Baldwin v. Dougherty

39 Iowa 50
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJune 19, 1874
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 39 Iowa 50 (Baldwin v. Dougherty) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baldwin v. Dougherty, 39 Iowa 50 (iowa 1874).

Opinion

Miller, Cu. J.

On the 7th day of June, 1870, E. 0. Dougherty was duly appointed administrator of the estate of O. E. Avery, deceased, aud notice of such appointment was published from June 23d, 1870, until the 14ih day of July following. On the 14th’ day of October, 1871, the plaintiff filed in the clerk’s office of the Circuit Court of Bremer county a duly attested copy of the last will and testament of Jeremiah Meácham, deceased, of Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, and also at the same time .filed an account of the indebtedness of O. F. Avery to said.deceased upon a promissory note made by said Avery to said Meacham, for $2,460, with interest, which account ivas duly verified.

On the 12th day of September, 1873, notice was served upon the defendant that the claim of the plaintiff would be presented to the Circuit Court for allowance at its November session, 1873.

At the term of court named in the notice the defendant appeared and filed an answer, in which he pleaded that the claim was barred because the same had not been proved and allowed within the time required by law, whereupon the cause was continued, and at the next term of the court the plaintiff filed an amendment to his petition, as follows: “Your petitioner, A. Baldwin, executor of the estate of Jeremiah Meacham, late of Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, deceased, states the following facts as additional to his claim filed in this action: That he is a citizen and resident of the State of Pennsylvania; that he is the executor of the last will and testament of Jeremiah Meacham, who died in the county of Susquehanna, in said State of Pennsylvania, on or about the 24th day of February, 1871, leaving a will in which the said Alfred Baldwin was named executor; that on the 27th day of February, 1871, said will was admitted to probate, and your petitioner duly qualified as executor thereof as provided bylaw; that when he came into the possession (as such executor) of the property, books, and papers of the said estate, he found among the papers of the said Meaeham a letter or communication in writing, from the defendant, dated November 8th, 1870, — and which had been received by W. J. Turrell, an attorney of the [52]*52said Jeremiah Meacham in his lifeteme — in which the said defendant stated that he had received a copy of the note given by O. E. Avery to Jeremiah Meacham, and that the attestation to the same was sufficient — meaning thereby to cause the said Jeremiah Meacham to understand that that attestation was all that was necessary to be done by him, by the statutes of Iowa, in order to prove up said claim. Said letter being in-words and figures following:

‘Waveely, Iowa, Nov. 8,1870.

W. J. Tueeell, Esq.

Dear Sir; — Yours enclosing copy of note given by O. E. Avery to Jeremiah Meacham, received.

I believe the attestation is sufficient. I cannot yet tell the exact “ situation” of the estate. There have been more claims filed against the estate than I was expecting, and consequently real estate will have to be sold before they can be paid.

Yery Respectfully, etc.,

E. 0. Dougherty,

Admr. of Estate of O. F. Avery, dec’d.’

That upon inquiry I learned that the copy of the note for which this claim is based, had been forwarded to the administrator; that the letter above mentioned and written, was in regard to the same, and that I w:as informed and believed that the said note had been filed and approved as provided by the laws of Iowa.

That afterwards, to-wit: in August, 1871,1 received a letter from said administrator, in regard to said claim, which letter caused me to believe, and I did believe that said claim had been filed and'approved in the Circuit Court of the county of Bremer, in the State of Iowa.

(This letter is in words and figures following:)

‘ Waveely, Iowa, August 7, 1870.

A. Baldwin, Esq.

Dear Sir: — Yours of July 26th, received. The property belonging to the estate of O. E. Avery, deceased, consists of real estate, notes and mortgages; the mortgages are not yet [53]*53due; some will be due tliis next fall. It is slow work collecting notes and mortgages,.and there is but little real estate that can be sold at present without sacrifice.

I cannot tell how soon I can settle the business of the estate. Will do so as fast as possible.

Yours truly,

E. C. Dou&hebty,

Administrator of the Estate of O. F. Avery, deceased.’

That I made inquiries of attorneys at law in the State of Pennsylvania, upon the statements in the letters above referred to, if anything more was necessary in order to prove up the claim, and was informed that the law had been complied with, and that it was probable that the law had been fully complied with. And was also informed by parties in Iowa, by letters, that it would be necessary to file a statement or showing of my appointment as executor, which I did, and was not informed that anything further was necessary — whereby I was misled and did not prove up within 18 months, except by my own oath.

(This last letter referred to is as follows, to-wit:)

‘Wavebly, Iowa, Sept. 25, 1871.

A. Baldwin, Esq., Montrose, Pa.

Dear 8>'r: — I take the liberty to inform you that the claim of Jere. Meacham, against the estate of O. F. Avery, has never been filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, which is the Court of Probate in this State.

I enclose you blank form for claim, with affidavit attached, which will have to be filled out and filed here with the Clerk, and in order that you can collect from the estate, I think .you will have to file duplicate letters of administration, showing that you are the executor of Jere. Meacham’s estate.

The laws of Iowa are such that all claims against an estate must be brought in the manner above stated within one year and a half from the time of granting administration, otherwise they are barred and are uncollectible. In this ease your claim will have to come in soon, for the year and a half will [54]*54soon expire. You will please excuse me for tins liberty on my part, as I thought perhaps, you were not aware but that the claim was already in proper shape.

Very respectfully,

D. A. Morey.

P. S.' — Have you sent receipt to the executor of G. W. Avery’s estate, to be signed by same in order to draw the five hundred dollars reported due? D. A. M.

A. Baldwin, Ex’r in the estate of Jeremiah Meacham, dee’d.’

That the said estate of O. E. Avery is justly indebted to thq estate of Jeremiah Meacham, in the sum of Two Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Dollars, with interest annually at 8 per cent from July 10, 1866, and interest on each year’s interest from the' time the same becomes due, at the rate of six per cent until paid:

Your petitioner therefore asks that the claim heretofore filed in this cause be allowed by this Honorable Court as a claim against the estate of O. F. Avery, and that he may have such other and further relief as may be just and equitable.

G. C. Wright, Attorney for Plaintiff.”

This amended petition was duly verified.

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Related

State v. Cotts
55 L.R.A. 176 (West Virginia Supreme Court, 1901)
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57 Iowa 157 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1881)

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Bluebook (online)
39 Iowa 50, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/baldwin-v-dougherty-iowa-1874.