame house standing on the farm, when purchased, July 17, 1866, and July 31, the first inmates were admitted. On the 3d of August, 1866, bids were advertised for the erection of a "lunatic building," and September 3, the contract was awarded to Ginn & Henry, of Cedarville, to be completed November 5, at a cost of $4,999. On the 6th of November, the contract for erecting a new Infirmary building was given to the same firm, at a cost of $18,000. After the erection of this building, it was found very imperfect, and prior to its completion it was discovered that the contractors were not doing the work according to contract. It was found absolutely unsafe, and August 31, 1868, was condemned by Anderson & Hannaford, architects, of Cincinnati, whom the Commissioners called upon to examine the structure. The board then took the matter in hand, remodeled and strengthened the building wherever necessary, and carried the whole to completion. Mr. Darety continued as Superintendent, and moved into the new building January 11, 1872. In August, 1873, Isaac Curl succeeded Mr. Darety, and served until April 1, 1875, when William M. Jackson became Superintendent, and he, in turn, was succeeded by J. Smith Davidson, April 1, 1877, who has since occupied the position.
In 1872, Samuel P. Davidson, one of the Infirmary Directors, was employed by the Commissioners to lay off the grounds surrounding the new buildings, and make such improvements as were necessary to the comfort, convenience and attractiveness of the institution. He drafted a plan of the grounds, which the Commissioners approved. In front of the building the landscape was laid off twenty yards square, with a heart shaped driveway from the gate to the main entrance of the building, and cutting this figure in two, is a gravel walk from the gate to the front door of the Infirmary. Within the driveway, flowers, shrubbery and ornamental trees decorate the grounds, while surrounding it are planted fruit trees and various kinds of evergreens, giving to the whole a handsome appearance, and reflecting much credit upon its worthy projector, as well as upon the county whose generous munificence has created this asylum for poor, suffering humanity.
The building is of brick, with stone foundation, 45x108 feet in size, four stories high, with a rear wing 32x45 feet, and of the same height as the main structure. The basement, or first story, contains nineteen rooms; here are located the kitchen, bakery, laundry, children's dining room, milk house and storage rooms, also the engine and boilers which heat the building throughout. Each of the other stories contain twenty rooms. On ascending a flight of stone steps from the driveway, you reach the first floor above the basement, which contains the Superintendent's office and reception room, two dining rooms, and sixteen bed rooms for the inmates. The central and western portion of the next floor is occupied by the family of the Superintendent, the rest of it being used for inmates' bed rooms, bath rooms, and a clothing room wherein the wearing apparel of the inmates is kept, neatly folded away for their use, whenever they need it. The top floor is divided into bed rooms for the inmates and the help engaged at the Infirmary. There is also located on this floor a school room, where the children stopping at the institution have regular instruction, by a competent teacher, employed for the purpose. The building contains three cells, in which insane inmates are confined when such a course is necessary. Close to the rear of the main structure, stands a brick wash-house, a brick smoke-house, a frame ice-house, and all other outbuildings common to such institutions.
The farm lies about three miles and a half southwest of London, in Union Township, and is located between the Jefferson, South Charlestown, & Xenia Turnpike, and the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad. It is the highest elevation between London and Cincinnati, and possesses an excellent soil. The water is unequaled in the county, and contains splendid tonic qualities; while the premises at and around the Infirmary have wells and pipes from which it flows constantly, yielding a never-failing supply for all purposes. The farm is well improved, contains an ice pond, has an orchard of several acres of the finest varieties of fruit trees, is kept in the best condition possible, and for a healthful, pleasant location cannot be surpassed anywhere in Madison County. The present Directors are Preston Adair, Isaac H. Hambleton, and John Gilliland.