Some of you will be familiar with Col. John Alexander Joyce. An immigrant from Ireland who spent many of his formative years in Kentucky, he would go on to become a noted military officer, poet, author, and player in the 19th-century American politico. He also had run-ins with the law (e.g. the whiskey affair), received…
Category: Eastern State Hospital
Kentucky’s Titular “Demon Slayer” and Escape Artist and the Death of a Salesman
In 1927, 26-year-old Alex Runion, a World War veteran and criminal with charged in three states, was charged with the murder of automobile salesman Louis Riley near Newport, Kentucky. It was alleged by local police that Runion “fired the fatal shot after Riley had been ‘taken for a ride’.” A year later in 1928, while…
State Hospital Rules and Regulations
This information pertains to regulations during the middle of the 20th century for state hospitals in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Regulations and laws were subject to change by acts of legislation. Please remember to keep this information in a historical perspective. Patient Care The director will authorize the admission of a legally committed patient so…
1920s State Board of Charitable Institutions Documents and Reports
1923 survey of the Penal and Charitable Institutions by the State Board of Charities and Corrections. This survey examined ways to increase the efficacy of the treatment and care of inmates 1927 Report of Industries and Character of Work Performed at Each Institution, the Number of Patients at Work, and Plans for the Future 1923…
Disposition of Final Remains at KY Institutions
This is a set of early 1920s documents from the Commonwealth explaining the procedure for the disposition of final remains of those who died in any of Kentucky’s institutions. It does not include a list of patient names. Please note that these documents primarily relate up to and before the 1920s. Works Cited
Dorothea Dix: Crusader for the Insane
The beginnings of Dorothea “Dolly” Lynde Dix were shrouded in mystery for many years. Miss Dix, even in her later years, always remained secretive about her early life. In fact, many of her friends didn’t even know her date of birth. Eventually, it was uncovered that Miss Dix was born on the fourth of April,…
Kentucky Historic Institutions 