78 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



Missouri. A married woman controls her own prop- 

 erty, and Holds it through a trustee, free from liability 

 for her husband's debts. She may make contracts, sign 

 notes, and do business in her own name. She may 

 make a will. She joins her husband in his conveyances 

 to release dower. Her dower is one third for life of all 

 lands owned by husband. 



Montana. A list of married woman's property filed 

 and recorded saves it from being liable for the hus- 

 band's debts, except necessaries for herself and children 

 under eighteen. A married woman may become a sole 

 trader by recording her intention. If she invests more 

 than $10,000 in business she must make oath that the 

 surplus did not come from her husband. The husband 

 is not liable for debts contracted by her in business. 

 She is also responsible for the maintenance of her 

 children. A surviving husband or wife takes one half 

 of deceased's property, if no children ; one third if there 

 are. 



Nebraska. A married woman holds her separate 

 property free from the disposal of her husband and 

 from liability for his debts. She may bargain, sell, 

 make contracts, do business, sue and be sued, all so far 

 as her separate estate may warrant ; but she cannot be- 

 come surety for another, not even beingallowed to bind 

 herself for her husband's debts. Property coming to 

 the wife from the husband is not privileged as her 

 separate property. Dower, use for life of one third of 

 real estate owned by husband during coverture. 



Nevada. The separate property of a married woman 

 which is controlled by herself is such as she may have 

 owned before marriare or acquired afterwards by gift, 

 devise, or descent. All property acquired otherwise, by 

 either husband or wife, is common property, and under 

 the absolute control of the husband. On the death of 

 the husband the widow receives one half of the common 

 property. 



New Hampshire. A married woman holds property 

 owned before marriage or acquired afterwards, except 

 what may come from the husband, for her own use. 

 She may sell, convey and encumber, devise and be- 

 queath, do business, give notes, sue and be sued. Her 

 contracts are binding, excepting that there can be no 

 contracts or conveyances between husband and wife, 

 nor can the wife become security for her husband. 

 "Wife is entitled to dower. 



New Jersey. The property owned before marriage, 

 and such as she may acquire afterwards by gift, descent, 

 or bequest, is the sole property of a married woman and 

 is not liable for the husband's debts. She may make 

 contracts, but cannot sell or encumber her real estate 

 without consent of husband. She cannot indorse notes 

 or become security. She joins husband in his convey- 

 ances and mortgages. Dower and curtesy. 



New Mexico. The separate property of a married 

 woman is what she ownea previous to marriage, or what 

 she may inherit. All that she acquires afterwards, and 

 the revenues of her separate estate, go into the common 

 property. The husband has control and management 

 of her separate estate and the common property. There 

 is no dower, but on decease of a husband the wife's 

 private property is first deducted ; then she receives 

 one half of the common property, after all debts are 

 paid. If there be no children she' has a right to all the 

 common property. 



New York. Married women may have^real and per- 

 sonal property, buy and sell, and do business in their 

 own names. A married woman is liable for debts con- 

 tracted in her own trade or business, or when an agree- 

 ment or contract has been made for the benefit of her 

 separate property, when, by the terms of such instru- 

 ment, her separate property is to be charged with the 

 liability. Dower. 



' North Carolina. A married woman's separate prop- 

 erty is not liable for her husband's debts. She may 

 devise and bequeath, but must have husband's consent 

 to convey. Unless she be a free trader, she can make 

 no contract other than for personal or family necessi- 

 ties or for payment of ante-nuptial debts, without the 

 consent of her husband. She becomes a free trader, the 

 husband assenting, by filing her intention. Common 

 law dower and one year's subsistence. 



Ohio. The property of a married woman is not liable 

 tor her husband's debts ; beyond a three years' lease or 

 a contract for the improvement of her real estate, she 

 cannot sell or encumber it without the consent of her 

 husband. If a married woman engages in trade, her 

 separate property is liable for the debts she may then 

 contract, and she may sue and be sued the same as if 

 single. A deserted wife must procure an order 



court, by which she shall have all propertv rights as a 

 femme sole. Dower in all real estate owned by husband 

 during coverture. 



Oklahoma. Neither husband nor wife has any inter- 

 est in the property of the other. Either may outer into 

 any engagement -or transaction with the other, or with 

 any other person, respecting property which either 

 might, if married, subject, between them, to rules which 

 control the actions of persons occupying confidential 

 relations. The wife may, without consent of husband, 

 convey her separate property. Woman retains the frame 

 legal existence and personality after marriage as lie) ore, 

 and receives the same protection of her rights a> dm. 

 her husband. She may hold and transfer real and per- 

 sonal property ; may buy and sell goods, give notes or 

 other obligations, and sue and be sued, same as if tin 

 married. 



Oregon. A married woman holds her property free 

 from the control or debts of her husband. She may 

 make contracts, buy and sell, and give notes, and her 

 own property will be liable. The husband joins in her 

 conveyances. She may make a will, but it must not 

 interfere with her husband's rights of curtes\ . 



Pennsylvania. The property of a married woman is 

 held as her separate estate, but is chargeable for family 

 necessaries ordered by her. A wife cannot make a con 

 tract or conveyance without her husband joining her. 

 By obtaining leave from the court she may have the 

 benefit of her own earnings. She may make a will. 

 saving the husband's right by curtesy. She may deposit 

 money in bank and write checks against it in her own 

 name. Dower, one third of all real estate owned by 

 husband during coverture. 



I; bode Island. A married woman's property is held 

 by trustees for her separate use free from her husband's 

 debts. She cannot make contracts or do business. She 

 may make a will subject to husband's right by curtesy. 



South Carolina. The property of a married woman 

 cannot be seized for her husband's debts. A married 

 woman can bequeath, devise, and encumber her separate 

 property. She can buy in her own name, and have con- 

 veyances made to her," and make contracts, the same as 

 if she were single. A gift from husband to wife is not 

 good against a creditor's claim. Dower rights. 



Tennessee. A married woman has her separate prop- 

 erty free from the husband's control and from liability 

 for'his debts. She may encumber, convey, or devise her 

 separate property without being joined by her husband 

 in the deed. Widow has dower in one third of husband's 

 real estate, and a child's share in his personalty. The 

 husband dying intestate, leaving no heirs, the wife in- 

 herits all h'is property. 



Texas. The property owned by husband or wife be- 

 fore marriage, and what either may acquire afterwards, 

 by gift, devise, or descent, is community property. The 

 husband controls the common property and the wife's 

 separate estate. The common property is liable for the 

 debts of either, and the husband may dispose of it. At 

 the death of either, the survivor takes one half and the 

 children the other half of the common property. The 

 husband joins wife in conveyance of her separate prop- 

 erty. She joins him in conveyance of homestead. A 

 married woman cannot do business in her own name, 

 but she may become security for her husband by mort- 

 gaging her separate estate. 



Utah. A married woman's separate property is held, 

 manage tl, controlled, and disposed of by herself. A wife 

 may carry on business, sue and be sued, give notes and 

 make contracts the same as if single. 



Vermont. The property of a married woman is held 

 separate, and is not liable for her husband's debts. In 

 conveyance of the wife's real estate the husband must 

 join in deed. A married woman may make a will. 

 Widow has dower in one third the real estate of which 

 the husband died seized. 



Virginia. A married woman holds the property 

 owned by her previous to marriage, and what she may 

 afterwards acquire, as sole trader, free from the control 

 of her husband, and from liability for his debts. She 

 may make a will subject to husband's rights by curtesy. 

 Common law dower. 



West Virginia. The property of a married woman, 

 however acquired, except from the husband, is held for 

 her sole and separate use. Husband must join in con- 

 veyances of real estate. Dower. 



Washington. The property owned before marriage 

 bv husband or wife, and all acquired afterwards by 

 gift, devise, or descent to either, is separate property. 

 All otherwise acquired is common property-, subject to 

 control of the husband, Jle also cpntreh) the separate 



