Webb v. Townsend
Webb v. Townsend
Opinion of the Court
In Conner v. Shepherd, it was decided, that a widow is not dowable of land in a wild and uncultivated state. In several other cases it has been determined, that when land of which a widow is dowable shall have been increased in value by a grantee of the husband, her dower shall be assigned according to the value of the land when alienated.
The case of Nash v. Boltwood was determined before we had reports of the decisions of this Court, and we do not know the grounds on which it was decided.
Demandant nonsuit.
Stearns v. Swift, 8 Pick. 532; Ayer v. Spring, 9 Mass. R. 8; Catlin v Ware, 9 Mass. R. 218; Ayer v. Spring, 10 Mass. R. 80; Winder v. Little, 1 Yeates, 152; Humphrey v. Phinney, 2 Johns. R. 484; Dorchester v. Coventry, 11 Johns. R. 510; Hale v. James, 6 Johns. Ch. R. 258; Coates v Cheever, 1 Cowen, 460; Shaw v. White, 13 Johns. R. 179. See also Gore v. Brazer, 3 Mass. R. 544. But in Thompson v. Morrow, 5 Serg & R. 289, and Powell v. Monson & Brimfield Man. Co. 3 Mason, 347, it was held, that the widow shall be endowed of the actual value of the lands at the time of the assignment of the dower, excluding from the estimate the increased value arising from the improvements made by the alienee. See also Powell v Monson & Brimfield Man. Co. 3 Mason, 459.
A widow is dowable of a lot of wild land, which was used by her husband, m connection with his dwellinghouse and cultivated land, for the purpose of procuring fuel and timber for repairs. White v. Willis, 7 Pick. 143. Bn not of mines unopened at the death of her husband. Coates v. Cheever, 1 Cowan, 466.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Webb versus Townsend
- Status
- Published