It would be helpful to know when she appeared in court. This sounds like 
Thomas Collup sold a tract of land to whomever and at the time of the 
sale Elizabeth failed, for whatever reason, to release her dower 
interest (right to a lifetime interest in one-third of the property). 
But until you find the 1723 deed and see what it says, you can only make 
an educated guess based upon typical practices of the time period. Not 
only do you need the 1723 deed of sale, you also need to discover how 
(purchase, inheritance (testate or intestate) it was acquired. It is 
unlikley that the land was originally owned or gifted to his wife; she 
would have had to have signed the deed since land owned by a wife 
(however acquired) was hers; her husband had a lifetime courtesy right. 
The couple could sell it, but both would have to sign the deed.

I checked. Weisiger's abstracts of the few extant Prince George County 
records show a deed of sale from Thomas Collup of a tract of land 
devised to Thomas by Susanna Jackson. Elizabeth did not join in or sign 
the deed (while this was not required since Thomas owned the land, she 
was required to release her dower). Since she didn't release her dower 
at the time of the sale, the new owner apparently requested the action 
to clear the title and this was done at June court. If she had been 
unable to appear in court, it could also have been done though a 
certificate of dower release issued by the justices of the peace.

Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FVGS
PO Box 1273
Orange, VA 22960

540-832-3473
[log in to unmask]

CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used
under license by board-certified genealogists after periodic evaluation; the board name is
registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.

On 3/13/2016 11:16 AM, John Cullom Sr. wrote:
> I want to thank those who answered my previous question re the use of "Boarder" for "room & board" in a City Directory. They clearly answered my question. This forum is an infinite source of knowledge.
>
> I'll try again-New Question: what does "-----Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Collup appeared in court to relinquish dower right to Robert Hall in land conveyed March 10, 1723" mean? (in PG County records)
>
> Thanks
> John Cullom
> Westminster, MD
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ______________________________________
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>
>

______________________________________
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html