Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

269

This Indenture made this thirtieth day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and Thirty four Between William Deniston and Rachel his [wife] of the county of Mercer and State of Illinois of the one part and W^m H Denison of the County of Sang[amon] and State aforesaid of the Other part Witnesseth th[at] the Said William Denison and Rachel his Wife, for an[d] in Consideration of the Sum of Nine Hundred Dollars to them in hand in paid the Receipt whereof is hereby ackn[owledged] have given granted Bargained and Sold and by these presents do give grant Bargain and Sell all their right title int[erest] and Estate in and to the following described Lots Situate [in??] the town of New Boston lying and being in the aforesaid ^County^ [of?] Mercer viz Lots No 2, 3 and 6 in Block 2 Lots 1, 2, 4 & [?] in Block 3 Lots 5, 7, & 8 in Block 4, Lots 1, & 3 in Block [5?] Lots 3, 4 & 7 in Block 6, Lots 1 & 3 in Block 7 Lots 1 & 4 in Block 10, Lots 1, & 2 in Block 11, Lots 1, 2 & 6 in Block 12 Lots 3 & 5 in Blocks 13 Lots 1, 2 & 4 in Block 14, Lots 3, 4 and 7 in Block 15, Lots 1, & 3 in fractional Block 2 Lot [?] in fractional Block 3, and out Lots Nos 3, 6, 7, 12 as Represented by the plat of the Said town of New Boston.

To have and to hold to the Said William H Denison his heirs and assigns forever the Above described lots together with all and Singular the privileges and appurtenances thereunto Belonging (Excepting ferry privileges) and the Said William Denison and Rachel his wife do covenant to and with the Said William H Denison to Warrant and forever defend the title of Said Lots against the Claim or Claims of any and all persons who^m^soever

In testimony Whereof the Said William Denison and Rachel his wife have hereunto Set there [hands?] and Seals the day and year above Written.
William Denisons seal Rachel Denison seal

[ certification ]
Lincoln, Abraham (President)Erwin, James

Signed and Sealed and delivered in presence of
A. LincolnJAS Ervine

[ certification ]
09/30/1834
Erwin, James

State of Illinois
Warren County

Before the undersigned one of the Justices of the peace within and [for] the county ^aforesaid^ on this thirtieth day of September in [the] year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and thirty four personaly appeared William Denison and Rachel his w[ife] the above named grantors and acknowledged the above inden[ture] to be there voluntary act and deed and at the same

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Time the said Rachel Wife of said William Denison being by me first and seperate ^and^ apart from her Said husband made acquainted with the Contents of the above deed by having the Same Read acknowledged that She did Sign the aforesaid deed and now doth acknowledge the Same freely and voluntarily and without any fear force or coercion of her ^said^ husband in testimoney whereof I hereunto Set my hand and affix my Seal this day and date aforesaid.1
JAS Ervine J. P.[Justice of the Peace] seal

1“Dower” is a term that refers to the legally protected lifetime right of a woman to one-third of her husband’s lands and personal property. Dower was intended to provide for the support of a widow and her children. Because of this, a husband could not convey property without the consent of his wife.
Christopher A. Schnell, “Wives, Widows, and Will Makers: Woman and the Law of Property,” in In Tender Consideration: Women, Families, and the Law in Abraham Lincoln’s Illinois (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2003), 129, 133; Joan R. Gundersen, “Women and Inheritance in America,” in Robert K. Miller Jr. and Stephen J. McNamee, eds., Inheritance and Wealth in America (New York: Springer Science and Business Media, 1998), 94.