Halbert v. Halbert

Petition for dower in land and slaves. The husband died, leaving his widow but no children. He made a will with a single clause, giving to the plaintiff, his widow, a female slave, saying nothing about her right in his other property, and making no disposition of any other, property. The defendants answered, setting up the bequest of the slave as a bar to dower. The court disregarded the answer, and gave judgment for the plaintiff for dower in one half of the land. The fact is found by the court, that the widow elected to be endowed under the *454third section of the act concerning dower, which…