Legal Settlement in a Municipality
The pauper laws stated that legal settlement in a municipality was gained by birth or marriage, through warrant at a legal meeting, by living in an unincorporated place when it became incorporated, or through legal settlement in a town that divided. Minors could gain settlement by serving an apprenticeship for four years in a town and setting up lawful trade within one year of the expiration of their term, while individuals over 21 could gain settlement by residing in a town for five years without receiving support as a pauper. In addition, individuals residing in a town at the law’s passage who had not received support as a pauper during the previous year could gain legal settlement in that town.
This 1823 document records interviews with various individuals about the birth and circumstances of Samuel York, the son of Joseph York. The document is a wonderful example of oral history, and its inclusion in the Cumberland Overseers collection indicates that the Overseers were attempting to determine York’s legal settlement.
Legal Settlement in a Municipality
