Phebe Hatfield Petitions Court for Dower

 Phebe Hatfield Petition for Dower

Newspaper Notice
Published 25 Feb 1860

Phebe Coddington Hatfield was the widow of John Hatfield who passed away on December 9, 1857 in Taylor County, Iowa.  John’s estate entered probate in January 1858.

Phebe Hatfield’s petition is a classic example of a widow exercising her right to dower, and it provides a wealth of detail not only about her but also about her extended family and the land in question.  

A few key takeaways:

- Legal Action: Phebe is formally asking the court to appoint referees (similar to commissioners) to set apart her dower from her late husband John Hatfield’s estate. This was a legal move to ensure she had lifetime rights to a portion of his land.

- Named Heirs and Connections: The notice includes a long list of family members - all children of Phebe and John Hatfield and their spouses - an absolute gem for genealogical research.  They all have a legal interest in the property.

- Land Description: The metes and bounds land description tells us exactly where her dower was to come from—covering parts of Sections 1, 12, and 13 in Township 67 North, Range 35 West. That’s very specific and could be mapped today to visualize the estate.

- Historic Context: Dated December 16, 1859, it reflects not only inheritance law at the time but also sheds light on women's legal recourse in antebellum Iowa.

As seen in the court documents below, Phebe's Dower Petition was granted, referees were appointed, and the land designated in the petition was set aside as her dower.  She stated the need for the courts assistance in setting apart the real estate of her dower because of no mutual agreement with the other heirs.

Probate Court Taylor County, Iowa
1859 - 1860
Pages 80-81

Probate Court Taylor County, Iowa
6 Feb 1860
Pages 82-83

Phebe continued to live in Taylor County, Iowa for the next several decades.  She can be found in census records for Taylor County in 1860 and 1870.  Phebe died on Oct. 9, 1883.  Her obituary is found in the Taylor County Republican Newspaper, 11 Oct 1883, page 4.

Phebe Hatfield, mother of L. D. Hatfield, Esq., of Ross township, who has been confined to her bed for the past two years, died at the residence of L. D. Hatfield on Tuesday, October 9th, at five o'clock, p. m. She has received the kindest care and attention at the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield and her grandchildren during her long illness, and her every want had been supplied. She met death with composure and fell asleep in Christ, in whose second coming and the resurrection of the dead she was a firm believer. She leaves a large number of relatives and friends to mourn her loss.