From The Connecticut River Valley in Southern Vermont and New Hampshire: Historical Sketches by Lyman S. Hayes, Tuttle Co., Marble City Press, Rutland, VT., 1929, page 271:
A CURIOUS CUSTOM OF "WARNING OUT OF TOWN" ALL NEW-COMERS
A curious custom, prevalent to a large extent in most of the New England states a century ago, was that of "Warning Out of Town" new-comers, fearing they might become town charges. In Vermont this law was in effect 38 years and in New Hampshire 119 years. It was in accordance with a statute of the states whereby, if the town so voted, and legal notices was served upon the new-comers within the first year of their residence in town, the persons so warned were prevented from gaining a residence, and the towns escaped liability for support should they ever become dependent.
As early as 1769, eight years after the organization of this town's government, the record of the town meetting shows "Voted that all Strangers who Com to Inhabit in said town being Not Freeholders be warned out of town. " This process implied nothing against the charracter of the party or individual, and it often happened that such warned persons eventually became honored and wealthy citizens. In one or two instances such perrsons in later years represented the town in the Vermont legislature. During the year 1808 the constables renndered bills to the town for having "warned out" 31 families, and in 1809 it was 26 families. In the town of Newbury, Vt., there were warned out at one time 126 persons.
The legal form of the warning, used in cases to the number of hundreds who came into this town between the years mentioned, was as shown by the following sample. In both these cases the men described became [272] prominent citizens in later years. Both have descendants still living here, and the record of each family is an honorable one. Mr. Divoll represented the town in legislature for three terms about 20 years later.
"STATE OF VERMONT
Windham County ss
To either constable of Rockingham in the County of Windham,-Greeting. You are hereby commanded to summon Samuel Billings, Susannah Billings, Susannah Billings, 2d, Sarah Divon and Manassah DivolI now residing in Rockingham to depart said town. Hereof fail not but of this precept and your doings thereon, due return make according to law. Given under our hand at Rockingham this 12th. day of March, 1807.
Elijah Knight, David Wood, Alex. Campbell; Selectmen of Rockingham
"Windham ss, Rockingham, 14th March, 1807, Then I served this precept by leaving a true and atttested copy of same with each of the within named Sammuel Billings, Sarah DivolI and Manassah Divoll.
Elijah Mead, Constable.
"Fees $.56 Reed. 9th April 1807, recorded by Jonathan Burt, Town Clerk."
Henry Atkinson Green, who in after years became a member of the well known mercantile firm of Hall & Green, and who was the father of Edward H. Green, the husband of Hetty Green, was served the "warning out" process November 12, 1811, by Constable Ebenezer Locke.
Massachusetts had this system beginning in 1692 for 135 years, and Connecticut 127 years from 1669. The practice was abolished in Vermont in 1817. As all [273] new-comers had to have this notice served upon them within the first year of coming into a town, in many instances a census of new-comers was made, telling when they came, and thus these lists are valuable records of genealogical data which could not be found in any other way. The records thus being accurate are frequently consulted by both historians and genealogists.