Surrounding States

Death Certificate from Forsyth County, Georgia dated 1940

States surrounding Georgia follow similar laws of dower as Georgia. The women of Virginia were still living under English Common Law. It was believed to be degrading if the women of Virginia were placed in positions where they were concerned with things like commerce, property, and litigation.¹ Women in southern states were not often allowed to participate in decisions involving finances or property until after the death of her husband. Because women were often considered incapable of handling such matters “men were willing to place women in positions of authority when the stakes were small”.²   If the family was wealthy it was not uncommon for the husband to leave his wife more money  and control over the household estate than legally obligated in order to keep her financially dependent for the remainder of her life.³ In Virgina, Alabama, and the Carolinas the husband was legally required to leave his wife at least one-third of his estate to his wife, if they did not have children he was legally required to leave her one-half of his estate.⁴