Gordon Trueblood wrote:     >  I think all of us know the distinction between spinster and widow.  However, I am wondering if in 17th century England  there might be times when a widow would be referred to as a spinster?   It is possible. I can't remember coming across that specific usage, but I have certainly seen 'single man' used for a widower. On the whole, a woman would prefer to use the term 'widow' to 'spinster' - it gave more status and more control over finances - but she may have had reasons to prefer to be known as unmarried and whoever described her as spinster might not have had any knowledge to the contrary.   Bear in mind that 'Mrs' was an honorific for gentlewomen, whether married or not. If you've come across this person described both as 'Mrs' asnd 'spinster' then she's an unmarried person of high status.     Chris

This makes me think of a Will that I have that was written before the Revolutionary War. In it is says that Margaret Smith, single woman does give to her son 6 shillings and to her daughter her farm and her clothing and furniture and to her grand daughter upon her 18th birthday 27 pounds and some other stuff, etc. Would the words single woman mean that she had never married or was divorced or widowed? I have been trying to find this out for years. Any ideas out there? Dale On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 2:45 AM, Chris Dickinson <chris@dickinson.uk.net>wrote: > Gordon Trueblood wrote: > > > > I think all of us know the distinction between spinster and widow. > However, I am wondering if in 17th century England there might be times > when a widow would be referred to as a spinster? > > > It is possible. I can't remember coming across that specific usage, but I > have certainly seen 'single man' used for a widower. On the whole, a woman > would prefer to use the term 'widow' to 'spinster' - it gave more status > and more control over finances - but she may have had reasons to prefer to > be known as unmarried and whoever described her as spinster might not have > had any knowledge to the contrary. > > Bear in mind that 'Mrs' was an honorific for gentlewomen, whether married > or not. If you've come across this person described both as 'Mrs' asnd > 'spinster' then she's an unmarried person of high status. > > > Chris > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > QUAKER-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >