Dower
the estate for life which a widow acquires in a certain portion of her husband's real property after his during the coverture; but the rule varies which in this matter is the general law in the United States, entitles the widow to a third part of all the lands and tenements of which the husband was seized in fee-simple, or fee-tail, at any time during the coverture; but the rule varies widely on many particulars in the different States. Tenancy in dower is where a widow takes a third of such lands and unknown in the early part of the Saxon viding for a widow seems to have been previously barred. This mode of proto, for seizin is not here necessary, and in which her title to dower has not been previously barred. This mode of providing for a widow seems to have been unknown in the early part of the Saxon constitution of England, from which country our laws are derived; for, in the laws of King Edmund, the wife is directed to be supported wholly out of the personal estate. Afterward, as may be seen in gavelkind tenure, the widow became entitled to an estate in one-half of the lands, provided she remained chaste and unmarried; as is usual also in copyhold dowers, dowers, or freebench. a pastor in Australia, he afterward went