In conjunction with the statement below, have you found that a guardian was appointed to protect the childrens' interests?  Perhaps brother or father of the deceased husband? Suzanne Collins Matson ----- Original Message ---- From: Craig Kilby persisto@earthlink.net 2)  A person died without a will, owned land and had a son or sons.  In such a case, all of the real property (not the personal property)  would become the property of the eldest son, subject to the widow's  dower rights of 1/3 interest in it for her life.  (It is often  written and stated that if the widow remarried, she lost her dower  rights.  This is not true.  One reads that sort of language when the  ENTIRE estate has been left to her in a life estate.  This is where  is usually written as "during her life or widowhood" or "if she  remarries."  This was not to punish the wife for remarrying.  That  was expected.  It was done to protect the childrens' interest in the  property.  Even though the widow retained her dower thirds for her  life, upon her death that interest reverted to her children by the  deceased husband, not to her current husband or any children she may  have had by a later marriage.)