Letter to Emily Murphy. Courtesy of City of
Edmonton Archives.
Dear Madam,
Seeing the notice in the Free Press re Dower Law for
Alberta, I think it is time we did have such a law, I don't
understand quite what the Dower Law is. But thinking that it
is a law giving married women a lawful right to half of
everything that her husband owns: lands houses and moveable
property of all kinds, is that so? My husband has all along
let me understand that 1/3 of his estate goes to the wife
and 2/3 to his children at his death. But now I am convinced
that I might get nothing and that he might give his all away
from me and my young family of seven.
I must say that he has threatened to do so whenever any
little thing crosses him. Now I left all my friends and
comforts and society and came to this new country and had
many lonely trying times, endured many hardships including
hunger and cold. Have had to do all kinds of work out door
in all kinds of weather, chop wood, carry water, milk cows,
feed horses and cattle, feed pigs etc, all sorts of work
that a hired man would have to do besides all the baking
cooking washing and housework for a large family and without
the modern convenience of labor-saving machinery also wash
all my children's clothes. I make besides most of my own and
my husbands. My husband owns half a section of good land and
hires no help. I help in the haying, harvest, plant along
with my children (the oldest is only 10 years old) more than
an acre of potatoes which we all gather in the fall and let
my husband plough. I do all that and lots more which I know
most women around me would not dream of doing, I am seldom
from home never get to church or party. No pleasure or
company of any kind so the reason I could not invite anyone
to come and spend an afternoon. I am always kept so full of
work and my house though large has no furniture of any kind
but a stove, table and chair only 2. I have not even a
rocker or a carry chair to set down and rest my weary body
and tired back. I have nothing but the bare necessities of
life. If I thought that I had to live my life out like this
I think I would go crazy but I have great hopes and that
with my trust in God keeps me going. But it would be a great
comfort and security for most women to be assured that if
her husband died something would be hers to start with
especially a woman who helps her husband. My husband is
always crying that I never help him enough and yet I raise
lots of chickens, ducks and turkeys for him to sell, the
profits of which I never get, I never get 5 cents to spend
as I like. I must account for every cent he gives me for
provisions etc.
I think if a wife got one half of all her husbands
property and everything belonging to him it would be only
her due and little at that and if the other half went to the
children they would only get it when they come of age and
many young folks would only spend it foolishly while if it
could be spent on them educating them before they came of
age, it would help greatly, and would not be such a drag
upon a young widowed mother. I really think that if we women
had a law compelling men to go equal shares with their wives
there would be more home comforts and true happiness, less
bachelors, less race suicide, as wives would not fear having
to provide and educate their children if left with a big
family. Shame on the Farmers of Western Canada they cry for
Equity Associations, Good Honest. But how few of them would
ever think of being Even and Equal with the wife of his
Bosom.
A Western Canadian Wife |