Case Name: Rebecca Reid vs. James A. Stevenson
Court: South Carolina Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: South Carolina
Decision Date: 1846-08
Citations: 3 Rich. 66
Docket Number: 
Parties: Rebecca Reid vs. James A. Stevenson.
Judges: Richardson, O’Neall, Evans, Butler and Ward-law, JJ. concurred.
Reporter: South Carolina Law Reports
Volume: 37
Pages: 66–67

Head Matter:
Rebecca Reid vs. James A. Stevenson.
A demandant in dower need not make out a regular chain of title in her husband, hut it is sufficient for her to shew that he had been in possession during the coverture; and it is then incumbent on the defendant to shew a paramount title in himself.
Before Frost, J. at Union, Spring Term, 1846.
Application for dower ; issue on the seisin of Zachariah Reid, demandant’s husband.
There was no proof as to the party under whom the defendant claimed the land. No grant was produced, nor did the demandant, in any way, prove title in her husband. She proved, however, that he had been in possession of the land during the coverture, for about fourteen years.
- His Honor charged the jury, that, as it had not been shown that the defendant claimed under the husband of the demandant, she should have proved title in her husband. Verdict for the defendant.
The demandant appealed, and now moved for a new trial, on the ground of error in the charge of his Honor.
Wright, for the motion.
-, contra.

Opinion:
Curia, per
Frost, J.
In this case the presiding Judge erred in deciding, that it was necessary for the demandant to shew title in her husband to the land in dispute, in order to establish her claim to dower. In Forrest vs. Trammell, 1 Bail. 77, it was held that the demandant in dower need not. make out a regular chain of title in her husband ; but that it is sufficient for her to show that he had been in possession during the coverture ; and it is then incumbent on the defendant to shew a paramount title in himself.
The motion is granted. •
Richardson, O'Neall, Evans, Butler and Ward-law, JJ. concurred.