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.

I should have added: In some instances, where the husband owned the land prior to the marriage, the rights of the wife did/do not attach, especially where she bore no children by him. Sorry 'bout that. Paul

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 >