people and families kicked out of towns for lack of "legal settlement"

M. Green

So, going through the town records of Johnston, Rhode Island, I see this same type of entry over and over. "Whereas the [overseer of the poor] has made a complaint that [John Doe, his wife and family] have come to inhabit in said [town] not being legally settled therein [and not having papers showing their legal settlement] are now chargeable and likely to remain so.." they find out what town they are "legally settled" in (often by checking with the town clerk of that town), and then ship them back. These are my questions:

1. what does it mean to be legally settled? Did they need to have permission to move from town to town?
2. What papers would they need to be able to move, and how would the become legally settled in their new town?
3. How are they determining where the person is legally settled by checking at the Town Clerk's office? What documents would be involved in that? Is there some list kept of the legally settled people of that town? What is the list called, and are there any digitized on familysearch?

TIA

Holiday, Michelle Dawn

https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/homestead-act#background

I would think it would have to do with the homestead act. The records should have been kept on file after and application was approved. I could be very wrong but this is my best guess. I looked up the definition of legally settled and this is what came up.

I would think it would be determined on availability but there were rules to homesteading. If you did not follow through on land usage the land could be revoked.

I would also think that there were some places that did not want new settlers. I wonder if it was easier to gain access if you had money or wealth. Something to offer?

I will look into this more. It is a very interesting question.

SerraNola

@M.Green The three methods of acquiring settlement in Rhode Island (from the Act of 1747) are these:

1- Giving notice to the town council of the town into which any person might come, with intent to reside therein, within one month after so coming in, and remaining therein, without being warned out, for the space of one year.

2- The purchase of a free-hold estate, of the value of thirty pounds sterling.

3- The serving an apprenticeship in any town, other than that of the apprentice's birth.

Settlement laws were passed in all the New England colonies to guard against pauperism. The class of persons without a settlement continually grew larger along with the demand for their removal from the place where they needed relief.