I am transcribing the VRs of Mount Vernon, Maine, and have recently discovered many pauper records from the 1840-1870 era. This has led to much curiosity about how paupers were treated during this period. It looks like people bid at the town meeting to keep paupers in their homes. However, the curious part is that it looks like they were bidding to take care of their own parents or other relatives. Another curious aspect is that sometimes they were paid in shillings - why would this happen…