The law exempts a homestead from attachment or levy of execution to the amount of five hundred dollars; also (unless turned out to the officer by the debtor, to be taken on the attachment in execution) such suitable apparel, bedding, tools, arms, and articles of household furniture as may be necessary for upholding life, one sewing-machine kept for use, one cow, the best swine, or the meat of one swine, sheep not exceeding in number ten, and one year's product of said sheep in wool yarn, or cloth, forage sufficient for keeping not exceeding ten sheep and one cow through one winter, ten cords of firewood or five tons of coal, twenty bushels of potatoes, all growing crops, ten bushels of grain, one barrel of flour, three swarms of bees and hives, together with their produce in honey, two hundred pounds of sugar, and all lettered gravestones, the Bibles and other books used in a family, one pew or slip in a meeting-house or place of religious worship, live poultry not exceeding in value the sum of ten dollars, the professional books and instruments of physicians, and the professional books of clergymen and attorneys at law, to the value of two hundred dollars; and also one yoke of oxen or steers, as the debtor may select, two horses kept and used for team-work, and such as the debtor may select in lieu of oxen or steers, but not exceeding in value the sum of two hundred dollars, with sufficient forages for keeping the same through the winter; also the pistols, side arms, and equipments personally used by any soldier in the service of the United States and kept by him or his heirs as mementoes of his service, also one two-horse wagon with whiffle-trees and neck-yoke; or one ox-cart, as the debtor may choose; one sled or one set of traverse sleds, either for horses or oxen, as the debtor may select; two harnesses, two halters, two chains, one plow, and one ox-yoke, which with the oxen or steers or horses which the debtor may select for team work, shall not exceed in value two hundred and fifty dollars; also one tool chest kept for use by a mechanic.
A housekeeper or head of a family has a homestead exemption from attachment or execution in a dwelling-house and lands appurtenant, used or kept as a homestead, to the value of five hundred dollars.
VIRGINIA.
The exemption laws are very liberal. A householder residing in this State may hold exempt from levy or distress the family Bible, family pictures, school-books, and library for the use of the family, not exceeding in all one hundred dollars in value; a seat or pew in any house or place of public worship; a lot in a burial ground; all necessary wearing apparel of the debtor and his family; all beds, bedsteads and bedding necessary for the use of such family, and all stoves and appendages put up for the necessary use of the family, not exceeding three; one cow and her calf till one year old, one horse, six chairs, one table, six knives, six forks, six plates, one dozen spoons, two dishes, two basins, one pot, one oven, six pieces of wooden or earthen ware, one loom and its appurtenances, one safe or press, one spinning-wheel, one pair of cards, one axe, two hoes, ten barrels of corn, or in lieu thereof twenty-five bushels of rye or buckwheat, five bushels of wheat or one barrel of flour, two hundred pounds of bacon or pork, three hogs, ten dollars in value of forage or hay, one cooking-stove and utensils for cooking therewith, and one sewing-machine; and, in the case of a mechanic, the tools and utensils of his trade, not exceeding one hundred dollars in value; and in case of an oysterman or fisherman, his boat and tackle, not exceeding two hundred dollars in value, the same shall be sold, and out of the proceeds the oysterman or fisherman shall first receive two hundred dollars in lieu of such boat and tackle; and if the householder is at the time actually engaged in the business of agriculture, there shall also be exempt from such levy or distress, while he is so engaged, to be selected by him or his agent, the following articles, or so many there he may have, to wit: one yoke of oxen, or a pair of horses or mules in lieu thereof (unless he selects or has selected a horse or mule under the preceding section, in which case he shall be entitled to select under this section only one), with the necessary gearings, one wagon or cart, two plows, one drag, one harvest cradle, one pitchfork, one rake, and two iron wedges; wages, owing to a laboring man being a householder, not exceeding fifty dollars per month, shall also be exempt from distress, levy, or garnishment. These embrace what is known as the Poor Debtor's Exemption. (Code, ch. 178.)
The Homestead Exemption is as follows: Every householder residing in this State shall, in addition to the property or estate to hold exempt from levy, distress, or garnishment, under ch. 178, be entitled to exempt from levy, seizure, garnishment, or sale under any execution, order, or process issued on any demand for any debt or liability on contract, his real and personal estate, or either, to be selected by him, including money and debts due him, to the value of not exceeding two thousand dollars.
Any husband or parent residing in this State, or the widow or infant children of deceased parents, may set apart his personal estate, not exceeding two hundred dollars in value, to be exempt from execution or other process. He or they may also hold a homestead of the value of one thousand dollars (provided the homestead is recorded among the public land records of the county wherein it is situate, before the debt against which it is claimed is contracted), as against debts created since. Any resident mechanic, artisan, or laborer, whether a husband or parent or not, may hold the working tools of his trade or occupation to the value of fifty dollars exempt, provided that in no case shall the exemption allowed any one person exceed two hundred dollars.
WASHINGTON.
All real and personal estate belonging to a married woman at the time of her marriage, and all she subsequently acquires or becomes entitled to in her own right, and all her personal earnings, and rents and profits of such real estate, shall not be liable for her husband's debts so long as she or any minor heir of her body is living, but her separate property is liable for debts owing by her at the time of her marriage.
To a householder, being the head of a family, a homestead of the value of two thousand dollars while occupied by such family, wearing apparel, private libraries (not to exceed five hundred dollars in value), family pictures, and keepsakes. To each householder one bed and bedding and one additional bed and bedding for each additional member of the family, and other household goods of the coin value of five hundred dollars. Provisions and fuel for family for six months. Two cows with their calves, five swine, two stands of bees, thirty-six domestic fowls and feed for six months. To a farmer one span of horses and harness, or two yokes of oxen, and one wagon, with farming utensils not exceeding five hundred dollars in coin value, one hundred and fifty bushels of wheat, one hundred and fifty bushels of oats or barley, fifty bushels of potatoes, ten bushels of corn, and ten bushels of peas, and ten bushels of corn, ten bushels of peas and ten bushels of onions for seeding purposes. To a mechanic, the tools used to carry on his trade for the support of himself and family, also material of the value of five hundred dollars. To a physician, his library, not exceeding five hundred dollars in value, horse and carriage, instruments and medicines not exceeding two hundred dollars in coin. To attorneys and clergymen, their libraries, not exceeding in value of one thousand dollars, also office furniture, stationery and fuel not exceeding in value two hundred dollars. All firearms kept for use and a canoe, skiff, or small boat, not exceeding in value two hundred and fifty dollars. To a person engaged in lightering, one or more lighters or scows and a small boat, not exceeding the aggregate value of two hundred and fifty dollars. To a drayman, his team. To a person engaged in logging, three yokes of work oxen, and implements of the value of three hundred dollars. Proceeds or avails of all life and accident insurance shall be exempt from all liability for any debt. To any person whose exempt property is insured, and destroyed by fire, the insurance money coming to or belonging to the person thus insured to an amount equal to the exempt property thus destroyed. Burial lot exempt. Pension money exempt, but exemption may be waived.