The 1930s brought a wave of hardship that swept across America—and Southwest Virginia was no exception. Following the collapse of the economy in 1929, countless families in Patrick County and surrounding communities found themselves struggling to survive. Tobacco prices plummeted, textile mills laid off workers, chestnut trees died from blight, and subsistence farmers—many already living on the edge—were plunged into even deeper poverty.
The Great Depression was more than just an economic crisis; it was a human tragedy that reshaped daily life. Hunger, illness, and uncertainty became the norm. Yet even in those darkest days, local governments attempted to offer relief—however modest it may have been.
The following is a record of claims allowed by the Patrick County Board of Supervisors from the Virginia Public Assistance Fund, as published in the Martinsville Morning Post on March 15, 1937.
These entries—just a few dollars at a time—reflect the dire needs of ordinary people: food for the poor, clothing for paupers, medical care, burials, and transportation to hospitals. They also offer a fascinating snapshot of how many community stores operated in Patrick County during the Depression. More importantly, they serve as a powerful reminder of the struggles our ancestors endured, and the community that came together to help them.
Claims Allowed – March 1937
Fred Clifton, merchant – account for poor: $28.00
Dr. W. N. Thompson – medical attention to poor: $64.00
Dr. B. A. Hopkins – medical attention to poor: $73.00
Stuart Motor Company – transportation of poor to hospital: $5.00
Mays Funeral Home – transportation of poor to hospital and coffin: $35.00
Amos Beasley, merchant – food for poor: $13.00
I. M. Akers, merchant – food for poor: $14.00
B. H. Mays – coffins for paupers: $15.00
C. S. King – food for pauper: $5.00
W. E. Nelson – food for pauper: $5.00
E. D. DeHart – food and clothing for poor: $6.00
S. B. Epperson – food and clothing for poor: $7.00
W. H. Clark – rent for pauper: $4.00
Joyce Department Store – clothes for poor: $2.00
Stuart Hospital – hospitalization for poor: $301.00
F. M. Gates, merchant – food for poor: $4.00
Stuart Cafe – school supplies for poor: $7.30
F. P. Puckett, merchant – food and clothing for poor: $7.00
Miss Alice Martin – nursing for poor: $10.00
Jackson Via, merchant – clothes for poor: $4.00
W. R. Moorefield, merchant – clothes and food for poor: $6.00
Stuart Cash Store – food for poor: $13.00
C. O. Whitlock, merchant – food and clothing for poor: $4.00
A. N. Padgett, merchant – food for paupers: $6.00
H. F. Belcher, merchant – account for pauper: $4.00
Cassell and Hylton, merchants – account for pauper: $5.00
W. G. Weaver, merchant – coffins for paupers: $47.00
W. L. Ashley, merchant – food and clothing for paupers: $56.00
E. A. Noonkester, merchant – food and clothing for paupers: $19.00
C. S. Spence, merchant – food for paupers: $8.00
Mrs. Mattie L. Craig, merchant – food for paupers: $8.00
P. L. West, merchant – food for pauper: $5.00
T. J. Turner, merchant – food for pauper: $3.00
Agee Bros., merchant – food for pauper: $3.00
W. H. Bowman, merchant – food for pauper: $6.00
Dr. Charles E. Neal Jr. – dental work for paupers: $20.50
S. F. Dunkley, merchant – food for paupers: $16.00
Dr. A. M. Gates – medical services for poor: $22.00
Miss Lizzie Weatherman, merchant – food for poor: $16.00
Martin Memorial Hospital – hospitalization for poor: $34.00
Clark’s Store – food for poor: $19.18
R. A. Wood, merchant – food and clothing for poor: $8.00
J. W. Collins, merchant – account of pauper: $3.00
N. E. Motley, merchant – food and clothing for paupers: $29.00
C. E. Neal, merchant – food for paupers: $5.00
J. D. Brammer, merchant – food and clothing for pauper: $10.00
W. G. Atkins, merchant – food for poor: $5.00
G. P. Biggs, merchant – food and clothing for poor: $4.00
S. D. Koger, merchant – food for paupers: $10.00
W. E. Simmons, merchant – food for poor: $5.00
Hurd & Setliff, merchant – food for pauper: $5.00
Conner Drug Store – medicines for poor: $55.29
Each of these line items represents a life, a struggle, and an act of care. The merchants, doctors, nurses, and public officials who responded to these needs were part of a patchwork system that held the community together in the face of overwhelming hardship. Their efforts—and the strength of those they served—remain a testament to the resilience of Patrick County during one of the most difficult chapters in our nation’s history.
Under the 1938 Virginia Public Assistance Act, every political jurisdiction in the Commonwealth was required to establish a local department of public welfare, creating a more standardized and uniform system for delivering aid across the state.
For questions, comments, or ideas for future stories, you may contact Woody at rockcastlecreek1@gmail.com or 276-692-9626.
