Solo women were rare

By Nancy Battick

In my last column I wrote about the challenges involved in researching the early censuses. One of the things that may strike researchers is how often the head of household was male. 

This may be puzzling to modern women, but right into the 20th century it was considered normal. Independent women were exceedingly rare, though you will find then occasionally in early census records.

A woman on her own, heading up a household and managing her own money, was known legally as a femme sole. This concept rests in medieval and early modern laws, when women were usually under the rule of their fathers or other male relatives. Once married, a woman was legally “covert de baron,” or covered — that is, she was legally “protected” by her husband. 

It didn’t matter if the woman brought property or money into the marriage. Her husband was the one who had control of his wife’s assets and over her. If she were widowed, her nearest male relative would assume control of her estate. If there was no male relative, a court would usually appoint a guardian. 

A femme sole, a woman without a male protector, was rare. Aristocratic women were often forced to remarry after a suitable mourning period. 

It was different for what we would term middle-class women. If a husband in the trades died before his wife, his widow would usually continue operating the business whether he was a brewer, baker or craftsman. A widow often remarried, quite usually an apprentice or assistant of her husband’s, though some chose to remain single. Here in the U.S., you can find widows operating farms or trades. These women could sign contracts where married women could not and had to have their husbands sign in their stead.

When you’re researching in the censuses, keep an eye out for women who are listed as heads of household and the type of occupation they had. Also, note their marital status. It’s not unknown to find a single woman as head a household, particularly in the West. Often this would be a farm she inherited from her father. She may have had no male relatives to assume responsibility for her. During wartime, women often tried to continue their husband’s businesses while they were away fighting. 

In vital records you may find that widows remarried quickly after the death of a husband. Usually, the widow had small children and a farm or business to operate.  Often her new husband was a widower with children and needed a wife to run his home, raise his children, and care for things so he could resume his occupation. These marriages were convenient for both parties. 

The passing of married women’s property acts in the 19th century and being granted the vote changed their status. Today the concept of a woman not owning property or being able to manage her own money is outdated, except in certain countries. This often has to do with religious traditions as well as cultural customs.

Columnist Nancy Battick of Dover-Foxcroft has researched genealogy for over 30 years. She is past president of the Maine Genealogical Society, author of several genealogical articles and co-transcribed the Vital Records of Dover-Foxcroft. Nancy holds an MA in History from UM. Reader emails are welcome at nbattick@roadrunner.com.