More adopted sons and sons-in-law became heads upon the retirement of the previous head than upon his death, probably because adopted sons needed a prolonged induction into the headship.
Between 84 and 96 per cent of the retirement contracts among freeholders involved parents and children (including sons-in-law), while the corresponding proportion was much lower among tenant farmers.
Friends, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, and neighbours are also mentioned by substantial proportions of older people.
It became increasingly less likely that daughters (and sons-in-law) would come to head the parental household.
He loved his family fiercely, two daughters and a stepson, six grandchildren and charming and talented sons-in-law.
In a number of cases, sons-in-law or more distant relatives were preferred to sons as successors to the holding.
Dowries and bridewealth payments are thus the price necessary to gain the economic and cultural benefits of sons-in-law and daughters respectively.
Heirs were assumed to be natural sons and were replaced by adopted sons or sons-in-law if there was no natural heir.
