Adams v. Bishop

138 S.E. 849, 164 Ga. 367, 1927 Ga. LEXIS 195
Supreme Court of Georgia·Decided June 22, 1927·No. No. 5659·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

Him, J.

This is an equitable petition brought by W. M. Adams as executor of the last will and _ testament of Mrs. P. A. Adams, praying the court to construe items 2 and 3 of her will. Omitting the formal parts of the will it is as follows:

[368] “I, Mrs. P. A. Adams, of said State and county, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make this my last -will and testament.
“Item first. I give, bequeath and devise to my eldest son, W. R. Bishop, the following property, one thousand ($1000) dollars.
“Item second. I further bequeath and devise to my youngest son, W. Bluford Adams, one thousand ($1000) dollars out of the property coming to me at the death of my husband, W. M. Adams.
“Item third. I further bequeath and devise to my 2nd son, Eddie G. Bishop, my home, and one hundred acres of land, house furniture, and all remaining property found in my possession at my death, except my gold watch and chain, — said property to remain in his possession for and during his natural life, with this understanding: that my husband, W. M. Adams, shall share equally with said Eddie G. Bishop in the living and proceeds from the place during the natural life of said W. M. Adams; and I further direct that at the death of Eddie G. Bishop said property designated in item 3rd shall become the property of W. R. Bishop and W. B. Adams, with this understanding: that W. M. Adams shall still be entitled to one half of the proceeds from said place for and during his natural life.
“Item fourth. I further bequeath and devise to my daughter in law, Mrs. Ada Bishop, wife of W. R. Bishop, my gold watch and chain.
“Item fifth. I hereby constitute and appoint my husband and sons, W. M. Adams, W. R. Bishop, and W. B. Adams, executors of this my last will and testament. This 12th day of March, 1910.-”

When the case came on for trial it was agreed that no issue of fact was involved, and that the only questions were questions of law for the court. The case was therefore submitted to the court below, and he passed upon the same without the intervention of a jury, and rendered the following judgment: “The above- petition for the construction of the will of Mrs. P. A. Adams, coming on for a hearing, and it being agreed by the plaintiff and the defendants that the court pass [upon] the same either in term or vacation without the intervention of a jury, and after arguments heard, it is considered, ordered, and adjudged that said will be and the same is hereby construed as follows:

“Par. (A) W. Bluford Adams does not take the $1000 herein [369] devised in item 2, for the reason that the testator never received any property from her husband, W. M. Adams; that said item contains a specific legacy which failed 'upon the failure of the testator to receive any property from her husband, W. M. Adams.
“Par. (B) Under item 3 of said will "W.B. Bishop is entitled to one fourth of the income from the 100 acres of land since the death of Eddie G-. Bishop, and W. B. Adams is entitled to one fourth of the income of said 100 acres of land since the death of Eddie G. Bishop, and W. M. Adams is entitled to one half of the proceeds from said place during the remainder of his life; that the fee-simple title of said 100 acres of land is in W. Bluford Adams and W; B. Bishop, subject to the charge in favor of W. M. Adams to the extent of one half of the proceeds therefrom; that the personal property mentioned in item 3 of said will, since the death of E. G. Bishop, is the property of W. B. Bishop and W. Bluford Adams. Said item is construed to mean that W. Mr Adams shall have the right to live on said premises for and during the remainder of his life. It is ordered that W. M. Adams pay one half of the cost of this proceeding, and that the defendants W. B. Bishop and W. Bluford Adams pay one half of the cost of this proceeding.”

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Adams v. Bishop, 138 S.E. 849, 164 Ga. 367, 1927 Ga. LEXIS 195 (Ga. 1927).

138 S.E. 849 (Adams v. Bishop) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Adams v. Bishop
157 S.E. 523 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1931)
Adams v. Bishop
151 S.E. 377 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1930)