Daily AncestorJointure
A jointure was land or income settled on a wife, usually before marriage, to support her as a widow, and often taken in place of her dower.
A jointure was a freehold estate secured to the wife, taking effect at her husband's death and lasting at least for her life. Originally it was an estate held jointly by husband and wife, which gave the word its name.
Because it was meant to provide for widowhood, a jointure was commonly accepted in place of dower. A deed or marriage settlement that mentions a jointure explains why the widow may not claim dower later.
As seen in a recordMarriage settlement, 1700s or 1800s
said lands to be held by the said Mary as her jointure, in lieu and full satisfaction of her dower
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Daily Ancestor. "Jointure." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/jointure. Last checked 2026-10-12.