This Indenture, made this thirteenth day of July in the year of Our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and thirty
three, between Joseph Watkins and Nancy his wife of the County of Sangamo and State of Illinois of the one part, and Thomas F Dowell, of the County and State aforesaid of the other part.
Witnesseth: That the said Joseph Watkins and Nancy his wife for and in consideration of the sum of Three hundred Dollars to them in
hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have given, granted, bargained
and sold, and by these presents do give grant, bargain and sell all their right, title,
interest and estate in and to the North half of the South West quarter of Section
Eight, in township Eighteen, North of Range Seven West.
Also the North half of the West half of the South East quarter of Section Eight, township
Eighteen, North Range Seven West, both in the District of lands offered for sale at
Springfield Illinois, Containing one hundred twenty acres.1 To Have and to Hold to the said Thomas F Dowell, his heirs and assigns forever, the above described parcels of land, together with
all and singular the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging. And the said
Joseph Watkins and Nancy his wife, do covenant to and with the said Thomas F Dowell to Warrant and forever Defend the title of said land, against the claim or claims,
of any and all person, or persons whomsoever.
<Page 2>
In testimony whereof the said Joseph Watkins and Nancy his wife, have hereunto set their hands and seals, the day and year above written.
Joseph Watkins seal
| her | |||
| Nancy | X | Watkins | seal |
| mark |
[ certification
]
07/13/1833
07/13/1833
| State of Illinois | } | ss |
| Sangamo County |
Personally came Joseph Watkins and Nancy his wife, before the undersigned an acting Justice of Peace for the County and State aforesaid, both personally Known to said Justice to be the identical persons
that executed the within Deed, and acknowledged the same to be their act and deed
for the purposes therein contained.
And Nancy Watkins being examined separate and apart from her husband, and made acquainted with the
contents of said Deed ^freely^ acknowledged the signing and sealing of said Deed without the coercion or persuasion
of her said husband as a relinquishment of her right of Dower.2
Given under my hand and seal this 13th day of July 1833.
Bowling Green J P.[Justice of the Peace] seal [ docketing
]
04/11/1834
04/11/1834
Recorded April 11th 1834 “G.” 185
1The land described here lay in Sangamon County in 1833; in 1839, the General Assembly carved out the northern part of the county to create a new county called Menard. The land described here is now situated in the west-central portion of Menard County.
2“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.
Handwritten Transcription, 2 page(s), Menard County Deed Book A, 334-35, Menard County Courthouse (Petersburg, IL)