English law gave a wife a dower claim to any land her husband owned.
She would not need to be mentioned when he bought it, but would be asked
to release her dower when he sold it.  Her release could be part of the
deed of sale or a separate document.

If the property concerns an inheritance of the wife, then she should be
mentioned.

If the deed by the husband does not concern sale of land, there is no
requirement for the wife to be mentioned.  

Donald L. Wilson, Virginiana Librarian,
Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center
  for Genealogy and Local History (RELIC),
Prince William Public Library System,
Bull Run Regional Library,
8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas, VA  20110-2892
703-792-4540   www.pwcgov.org/library/relic


-----Original Message-----

Date:    Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:06:03 -0500
From:    Madaline Preston <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: late 1700's deeds

I'm working with deeds in the late 1700's - early 1800's in Rockingham
Co, VA.  Sometimes only John Krim is listed as grantor or grantee, other
times his wife, Juliann, is mentioned.
Is there a policy/format that was followed or was writing deeds strictly
at the whim of the clerk?
Look forward to any thoughts you can share.
M. Preston

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