This system of auctioning off paupers was prevalent in small town Massachusetts. Robert Kelso [1 ] describes the pauper auction in this way: “It became the custom, universal among our Massachusetts communities, to bid off the support of the town’s poor at public auction. The scene was usually at the village tavern on a Saturday night just following the annual town meeting.”
The records of these auctions lists the name of each pauper, the name of the successful bidder and the amount the town must pay to the winning bidder each week.
If the pauper died or was sick during the contract, the town was responsible for paying for the funeral and/or medical bills. In the event that a pauper ran away, or eloped, the contractor was responsible for bringing them back at his own expense. Pauper children were allowed the same educational opportunities as other children in the community. The contractor in turn had the advantage of the labor of the paupers.
As time passed, the system that gave rise to the pauper auction was modified so that all of the town’s poor were grouped into one-year contracts which in effect created privately owned and operated poorhouses.
For more information, see 
Pauper Auctions: The ‘New England Method’ of Public Poor Relief
1. Kelso, Robert W.. History of Public Poor Relief in Massachusetts: 1620-1920 (Patterson Smith reprint series in criminology, law enforcement, and social problems. Publication no. 31). Montclair: Patterson Smith, 1969.
Related:
Town Meeting Auctions Poor Woman to Lowest Bidder, October 18, 1786. (Mass Moments)
Would you have any info on Patrick Manning who arrived May 1849 in Boston.
Found record for him listed as a pauper who died Dec 1849, Newton. His son, Matthew was born Aug 1849 in Newton. I hope you don’t mind this request. We have hit a brick wall finding more info. Thanks.
As the date given is beyond what we have at our website you would most likely find documents for that date at the Boston Public Library or the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Where would I find resources and documentation on Paupers, Pauper Auctions, etc. for the town of Addison in Washington County Maine around 1850 or before?
I have a 3rd great grandmother, Lydia B Moore, listed as a “pauper” in the Perkins household and her son, my 2nd great grandfather, William Tabbut, listed as a “pauper” in the Look household both listed as such in the 1850 census.
I would like to learn as much as is possible about what their situation would have been like in that area during that time.
I appreciate any assistance you may be able to provide.
Thanks,
William Wallace Tabbot
tabbot@earthlink.net
tabbot@fas.harvard.edu
Hi William,
Addison Me is on the coast — at the time of 1850, Fishing and Shipbuilding were the backbone of the local economy — usually those coastal towns in the maritime industries had a number of people moving in and out. The 1850 U S Census was the first to list the names of all members /residents in the household. Before that the census only listed head of household by name. The fact that both Moore and Tabbut are pauper residents in a home would probably mean that a government agency is footing the expense, so local town records – Addison or Washington County Records (Mathias is the county seat) may be helpful. Obviously, local and county historical societies may prove useful. Cemetery and church records may also be helpful. There is a Hiram Tabbut Family Cemetery and a number of Look Family cemeteries in Addison. A quick footnote — many of the original inhabitants of Addison came from Martha’s Vineyard in the early 1770’s.
Good luck.