Description:

Luther Martin On Women's Rights to Property

Two handwritten opinions by Founding Father Luther Martin on the legal rights of women's property. 1p, 5.5" x 7.5", N.p., dated February 12, 1802. Signed "Luther Martin", the sheet may be part of a larger collection of pages and inquiries. On this single sheet are two questions (written in an unknown hand) posed to Martin, regarding the rights of women to property. Martin answers each question with a single-sentence answer. The sheet has suffered some paper loss, with a large middle section removed at the top half and repaired with more contemporary paper. Loss to text. With flattened folds, separations, and tears being repaired with archival tape. Toning, soiling, foxing throughout. Martin's signature is large and bold and is not affected by any separation.

In full:
[Other hand] "Is a will made by [female] over the years of 18 and under 2[1] inclusive & binding by the [laws] of this state?"
[Martin's answer] "A female of the full age of Eighteen [can] devise Land &c by will, and [such] will is as valid as if made by a person of the full age of 21."
[Other hand] "Can a husband exercise control over property convey by will to his wife and her heirs - can he transfer the property without the consent of the legatee."
[Martin's answer] "The husband can dispose of personal property devised to his wife without her consent, but not of real property."

Luther Martin (1748-1826) served as Attorney General of Maryland from 1778 to 1805 and again from 1818 to 1822. Though originally opposed to the Constitution, and one of 16 Delegates to the Constitutional Convention who did not sign, he was a supporter of the Bill of Rights. He was a brilliant lawyer, defending Justice Samuel Chase in his impeachment trial in 1805 and was one of the lawyers who defended Aaron Burr at his treason trial in 1807. Tragically, Martin's fortunes declined dramatically in his last years. Heavy drinking, illness, and poverty all took their toll, and paralysis, which had struck in 1819, forced him to retire as Maryland's attorney general in 1822. In 1826, at the age of 78, Luther Martin died in Aaron Burr's home in New York City and was buried in an unmarked grave in St. John's churchyard.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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