of the town town clerk. county that the full amount of the purchase oath. Sec. 6. und be it further enacted, That the Trustees trustees and clerk, before they enter upon the to take an duties of their offices, shall take an oath or affirmation, faithfully to discharge the duties of their respective offices, agreeably to law. Sec. 7. und be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the board of commissioners of the board of the county aforesaid, so soon as the conveyance ers to reor conveyances of the tract or tracts of land pose of the aforesaid, is made to the said associate judges erty at the for the use and benefit of said county, to remove or dispose of to the best advantage, for the use commission public prop mouth of Brush creek, 6-Vol. 2 The court of common pleas to cause the re. cords to be removed, held at West Union. of the said county, the public property belonging to the said county, in the town of Washington, at the mouth of Brush creek, in the said county, and the money arising from such disposition, to pay into the county treasury for the use of the said county. Sec. 8. And we it further enacted, That the court of common pleas for the aforesaid county, are hereby authorized and required, so soon as etc., and the they may think it convenient and necessary, to cause the records and papers of the said county to be removed from the town of Washington in the said county, to the place ixed upon by the aforesaid commissioners for the permanent establishment of the seat of justice in the said county, and the court in the said county to be held thereat; and all public officers are hereby required and enjoined to govern themselves accordingly. ELIAS LANGHAM, Speaker of the house of representatives. NATH. MASSIE, January 16th, 1804. WHEREAS John Matthews, James Brown and Robert Spear, commissioners for Belmont county, in pursuance of the powers delegated to Preamble. them by an act, entitled, “An act to provide for a permanent seat of justice in the county of Belmont," passed at Chillicothe, the first day of April, one thousand eight hundred and three, have reported to this general assembly, that on examination they do find, that St. Clairs ville is the most proper place for the seat of justice in the county of Belmont. Therefore, Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly St. Clairs- ELIAS LANGHAN, NATH. MASSIE, Speaker of the senate. CHAPTER XIV. An act, regulating the right of dower. tled during real proper. ty, etc. Sec. 1. Be it enacteil by the general assembly of the state of Ohio, That the widow shall be Widow enti- entitled during her life, to the use of one-third part of all the real property that her husband was part of the seized of during coverture, unless she shall have joined with her husband in the conveyance, the widow shall tarry in the chief house of her husband and have a reasonable support out of the estate of her husband, until her dower be assigned her, and shall be entitled to one-third part of the remainder of the personal property after the debts are paid. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any right of dor. estate shall be conveyed to a woman for a joint ure instead of her dower, to take effect immediately after the death of her husband and to continue during her life, such conveyance shall bar her right of dower to the lands and tenements which were her husband's, but if the jointure or conveyance was niade when the feme was in infancy, or if made after marriage, in either case the widow, at her election, may waive her joiuture and demand her dower. When and in er shall e 85 her dower. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the the manner judges of the court of common pleas, on applica- to widow tion of the widow, shall appoint three appraisers to appraise the property of the deceased, any two of whom shall assign to the widow her dower therein. within six ,, Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That when- The widow ever any person shall leave any part of his prop- election erty to his wife by will, she shall, within six months it months after the death of her husband, make thing by her her election, whether she will hold by the will or by her right of dower, unless the husband shall specially set forth in his will, that such provision was made and given in addition to the widow's right of dower; and in case all the heirs to the estate are of age, and the widow and the heirs can agree on a division and on settlement When a diof the estate, they shall make return of such can be their agreement to the court of common pleas, which settlement and agreement shall be valid court of and binding on the widow and the heirs. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That no con- When the tract of the husband or recovery against him of the husband any lands, tenements or hereditaments, being prive the the inheritance or freehold of his wife, during his death or the coverture between them, shall in any wise etc. deprive the wife, after the death of the husband, of any right which she had or might have to vision, etc., agreed on, to return the same to the pleas. 1 |