Support for the Poor

A record that appeared on the Family Search full-text search was something I would probably  never have found without the feature. It was listed under the Suffolk County Court, far from my ancestors' homes in Western Massachuseetts. That is because it was a case heard in Northampton by the Supreme Judicial Court in 1795. The Town of Shelburne sued the Town of Greenfield for reimbursement of costs incurred by several Shelburne residents for a family whose legal residence was claimed to be in Greenfield. 

This case illustrates the New England practice of "Warning Out" whereby people who were known or expected to be unable to support themselves were denied residency. Each town would take responsibility for its poor citizens, but made it clear that not just anyone could move in and expect support. In this case, the family had spent considerable time in Shelburne and were on record having been married and had children there.

The document lists payments made to support "Romulus and family" by:

• Seth Wells
• Alexander Thompson
• John Boyd
• Samuel Boyd
• Job Colman
• Elisha Hanson
• Parker Dole
• Job Colman (again)
• Benjamin Nash 
• Aaron Skinner
• John Wells
• Samuel Boyd.

The charges to be reimbursed totalled 19 pounds, 9 shillings, and 2 pence. 

By the time the case was settled, legal fees and travel were added. 

Job Colman and Parker Dole are my direct ancestors who lived near the Deerfield River in Shelburne. This family could have also been neighbors. 

From Shelburne's published marriages in 1778: 

From Shelburne births, indicating that they had adopted a surname of Philemer or Finemer: 

Their infant son, Romulus, was buried in the Hill Cemetery (photo from Find a Grave #68052293).

Romelus son of Mr Rome'ls

& Mrs Rozannah Finemer

who died Octr 26 1789 in

ye 2nd year of his age

In order to establish residency, the court recorded this history of the family. It recorded that Romulus was brought from Colrain to Greenfield in 1753, where Rosana lived. They were "purchased" by someone identified only as "Waler" (possibly Wilder) and "considered as slaves." In March of 1776 they "moved" to Shelburne, indicating it was of their own free will. A later ruling says Romulus was in Greenfield in 1762 and Rosana was a resident in 1772. Four of their children were said to have residency in 1789: Hercules, Zachariah, Ecclestices, and Zeana. 

Two other children named in the court records, presumably older, are Pedro and Rosana Jr.

The 1790 census records them in Shelburne, with two males over 16, two under, and four females, which agrees with the number of living children stated.

 

The receipt for Parker Dole in March of 1791 specifies that he provided wood for Romulus' family. 

Job Colman provided house, room and provisions, reimbursed by the town meeting in 1792.

The Court ruled in January of 1793 that the family were previously settled in Greenfield, even though they had lived in Shelburne for 3 years. The fees for their support were ordered to be reinbursed to Shelburne. They were ordered to remove to Greenfield "under penalties of law."

Deaths in Greenfield in 1799 include a Negro man, Romus, age 63. 

Link to first document image:  (Scroll forward and back for the other documents.) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSRH-C29M?view=fullText