Hi Carol & all, I have seen lots of deeds as well when I know there was a wife but she is not mentioned nor has she signed the deed. Have seen them with and without the wife's signature. God bless, Beth ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carol A. Morrison" <carolamorrison@earthlink.net> To: <VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 11:34 AM Subject: Re: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] Re: Land Ownership in Tennessee > Paul, > > You stated that "So, NO signature on a deed of the wife almost without > exception means there was NO wife at the date of the deed." I realize you > put that "almost without exception" but was thinking some new folks might > not realize that it can be done and can be found. > > From my own personal research and reading many, many deeds in Virginia, I > can personally tell you that I've seen several deeds where the wife did not > sign the deed and the deed did not mention a wife when in fact there was one > at the time of the transfer of the property. So, folks, while it usually > may indicate that there is no wife, it doesn't mean with 100% certainty that > she doesn't exist. > > Carol > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Paul" <martee@citlink.net> > To: <VA-SOUTHSIDE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2001 3:01 PM > Subject: [VA-SOUTHSIDE-L] Re: Land Ownership in Tennessee > > > > In answer to Joyce, who asked "...if there > > was no wife's signature on an early deed, > > could there have been one anyhow?" We have a > > saying: "At marriage a man and woman become > > one, and that one is the man." In > > Tennessee, as in nearly ALL the Southern > > States, the belongings of a woman - land and > > personal property, of every sort - became the > > property of the husband when she married him, > > and men could buy land (or anything else) > > with no participation whatever by the wife. > > HOWEVER, no one with good sense or judgment > > would buy land without the written assent of > > the seller's wife to that sale, since to do > > so would be to ignore her nearly inviolate > > rights to a "widow's share" at the death of > > her husband, no matter how much later that > > death occurred. So, NO signature on a deed > > of the wife almost without exception means > > there was NO wife at the date of the deed. > > > > > > > > ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== > > USGenWeb Archives http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb > > > > > > ============================== > > Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp > > > > > ==== VA-SOUTHSIDE Mailing List ==== > USGenWeb Archives Census Project > http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/census/ > > > ============================== > Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com > >