Barbara is correct. I would only add that "it depends"
on many circumstances, including whether the woman's
husband died testate (with will) or intestate (without
will), where the woman had an estate of her own from
her father (by will or inheritance if there were no
male heirs), the law of the jurisdiction where the
woman resided and other factors. Like most (if not
all) things, there is no "one size fits all" answer.
jc
--- "Barbara Vines Little, CG"
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> During both the colonial and post-colonial period in
> Virginia, women who
> were either single or widowed could make a will.
> Women could and did own
> and inherit property, both real and personal, during
> both periods.
>
>
> Barbara Vines Little, CG
> Dominion Research Services
> 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, and the board name is
> registered in the
> US Patent & Trademark Office.
>
>
>
> Judith Bailey Gabor wrote:
> > (Hope this serves as a new topic)
> >
> > When were women allowed to make wills?
> >
> > This is an overly broad question. I am most
> interested in answers
> > that apply to England and VA.
> >
> > I have seen wills made by women from 16th century
> England.
> >
> > In many cases, women were hog-tied because their
> husbands who
> > predeceased them gave them only a life estate or
> until the widow
> > remarried. If they didn't remarry, why would they
> need to make a
> > will? Maybe for personal items.
> > Spinsters often had outright ownership of land
> bequeathed them by
> > their father.
> >
> > Some married women also had inheritances from an
> ancestor or deceased
> > spouse that might be considered separate property.
> >
> > Hope some of you - Paul Drake maybe - can respond
> to my random
> > thoughts above.
> >
> > Thanks, Judith B. Gabor
> >
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