DOWERS
In Bahamian society a man's wife is entitled to 1/3 of all his estate.
This is called Dower rights. When land/property is sold by the husband,
the woman must renounce all claim to the land or property. Without
this renunciation the land cannot be sold.
The Archives
has in its possession a number of volumes re: Dower renunciation
which were deposited by the Registrar General's Department. These
span the years 1791 - 1910 but do not run continuously. However
some Dower records are mixed with deeds and conveyances. These cover
the period 1859 - 1951
The records
tell the names of parties involved, the type of transaction and
the location of the property. The volumes are also on microfilm.
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