GOVERNMENT AND LAW. 



77 



shall bo free from his debts, the property must be in- 

 ventoried and recorded within six months after mar- 

 riage or subsequent acquirement of the property. The 

 wife may sell and convey all real estate inherited by her 

 the same as if she were unmarried; but her husband 

 must join in all sales, transfers, and conveyances of her 

 property, both real and personal. She i"s entitled to 

 dower in a life estate in one third of all the real estate 

 of which her husband was seized and possessed at his 

 death or at any time during his life, unless she has re- 

 linquished the same; also an absolute one third of his 

 personalty. 



Georgia. Married women retain as a separate estate 

 all property in their possession at the time of marriage, 

 >r afterwards acquired and are not liable for any debts, 

 defaults, or contracts of the husband. By consent of 

 her husband advertised for four weeks she may become 

 a free trader, in which event she is liable the same as if 

 unmarried. The wife may not bind her estate by any 

 contract of suretyship, either in behalf of her husband or 

 any other person. The widow takes dower in one third 

 of all the lands of which her husband was seized at his 

 death ; and wife and children, after the husband's death, 

 are entitled to one year's support from his property, all 

 other claims yielding to this. 



Idaho. All property, both real and personal, owned 

 at marriage or afterwards acquired, by either wife or 

 husband, remains a separate estate. All property ac- 

 quired after marriage is held in common. Separate prop- 

 erty of the wife shoiild be inventoried with the county 

 recorder; the husband has control of it during 

 marriage, but cannot create alien or encumbrance un- 

 less joined by the wife, who is examined separately. If 

 the husband mismanages, or commits waste, the Dis- 

 trict Court may, on application of the wife, appoint a 

 trustee to manage her separate property. Upon the 

 death of husband or wife, half the common property 

 goes to survivor; if no direct descendants, all goes to 

 survivor. 



Illinois. Married women may own in their own right 

 realty and personalty, may sue and be sued, contract 

 and incur liabilities, the same as if unmarried ; but they 

 may not enter into or carry on any partnership business 

 without consent of the husband, unless abandoned by 

 him or he is incapable of giving assent. Beyond the 

 necessaries, the husband is not liable for debts of the 

 wife, except in cases where he would be jointly liable if 

 the marriage did not exist. The estate of both is liable 

 for family expenses, but the wife's separate earnings 

 are her own. A surviving wife or husband takes one 

 third of all the realty of the deceased, unless relin- 

 quished in due form. The husband and wife are put 

 upon the same footing as to dower, and the estate of 

 curtesy is abolished. 



Indiana. Married women retain all realty and per- 

 sonalty owned by them at marriage, or afterwards ac- 

 quired, and are not liable for the husband's debts. The 

 husband is liable for debts of the wife contracted before 

 marriage only to the extent of the personal property he 

 may receive from or through her, or derive from sale 

 or rent of her lands. She may sell personal property, 

 but she may not convey or encumber her real estate 

 unless the husband joins. Suits against her separate 

 estate should be brought in the name of both. A widow 

 takes one third of her deceased husband's real estate in 

 fee simple, free from all demands of creditors, where 

 the estate does not exceed $10,000; where the estate is 

 over $10,000 and under $20,000, she takes one fourth ; and 

 one fifth if it exceeds $20,000. She also takes one third 

 of the personalty after payment of debts, and in all 

 cases takes $500, without accounting, and may occupy 

 the dwelling and forty acres of land for one year, rent 

 free. 



Iowa. Married women may own in their own right 

 real and personal property acquired by descent, gift, or 

 purchase, may sell, convey, and devise the same, may 

 sue and be sued, make contracts and buy goods in their 

 own name. Wife or husband are notliable for the debts 

 of the other before marriage, or for separate debts in- 

 curred afterwards. The wife's earnings are her own, 

 and her note is good against her own estate. Women 

 attain majority at eighteen, or earlier, upon marriage ; 

 a female of fourteen may marry. The surviving wife 

 or husband is entitled to one third of the real estate of 

 the deceased, free from all claims of creditors. If they 

 leave no children, survivor takes one half, parents the 

 other half. 



Kansas. Married women have the same property 

 righ*,s as men, and may make contracts, carry on DUSI- 

 n*s, sue and be sued, and sell or convey real estate pre- 



cisely as their husbands; their earnings or profits are 

 their own. A note or indorsement made by a married 

 woman will bind her property the same as if unmarried. 

 Homestead is absolute property of widow and children, 

 and neither wife nor hiisband may bequeath more than 

 half their property without written consent of the 

 other. If either die intestate and without children, the 

 entire property goes to the survivor. 



Kentucky. Married women may hold real or per- 

 sonal property as a separate estate free from the control 

 of the husband or liability for his debts. By petition to 

 the Circuit Court, in which the husband must join, she 

 may acquire the right to transact business in her own 

 name. Unless dower be barred, forfeited, or relin- 

 quished, she takes one third of the real estate and one 

 half of the personal property. 



Louisiana. Married women may ho'd and control 

 both real and personal property owned at time of 

 marriage ; all property or revenues of separate property 

 acquired by either husband or wife after marriage is 

 held in common, and is divided equally between them 

 at dissolution of the marriage either'by death or divorce. 

 The wife may carry on a separate business, but her hus- 

 band will be bound by her contracts, so long as the 

 community of property exists ; she cannot sue without 

 the concurrence of her husband, and she cannot bind 

 herself or her property for his debts. There is no right 

 of dower to the wife. 



Maine. A married woman holds real and personal 

 property, acquired in any way except from the husband, 

 the same as if single. She may make contracts, sue and 

 be sued, and do business in her own name ; and her prop- 

 erty may be taken to satisfy judgments against her. 

 Her property is liable only for her own debts. She joins 

 husband in a deed selling his property to relinquish 

 dower. He joins with her in selling hers only when 

 such property comes from him. A wife, being aban- 

 doned by her husband, may be allowed to take and use 

 his personal property. Dower, life estate in one third 

 of all husband's real property owned during coverture ; 

 one half if no children. He has same interest in de- 

 ceased wife's estate. 



Maryland. Property acquired by a married woman 

 is her own, controlled by herself, and is free from her 

 husband's debts. She conveys by joint deed with the 

 husband, but devises and bequeaths the same as if 

 single. She may be sued with her husband on joint 

 contracts made by them, and the property of both is 

 equally liable. Dower one third, if they have children ; 

 one half, if none. 



Massachusetts. The property of a married woman 

 is managed by herself, and is not liable for her hus- 

 band's debts. She may make contracts, sue and be 

 sued, and do business in her own name, provided a cer- 

 tificate is filed by her or her husband in the office of the 

 town clerk. Contracts and conveyances between hus- 

 band and wife are not allowed. Her conveyances of 

 real estate are subject to husband's tenancy by curtesy. 

 A wife cannot make a will affecting her husband's right 

 to one half of the personal property or his tenancy by 

 curtesy in her real estate, without his written consent. 

 Dower as by common law. 



Michigan. Married women own and control prop- 

 erty the same as if single. A wife may do business in 

 her own name and make contracts, even with her hus- 

 band. Her separate property is liable for wrongs com- 

 mitted by her. Widow has dower, but there is for the 

 surviving husband no right of tenancy by curtesy. 



Minnesota. A married woman holds property in her 

 own name. She may make contracts, and her property is 

 liable only for her own debts. She cannot sell or convey 

 real estate further than a mortgage for purchase-money 

 or a three years' lease, without her husband joining her. 

 Contracts between husband and wife are void. The 

 surviving husband or wife keeps the homestead for 

 life. 



Mississippi. A married woman holds property ac- 

 quired in any manner, and the revenues therefrom, for 

 her own use and free from control or liability of her 

 husband. She may convey and encumber the same as if 

 single, but husband joins in conveyance. She may de- 

 vise and bequeath. Deed from husband to wife is void 

 as to creditors at time of making it. A wife may not 

 encumber her estate by mortgage or otherwise for her 

 husband's debts ; she may do business on her own ac- 

 count the same as if single, and is then liable for her 

 contracts, housekeeping and family expenses. She 

 joins her husband in conveyance of homestead, but not 

 in that of his other property. Dower in property of 

 which the husband dies seized. 



