Joel Lane’s Orphans: Coverture and Guardianship at the Turn of the 19th Century
*The event has already taken place on this date: Thu, 11/17/2022
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When Joel Lane and his wife Mary died only a few days apart from each other in 1795, they left behind ten children, six of whom were underage. Joel’s will was written with the assumption that his wife could help his young son Thomas, 10, run the plantation until he was of age. When Mary died without a will of her own being written, the family was thrown into chaos, the children separated and scattered among relatives. Nicole’s talk will describe what happened to Joel’s children following their parents’ death and what we can learn from it about colonial coverture laws and property inheritance. She will also delve into what we know of the fascinating lives of Joel’s children.
Nicole Ackman is a student in the Public History Master’s program at NC State University. She previously received her Bachelor’s in History and Strategic Communications from Elon University and her Master’s in Culture, Policy, and Management from City University of London. In addition to being a historian, Nicole is a Rotten Tomatoes-verified film critic. After completing a summer internship at the Joel Lane Museum House researching the Lane children, she is now writing her Master’s thesis on the history of the house as a museum. Having grown up in Cary, Nicole is fascinated by North Carolina history.
Proceeds support the Joel Lane Museum House’s educational mission.
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