Welcome to our in-depth written lesson, Dower Law: A Case Study. Dower law was part of English common law brought to the American colonies. It reflected a period in time during which the vast majority of a woman’s rights became subservient to those of her husband at the time they wed. While they seem severe and archaic today, they actually performed an important role in the protection and maintenance of a married woman (widow) after the death of her spouse.

The activities described and document examples included come directly from the experiences of Caroline Alice Whitefield Morgan, George G. Morgan’s paternal great-grandmother. The course will take you through the legal process that established her dower right. Subsequent family research is described to provide suggested research avenues for Caroline’s descendants.