Chap. 265.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section two of an act
approved April 4th, 1877, entitled an act securing to married women,
on conditions, all property acquired by them before or after marriage,
so as to more clearly define the courtesy and dower rights.

Approved March 14, 1878.

'1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That section two
of an act approved April fourth, eighteen hundred and sev-
enty-seven, entitled an act securing to married women, on
conditions, all property acquired by them before or after
marriage, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:
§ 2. All real and personal estate hereafter acquired by any
woman, whether by gift, grant, purchase, inheritance, devise,
or bequest, shall be and continue her sole and separate estate,
subject tothe provisions and limitations of the preceding sec-
tion, although the marriage may have been solemnized pre-
vious to the passage of this act; and she may devise and
bequeath the same as if she were unmarried; and it shall
not be liable to the debts and liabiities of ber husband:
provided that nothing contained in this act shall be con-
strued to deprive the husband o: courtesy in the wife’s real
estate, nor the wife of dower in her busband’s estate: and
provided further that the sole and separate estate created by
any gift, grant, devise, or bequest, shall be held accordiog to
the terms and powers, and be subject to the provisions and
limitations thereof, and to the provisions and limitations of
this act, so far as they are in conflict therewith: provided
that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to
modify or alter section seven of chapter one bundred and
twenty-three of the Code of cighteen hundred and seventy-
three, except as hereinafter provided; that is to say, where
the wife is a minor, baving an estate in the hands of a
guardian, it shall not be lawful for said guardian to pay or
turn over her estate before she attains the aye of twenty-one
years, notwithstanding her marriage.

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.