Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-05-29
WARNED TO LEAVE
How Vermont Towns Got Rid OF
'Undesirables."
Selectmen Were Empowered TO Order
Them to Leave. and Judgment
Of Officials Evidently Wss
Not Infsliibie.

Speaking OF the current misappre-
hensiOn rs 10 who are the poor and I'm
fortunate In this world Nomad of
the Boston Evening Transcript has
come upon a most curious note about
the poor and the rich. and the fear 81
the pauper and having 10 support him
In n Vermont paper Mr. +. L. Wells
the accomplished historian of New
bury. Barnet and other Vermont towns
is n man who Is always studying the
early social conditions OF the con.
munties of which he has become tho
historian, and with regard To this he
contributes an interesting note 10 the
-. Johnsbury Caiedonan He says
that about 100 years ago there was ln
eifect-or pretended e1ect--in the Yer
mont communities, the practice of off
cia warning ont of town" This
meant that when the selectmen
thought that some person or persons
in the town were likely 10 become pub
lie charges, they we're empowered o.
have the constable leave al their places
wv AF'If "a lfi'''l ~ VI hFil'' " ~ hAi'~
The parties whose names We're on the
summons 20 depart the town" Il
appears that I'm some cases II wa~
easier thus 10 warn these persons than
30 make them get out OF the town ana
there was one case I'm 81. JohnsburA
which affords curious commentary
ou me law In 1915 Joseph Fairbanks
and family" were thus warned out of
S. lohnsbury They did not go; and
Mr. Wells is Justified ln remarking that
had they taken the hint that they
were undesirable citizens. and depart
Cd the town. III would have made some
difference To ST Johnsbury." for the d.
>cendantS OF this same Joseph Fair
banks built up the scales Industry
upon which all the present prosperity
and certainly much more than half III
population is founded. besides endow
ing the town with libraries and other
possessions and making II more or less
famous an over the world
Certainly the Vermont selectmen
we're poor Judges 81 "gumptiOn. They
warned on thu Fairbanks. and ~"
doubt cherished certain citizens whose
progeny at The present time never
would hr missed IN The community NJ
Wells tells of another case of warnin.
ont Of the town this time ut Barnet
VI 4 man who had recently come
into The town died In the year ISIS.
leaving n wife and five children, AMI
The Selcctmen. seized with pane
lest the town would have To support
he family duly warned the widow To
take her offspring and depart the town
Mr.. Wells adds Whether The widow
oheyed the precept or not | do not
know. ~ neither records nor tradition
have any further mention Of them here.
hut from what | know OF the lady she
was abundantly qualified 10 take care
~ herself In Barnet or anywhere elS".
and the sequel shows that the children
were equally able 10 keep on thr
town one Of these children becam"
n noted physician IN New York anoill.
er was lawyer Ia Buffalo. ana
grandson was prominent member OBJ
fhr convention which nominated
Grover cleveland FOR president IN ISL
and seconded his nomination.; one oi
the daughters married a lawyer wh"
later was member OF the supreme
court of Sew Hampshire; second be-
came n noted teacher and principal of
"a ladies school The third daughter
| think. died young