Estates. From the French, fief. A fee is an estate which may continue forever. Land granted by a lord in return for services. Habitable lands held under feudal tenure. The word fee is explained to signify that the land, or other subject of property, belongs to its owner, and is transmissible, in the case of an individual, to those whom the law appoints to succeed him, under the appellation of heirs; and in the case of corporate bodies, to those who are to take on themselves the corporate function; and from the manner in which the body is to be continued, are denominated successors. Estates in fee are of several sorts, and have different denominations, according to their several natures and respective qualities.
They 'may with propriety be divided into, 1. Fees simple. 2. Fees determinable. 3. Fees qualified. 4. Fees conditional and 5. Fees tail.
1. A fee simple is an estate in lands or tenements which, in reference to the ownership of individuals, is not restrained to any heirs in particular, nor subject to any condition or collateral determination except the laws of escheat and the canons of descent, by which it may, be qualified, ...