From the That was Then files, C. Watson Brown of Longmont, Colorado, asked the following question of The Inter Ocean in the late 1800s. Their reply appears afterwards.
What States, if any, require persons to support their pauper parents and other near relatives?
Answer:
The statutes of Illinois require
“that every poor person
who shall be unable to earn a livelihood in consequence of any bodily
infirmity, idiocy, lunacy, or other unavoidable cause, shall be
supported by the father, grandfather, mother, grandmother, children,
grandchildren, brothers or sisters of such person, if they, or either of them, be of sufficient ability; provided that when persons become
paupers from intemperance or other bad conduct they shall not be
entitled to support from any relative except parent or child.”
These relatives are to be called on in the following order:
- Children are to be first called on for parents, if the children are of sufficient
ability, and, if not, then the parents of the poor person
- Brothers and sisters
- Grandchildren
- Grandparents
Married females cannot be required to support their poor relatives unless
they have property in their own right. Similar laws exist in most
if not all the other States of the Union. Not having the statutes of
Colorado at hand, we must refer you to them, at the nearest justice’s
office or at the county court house, for definite information as to
your own State.
It is, however, nearing the end of 2024 and just over half (28) of the fifty states currently have filial responsibility laws. They are: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Source:
The Inter Ocean Curiosity Shop for the year 1883
edited by William P. Jones, A. M.
Seventh Edition
The Inter Ocean Publishing Company,
Madison and Dearborn Streets
Chicago
1891