What can these records tell me?

This collection contains warnings out of town from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. A warning out of town was a method used in New England to pressure newcomers to settle in a different town or area. A notice or warrant would be issued by a town’s Board of Selectmen and served by a local constable. However, the issuing of such a notice did not necessarily mean that the recipient(s) would be forcibly removed from the town.

Each transcript will offer some or all of the following details: