Telling the whole story
From 1861 to…? It’s a story that began 160 years ago today. It was the 15th of April 1861 when newly-inaugurated President Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation: WHEREAS the laws of the United States have been, for some time past, and are now opposed, and...Patently fascinating
A patent war anniversary He was a journeyman machinist in poor health, whose wife was taking in sewing to help support the family. And he wanted to make things easier for her. So Elias Howe, Jr., of Cambridge, Massachusetts, came up with a design that was the first...More on dower
Some nuances this time In The Legal Genealogist’s experience, it never fails. Answer one reader question with basic information, and the “well, what about…” questions come rolling in. You’d think I’d have learned by now to add in some of the...Tarheel dower
Researching dower in North Carolina Reader Marcia is puzzled. “I have been doing family history in North Carolina and dealing with Dower and other goodies,” she writes. “When she got the land as a dower right did the widow own it outright?” Great question, because a...Doing as he was told
Thank you, Phoebe King Ensminger Burn It was 100 years ago today that Harry T. Burn did what he was told. He listened to his mama. And the result of doing that simple thing was historic in every sense of that word. It was precisely 100 years ago today that Harry T....Original sources
Of original causes These are powerful times in which we live, and part of the power of the moment comes from the tidal wave of history that is sweeping a lot of misconceptions out with it. One of those misconceptions: the Civil War was fought by southern states to...Taking notice
A lesson from Arkansas law It is one of the most basic elements of the law. You can’t do something about an issue if you don’t know about it. And so the law makes people who want you to have to do something — or who want to do something to you...Centennial State laws
Colorado statutes from 1861 It was part of Spain, France — no, Spain — no, France — both Spain and France, the United States and Mexico and Texas, and then just the United States. At least some part of its land at one time or another had been in the Louisiana,...Constituting Massachusetts
Legal research in the Bay State Researching the way Massachusetts was created as a matter of law through its chartering documents is really easy, isn’t it? After all, The Legal Genealogist is quite sure that Massachusetts has only ever had one Constitution,...Subscribe by Email
