{"product_id":"the-least-of-these-caring-for-the-poor-in-randolph-county-north-carolina-1794-1922","title":"The Least of These: Caring for the Poor in Randolph County, North Carolina 1794-1922","description":"In Matthew 26:11, Jesus observed “For you always have the poor with you,” and this prophesy holds true through the present day. Societies throughout history have struggled with how to address the presence of the poor and this was certainly the case in the region of colonial North Carolina which eventually became Randolph County. The evolution of poor relief from settler neighbors helping each other, to a parish-based system administered through the Anglican Church, to a civic system under the authority of county governments was fraught with conflict, neglect, abuse, and recrimination. Surrounding all was the incessant tension between what ought to be done and what could be afforded, fiscally and politically. Intensifying the process in Randolph County was the demographic and economic cataclysm of the War Between the States and Reconstruction, which stirred poor relief into the dynamics, not only of economic recovery but also of competition between those who would assert political power in the new south.\nWhile much of the archival material underlying The Least of These records the ideas and actions of those charged with caring for the poor, little of it speaks directly of the individuals receiving care. However, by cross-referencing between sources and by applying a bit of deduction, it is sometimes possible to discern the experiences of the poor themselves, and to give voice to many who were largely unheard during their lifetimes. The residents of the Randolph County Poor House were people who had families, histories, misfortune and (occasionally) triumphs. They had lives which, for varied reasons and under various circumstances, took them into that setting and where, in most cases, they ended their days. The Least of These brings the stories of many of these individuals to light, while describing the workings of an institution that served Randolph County for nearly a century.\nRicky J. Allred is the Chief Credit Officer of American Bank of the Carolinas in Monroe, North Carolina, and past president of the Randolph County Genealogical Society. A native of Randolph County, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Wake Forest University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Winthrop University. Mr. Allred has led Walk Thru the Past tours at the Old Asheboro Cemetery since 2008.\u003cbr\u003eASIN: B0FJTWCKZW\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: BVV.B0FJTWCKZW.VG\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Very Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Allred, Ricky J.\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: Book has little sign of wear or use  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Blue Vase Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44492599296061,"sku":"BVV.B0FJTWCKZW.VG","price":11.43,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0589\/4225\/9261\/files\/B0FJTWCKZW-0.jpg?v=1794087990","url":"https:\/\/www.bluevasebooks.com\/products\/the-least-of-these-caring-for-the-poor-in-randolph-county-north-carolina-1794-1922","provider":"Blue Vase Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}