Akers v. Haskins

95 S.E. 241, 147 Ga. 683, 1918 Ga. LEXIS 113
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedFebruary 16, 1918
DocketNos. 399, 400
StatusPublished

This text of 95 S.E. 241 (Akers v. Haskins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Akers v. Haskins, 95 S.E. 241, 147 Ga. 683, 1918 Ga. LEXIS 113 (Ga. 1918).

Opinion

Beck, P. J.

E. M. Akers, Mary C. Holmes, Jennie M. Blood-worth, and Ralph P. Akers brought their petition against Emeline P. Haskins, to recover a certain described tract of land. The same plaintiffs in another suit brought their petition against John F. Pierson, to recover another tract of land. These two cases were argued together, and, on the facts that determine the rights of the parties, are so nearly similar that they will be decided together. Difference in their facts affecting the merits will be pointed out. The first of them will be referred to as the case against Haskins, and the second as the case against Pierson; and the use of the names of these two defendants will generally sufficiently indicate whether we are dealing specially with the facts of one case or the other. And the tracts of land sued for in the first and second case, respectively", will be referred to as the Haskins tract and the Pierson tract.

It is alleged in substance, in the petitions and amendments thereto, that petitioners are the owners in fee simple of the lands sued for; that on June 17, 1866, Samuel Pitts, the grandfather of petitioners, in consideration of his love and affection for his daughter, Anne Eliza Akers, the wife of John W. Akers, executed a certain instrument “giving, granting, and conveying $1500.00 in money unto the said J. W. Akers, as trustee for his wife for life, the same at the death of the said Anne Eliza to belong to [684]*684such child or children, or representative of child or Children, as she might leave in life.” This instrument was recorded on November 13, 1866, in the book kept for the record of deeds. On June 21, 1866, one Caper McLendon sold and conveyed to J. W. Akers, as trustee for his wife Anne Eliza Akers, a certain described parcel of land in DeKalb county, containing 20 acres; and this land was purchased by Akers with the trust money given to him by Samuel Pitts, as before stated. On October 1, 1866, Samuel Pitts executed another instrument in writing, giving and granting the sum of $2400 in money to J. W. Akers, as trustee for his wife Anne Eliza, and her children, for life. Shortly after this gift J. W. Akers invested the money in a 12-acre tract of land in DeKalb county, adjoining the 20 acres of land first mentioned. This 12-acre tract was purchased from Caper McLendon, and payment therefor was made with the money aforesaid; but J. W. Akers took no deed to this 12-acre tract. The parcel of land sued for in the Haskins suit is a part of the 20-acre tract, while that sued for in the Pier-son suit is a part of the 12-acre tract. On November 17, 1875, Caper McLendon, J. W. Akers as trustee for his wife, Anne Eliza Akers, and her children, and Anne Eliza Akers “executed a tripartite instrument, which is recorded in the clerk’s office of DeKalb superior court,” in which instrument the deed from Caper McLendon to J. W. Akers as trustee for Anne Eliza Akers, dated June 21, 1866, above described, and conveying twenty acres of land, was referred to, and in which it was also recited that Caper McLendon thereafter sold to J. W.. Akers 12 acres of land adjoining the 20 acres, but executed no deed thereto; that the deed dated June 21, 1866, was made to J. W. Akers as trustee for his wife, when it should have been to him as trustee for his wife and children, in accordance with trust deeds dated, respectively, June 17, 1866, and October 1, 1866, made by Samuel Pitts, and recorded in certain books of records specified in the clerk’s office of DeKalb superior court. Said “tripartite instrument”, further recited that all the land was bought from McLendon by J. W. Akers with money belonging to the trust conveyed by Samuel Pitts’s trust deeds above referred to; and further recited that the instrument was executed for the purpose of curing the irregularities mentioned, and for conveying in proper form title to all the lands whieh the said Akers as trustee had purchased from Caper [685]*685McLendon. This “tripartite instrument” provided that Caper McLendon should make a deed to J. W. Akers as trustee for his wife and her children, in conformity to the trust mentioned. It was also recited in this,instrument that Anne Eliza Akers knew of the fact that the lands referred to and purchased by J. W. Akers from McLendon were purchased with the money which came to Akers under the “trust deeds' from Samuel Pitts,” and that, investing the money in the lands, her husband intended to have title made to himself as trustee for his wife and children, in • conformity with the terms of the trust referred to, but by mistake had the title made to himself as trustee for his wife alone. By said “tripartite agreement” Anne Eliza Akers undertook to quitclaim her interest in said lands to said J. W. Akers as trustee for his wife and children, in conformity to the Pitts trust deeds, reserving to herself such an interest as she took in such trust deeds; and Caper McLendon, in pursuance to the tripartite instrument, on November 17, 1875, executed a deed conveying to J. W. Akers, trustee for Anne Eliza Akers and her children, in conformity to the Samuel Pitts trust conveyances, the lands contained in the twenty-acre and the twelve-acre tracts. Mr. and Mrs. Akers had five children, namely, the petitioners and one other child who died unmarried some years since and before the death of the mother. Both J. W. Akers and his wife, Anne Eliza, are dead, she having died December 20, 1913. On May 31/1879, J. W. Akers as trustee for his wife, Anne Eliza, and her children, all of them being named, executed an instrument in the form of a deed, whereby he undertook to convey in fee simple to Eliza Shelton all the lands above referred to. The defendants claim title to the lands sued for, under the conveyance to Shelton and certain other deeds whereby the title to the lands is claimed to be vested in defendants in fee simple. Copies of the instruments referred to in the petition are thereto attached. The first of these two instruments recites that the said Samuel Pitts “has this day given, granted, and conveyed, ánd by these presents does give, grant, and convey unto' the said Akers for the use, benefit, and advantage in trust for said Anne E. Akers for life (exempt from the marital rights of the said Akers or any future husband which the said Anne E. Akers may have) for.her sole and separate use, and at her death to her child or children, or representative of child or children, as she may leave [686]*686in life, to wit, $1500.00. To have and to hold the above-named money to the said J. W. Akers in trust for Anne E. Akers and her children as above specified,” etc. In the instrument executed by Pitts on October 1, 1866, it is recited that “the said Samuel Pitts . . has given, granted, and conveyed . . unto the said J. W. Akers in trust for said Anne Eliza Akers and their children for life, and at her death to such child or children as they may have in life, the full sum of $2400.00. . . To have and to hold the money to him, the said J. W. Akers, in trust for the sole and separate use, benefit, and behoof of Anne Eliza Akers; the said sum of $2400.00 being additional and for the purpose and object as specified in a former deed of trust made and executed by the said Samuel Pitts to the said J. W. Akers for the use as aforesaid, and dated the 16th day of June, 1866. Provided that the said J. W.

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Bluebook (online)
95 S.E. 241, 147 Ga. 683, 1918 Ga. LEXIS 113, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/akers-v-haskins-ga-1918.