Post American Independence
Act of 1788: This act ruled that every town should take care of its own poor. It also defined who the inhabitants of a particular place were. If someone rented and occupied a tenement of the yearly value of twelve pounds, held an annual office for a year, paid the town’s taxes for a year, or was bound apprentice for two years, they would be considered residence of the town. If an Overseer of the Poor believed a stranger would likely become a “charge” to the town, then the Justice of the Peace would look into it and might order the person to go back to their last place of settlement. If the person did not leave, the constable was to transport the stranger to the next town’s constable and so on until the person was back to their former settlement. If a stranger came back after being removed, the law stated that the person could be whipped, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes if they were male, or twenty-five if they were female.
The act also stated how the poor relief process should be conducted. “If it shall appear to the said justice and overseer or overseers of the poor that such person is in such indigent circumstances as to require relief, the said justice shall give an order in writing to the said overseer or overseers of the poor to make an allowance weekly or otherwise, to every such person, as they in their discretion shall think his or her necessities shall require; and the said overseer or overseers of the poor shall make no other or further allowance to such poor person than what by the said order shall be directed; which said order shall be a sufficient voucher for the payment of so much money by the said overseer or overseers of the poor, and shall be allowed in adjusting his or her account.”