dowres

DOWRESS. A woman entitled to dower.
     2. In order to entitle a woman to the rights of a dowress at common 
law, she must have been lawfully married, her husband must be dead, he must 
have been seised, during the coverture, of an estate subject to dower. 
Although the marriage may be void able, if it is not absolutely void at his 
death, it is sufficient to support the rights of the dowress. The husband 
and wife must have been of sufficient age to consent. 
     3. At common law an alien could not be endowed, but this rule has been 
changed in several states. 2 John. Cas. 29; 1 Harr. & Gill, 280.; 1 Cowen, 
R. 89; 8 Cowen, R. 713. 
     4. The dowress' right may be defeated when her husband was not of right 
seised of an estate of inheritance; as, for example, dower will be defeated 
upon the restoration of the seisin under the prior title in the case of 
defeasible estates, as in case of reentry for a condition broken, which 
abolishes the intermediate seisin. Perk. s. 311, 312, 317.