In the following information all the names, dates and other essential particulars which appear in the returns to the Court in the County of Worcester during the entire period – a full half-century, from 1737 to 1788 – in which these entries were made, are given. The returns from each place have been brought together and arranged under the name of the town or district, in this case Charlton Massachusetts.
Abbreviations: – w. for wife; ch. for child or children.
The first date in each entry is that of the return of the warrant to the Court.
What was a warning?
By an act in 1692-3 strangers entertained in any town for the space of three months, and not warned out,” and their names returned to the Court of Quarter Sessions, would be considered as inhabitants of such towns, and this act was practically in force through the Provincial period. In accordance with these provisions the towns issuing warnings against newcomers, and recording the names with the Court, were relieved from liability of their support, throwing the same upon the towns from which they came, if they proved to be improvident and worthless; and this action not only included that class of persons, but also those in every way responsible. In some towns a large proportion of its inhabitants, many of whom became prominent citizens, appears in the list of persons warned; and the fact that a family were warned to leave town is not to be considered as indicating that they were paupers or even in indigent circumstances. It is true that some were in this condition, but very many were not.
Charlton Massachusetts Warnings
1755 Nov. 5 Allen, Joseph, w. and family.
1784 Sept. Ammidown, Jeremiah, w. Betty, ch. Lucy, Polly, Sally, Jeremiah, Samuel, Rufus.
1785 Mch. 29 Atkins, Joseph. Martha, Elisha, Jerusha, Lemuel, Patty, Samuel.
1785 Mch. 29 Allen, Eleazer, w. Margaret. Jan. 31, 1784.
1785 Sept. 6 Albe, Joseph, w. Mary, ch. Emma, Obadiah, Daniel, Mary, Prudence, Surviah, Alpheus, Joseph.
1759 May Burden, John, w. and family. Dec. 13, 1758.
1764 Feb. 7 Baker, John, son of Joseph and Mary. Jan. 3, 1764.
1765 May 14 Bacon, Daniel, w. and family. Sept. 17, 1764.
1766 May 11 Baker, Joseph, w. and family, from Dudley. Aug. 28, 1765.
1767 Jan. 6 Bixby, Jonathan, w. Elizabeth, ch. Samuel, Jacob, Martha, Jonathan, Elizabeth, Amasa, from Killingly.
1767 Jan. 6 Barton, Caleb, w. Susanna, ch. Jacob, Bathsheba, Hannah, Sibyl, Olive, from Oxford. June 17, 1766.
1784 Sept. Bowman, Ezra, w. Betsy, ch. William, Glenson, Campbell, Rufus, Sophia, Nathaniel, Betsy, Polly, Alexander.
1784 Sept. Bates, David, w. and apprentice.
1784 Sept. Brown, Nathan.
1760 Aug. Curtis, John, W. and family. Jan. 25, 1760.
1763 May 10 Crossman, Sarah. April 28, 1763,
1763 May 10 Chub, Samuel, W. and family. Oct. 28, 1762.
1764 Feb. 17 Comins, Deborah. Nov. 15, 1763.
1764 Feb. 17 Coburn, William, w. and family. June 6, 1763.
1765 May 14 Crossman, James. Sept. 17, 1764.
1785 Mch. 29 Crosby, Reuben and Zerviah.
1785 Mch. 29 Corbin, Asa, w. Patience, ch. Smith, Ephraim, Sarah, Polly.
1765 May 14 Davison, Habackuk, w. and family. Sept. 17, 1764.
1766 May 11 Dennis, Benjamin, w. Abigail, his mother Susanna, ch. Abigail, Charity, Benjamin, Joseph, Edward, Sarah, Hannah, from Dudley. May 27, 1765.
1765 May 14 Edwards, Lemuel, w. and family Sept 17, 1764.
1783 Mch. 25 Easty, Elizabeth, mulatto, son of Nathaniel Curtis or Easty. 1
1760 Aug. Farley, John, w. and children, from Douglas. June 4, 1759.
1761 May 11 Fish, Prudence. Feb. 9. 1761.
1785 Mch. 29 Fletchard, Joseph, w. Mary, ch. Joseph, Jr. Also David and Parker.
1760 Aug. Gould, Elizabeth. Feb. 18, 1760
1762 May 11 Gleason, Uriah, w. and family. Dec. 30 1761.
1762 May 11 Gode, Philip, w. and family. March 22, 1762.
1766 May 11 Goodell, Zechariah, w. and family, from Danvers. Nov. 20, 1765.
1767 Jan. 6 Goodell, John, w. Anna, ch. David, Anna.
1760 Aug. Hutchins, Sarah. June 4, 1759.
1765 May 14 Hobbs, Benjamin, w. and children. Sept. 17, 1764
1767 Jan. 6 Hale, Jonathan. Feb. 26, 1766.
1784 Sept. Harris, John, w. Abigail.
1784 Sept. Jack, Esther, daughters, Patience, Esther, Ibray.
1766 May 11 Lamb, Samuel, w. and children, from Promfret. Nov. 20, 1765.
1757 Aug. 16 McIntire, Job, w. and family. Feb. 17, 1757.
1760 Aug. Merrit, Isaac, w.Jerusha and family. Jan. 25, 1760.
1766 May 11 Marsh, Joseph, from Sutton. May 27, 1765.
1783 Mch. 25 Mason, Ruth, son Asa Russell.
1783 Dec. 2 Morris, Edward, w. Dorcas, ch. William, Sarah, Elisha, Edward Jr., Simon.
1785 Mch. 29 Mixter, David, w. Prudence.
1762 Aug. Noland, Moses, w. and family. Mav 1, 1762.
1783 Mch. 25 Nichols, Thomas, negro, daughter, Suca.
1760 Aug. Pond, Caleb. Jan. 25, 1760.
1762 May 11 Pierce, Sarah. Nov. 23, 1761.
1767 Jan. 6 Pratt, David, w. Sarah, ch. Hannah, Reuben, from Oxford. Jan. 13, 1766.
1767 Jan. 6 Pierce, Hannah, widow, from Salem. Feb. 7, 1766.
1783 Mch. 25 Pearly, H—– , w. Elizabeth. Aug. 1, 1782.
1785 Mch. 29 Putnam, Gideon, w. Abigail, ch. Gideon Jr., Abigail, Artemas, Mary.
1767 Jan. 6 Robbin, Zerviah, from Douglas. July 17, 1766.
1783 Mch. 25 Ramsdell, Kimball, w. Beulah or Beulah Blaney, June 19, 1782.
1784 Sept. Rowel, Peter, w. Betty, daughter Betty; Amicy, Marth and Isaac Jones, apprentices.
1784 Sept. Smith, William, w. Molly, son. William Jr.
1785 Sept. 5 Smith, Caleb, w. Martha, ch. Caleb, Sarah.
1764 Feb. 7 Wakefield, Mary, ch. Ebenezer, Rachel. Jan. 3, 1764.
1767 Jan. 6 Willington, John, w. Susanna, ch. Nathaniel, Ebenezer, John, from Brookfield. Jan. 13, 1766.
1783 Mch. 25 Winslow, Jonathan, w. Patience. March 6, 1783.
1783 Dec. 2 Winslow, Jonathan, w. Phebe, ch. Pardon, John, Polly, Sibbie.
Citations:
- Written as in manuscript, but questionable as to accuracy since they’re referencing “Elizabeth” as a son.[↩]