36 LEGAL INSTRUCTOR. 



DEEDS. 



All writings under the seal are deeds, but in common 

 acceptation it is an instrument conveying lands. 



A deed must be for a consideration. 



The consideration may be money, goods, services, or 

 marriage. Or the consideration may be love, natural 

 affection, or connection by blood. 



A deed must be written oi printed. There must be 

 sufficient parties. 



There should be two witnesses to a deed in New 

 Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Penn- 

 sylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Delaware, 

 Tennessee, and North and South Carohna. In the 

 other States one witness will answer. 



It is required in some of the States, that the wife sign 

 the deed, to free the estate from her right of dower. 



There should be a seal of wax or wafer to each sig- 

 nature of a party to a deed. 



In some of the States, a scroll of ink with a pen is of 

 the same vahdity as a seal ; but there must be evidence 

 of an intention to substitute the scroll for a seal. 



In Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, deeds are 

 recorded by the town clerks of the several towns in 

 which the lands lie. In other States they are recorded 

 by recordino: officers, acting under various names. 



In New Ham[)shire and Vermont a deed may be put 

 on record before it is acknowledged, but it will be avail- 

 able only against the claims of creditors and subsequent 

 purchasers for sixty days. 



In most of the States a deed may be good against the 

 grantor and his heirs, without being acknowledged or 



