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Subject: [SACKETT-L] Aaron Sackett; Vermont & Warnings Out
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 23:46:22 -0400

Hi Cousins: When Kathy Campbell sent me the following bit of information I went off on a "side track" to find out what Warnings Out were. [That's right, I didn't know.] Kathy's information is followed with different bits of information I found on the subject: Wallingford Warnings Out (FHL Title: Miscellaneous Record #1; inside cover "Town Book for Wallingford 1790"; FHL 0029216 p. 130 (real page #116): 25 Jun. 1804, SACKET, Aaron and family; copy given to his wife. Source: VERMONT WARNINGS OUT; In 2 Volumes (Volume 2, Southern Vermont, plus additions to Volume 1, Northern Vermont); Alden M. Rollins, 1995-, Picton Press, Camden, ME. ------------------------------ In Vermont, legislation from 1779 to 1801 defined the circumstances of a legal settlement, while at the same time offering the right of town selectmen to warn newcomers to leave. Almost any reason to warn a new person out would do. The 1801 law specifically stated "That whenever any person, or persons, shall come and reside within any town in this state, the select men of such town, may at their discretion, warn such person, or persons, to depart said town." The key words here are, "at their discretion." The selectmen had a year in which to act; if they did nothing, the newcomers became legal settlers automatically after the year had passed. [Jane Fletcher Fiske, ed., The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, (July 993 Whole Number 587), CXLVII, (Boston: The New England Historical Genealogical Society, July 1993). p.255] ----------------------------- The Genealogical Society of Vermont will hold its spring meeting on Saturday, May 17, at the North Congregational Church in St. Johnsbury. The guest speaker will be Alden Rollins (University of Alaska-Anchorage), who will discuss "Warning Out Procedures and Records in Vermont, 1760's-1817." "Warning out"-asking newcomers to leave town-was a common procedure in New England towns. Professor Rollins has found 3,000 such warnings in the town books of Vermont, and yet few people actually left town in response. What did the warnings mean and what value do they have for researchers today? ----------------------------- Excerpts from a response to a query as to what the record Kathy had supplied of the warning out of Aaron Sacket said: Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 00:19:02 EDT To: Subject: Re: Vt. Warnings out. Unfortunately the records states exactly what you have written. Only rarely does the warning elaborate upon the reasoning behind the decision. Warnings out were usually given when the family or individual fell on hard times, or other family members moved in with them without the permission of the town board. It was feared additional people in the home would bring about a hardship whereby the town would be forced to help support the entire family, therefore, if they were warned to get out of the town the problem could be put upon another town and save money. Many warned out were widows with small children and the very elderly. No family was allowed to let others live in their home without permission of the selectmen or town board. It was all about money and survival in a time when just existing was difficult. One {woman] was made to leave the home of her parents where she had taken refuge from an abusive husband. The town leaders ordered her and her children warned out and the parents fined heavily for letting her live there for two days without permission, however, when the parents did not make her leave and return to the husband in the nearby town she was loaded up and taken back by those in authority. The husband ended up beating her to death and severely crippling one of the children... Marlene ------------------------- Regards, Thurmon __________________________________________________________________ Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with ! http://shopnow.netscape.com/ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/

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