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Inheritance in America From Colonial Times to the Present; by Carole Shammas, Michel Dahlin, and Marylynn Salmon; 320 pp; 1997, Reprinted 2012, Paper; ISBN: 9780932231123; Item # FPB01

Inheritance in America is the first study of how Americans have distributed household wealth over three centuries – from the 1700s to the 1980s. The authors focus on the relationship between the inheritance process and changes in capitalism and the structure of the family.

An important contribution to the fields of social, family, and economic history, as well as genealogy, Inheritance in America covers customs and patterns of inheritance among families. The authors discuss the first intestacy statutes, analyze the testamentary behavior of colonial wealth holders, and consider the impact of the Revolution. As women’s roles and rights changed over the centuries, so did inheritance laws. The improved condition of women as heirs is a major theme of this study.

Long-term trends in the use of dynastic devices, charitable bequests, women’s control over capital, and the giving of legacies to collateral kin and friends are all examined in the sweeping, interdisciplinary book.

Appendix B is of special interest, as it covers the Inheritance Laws in place in the United States in 1890, is in table-form, and printed alphabetically by state.

This is a fascinating book, one that any family historian would do well to read and keep handy for quick reference.