A wife was economically protected by a dower right in property owned by her
husband. Her right to a portion of his property provided her with some
amount of economic protection; for him to lawfully convey the property, she
had to release her rights in said property -- that is, she had to legally,
before witnesses and without duress [husband could not be present, as I
understand it, and the justices (the county court) had to be satisfied that
she was truly OK with the sale] release her right of dower.  When and how
he acquired the property did not matter -- purchase (before or after the
marriage), inheritance, land grant or patent, or by virtue of marriage to
her (a woman's property became her husband's upon marriage) -- he was the
owner, but she had a legal right in his property and hence he couldn't sell
without her permission.

So, in this case, Elizabeth Collup came to Prince George Co. court and
before the court (i.e., the county government), and witnesses presumably,
relinquished her dower right in the specific piece of property that her
husband was selling to Robert Hall, by deed obviously dated/written March
10, 1723. The conveyance (and the dower release) could then be recorded in
a PG Co. deed book and Hall could be legal owner.

Definitions from an online source:

   - *DOWER* – provision made from a husband’s estate for the support of
   his widow and family, usually one third of the value of the estate (real
   estate only)
   - *DOWER RIGHT* – the right of a wife, after the husband's death, to
   one-third of the land which her husband had at the time of their marriage
   or aquired during the marriage
   - *DOWERY* – [also DOWRY] any land, money, goods, or personal property
   brought by a bride to her husband in marriage


On Sun, Mar 13, 2016 at 11:16 AM, John Cullom Sr. <[log in to unmask]>
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]
>
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