Bassler Estate

79 Pa. D. & C. 408, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 364
CourtPennsylvania Orphans' Court, Lebanon County
DecidedOctober 10, 1951
StatusPublished

This text of 79 Pa. D. & C. 408 (Bassler Estate) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Orphans' Court, Lebanon County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bassler Estate, 79 Pa. D. & C. 408, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 364 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1951).

Opinion

Ehrgood, P. J.,

— This matter is before the Orphans’ Court of Lebanon County, on the petition of Charles D. Musser and the Myerstown Trust Company, of Myerstown, Lebanon County, Pa., who were duly appointed by the Register of Wills of Lebanon County, as administrators cum testamento annexo of the last will and testament of Harvey Bassler, late of Lebanon County, Pa., deceased, praying for a citation against the Pennsylvania German Society, hereinafter called the society, and Franklin and Marshall College, hereinafter' called the college, for the purpose of obtaining possession of various books, manuscripts, pamphlets and other allied materials presently housed at Franklin and Marshall College, at Lancaster, Pa. These books and allied materials are known as the Claude W. Unger Collection. The administrators of the estate of decedent, who died testate on March 14, 1950, contend that the collection belongs to the estate of decedent. Respondents filed separate answers to the petition. The answer of the society admits that the Unger collection had been purchased by decedent, but alleged that decedent had offered to make a gift thereof to the society if it provided for the housing and care of the collection, made it accessible for the proper use by the public, and provided [410]*410funds for the enlargement of the collection. The answer of the society further alleges that the society accepted the offer made by decedent, and that it had taken proper corporate action in regard thereto, and is ready and willing to carry out the terms and conditions of its executory contract entered into with decedent.

The answer of the college admits that the Unger collection had been purchased by decedent, but alleges that the collection was housed in its college library pursuant to a written agreement entered into by decedent. The answer of the college further states that the society accepted the offer of decedent to make a gift of the Unger collection to the society and that the society and the college have held various conferences resulting in an agreement whereby the society would provide for permanent housing of the collection by the erection of a building adjacent to the present college library, and that the society would provide funds for an endowment. The pertinent facts are not disputed.

Notice of this proceeding was given to all parties having an interest in the estate under the will of decedent, to all the heirs and next of kin of decedent, and to the Department of Revenue of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by mailing to the parties and Department of Revenue, by registered mail, a copy of the petition of the administrators and of the order of court awarding the citation. Copies of the answers filed by both respondents and notice of the hearing held in this matter had also been forwarded by registered mail to all parties having an interest in the estate under the will of decedent, to all of the heirs and next of kin of decedent, and to the Department of Revenue of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Petitioners in the petition pray that a citation issue to the society and to the college directing the society and the college to appear and show cause why the [411]*411Unger collection is not an asset of the estate of decedent, and why your petitioners should not be entitled to the immediate possession thereof.

From the uncontroverted averments contained in the proceedings and testimony taken before the court, at time of hearing, we make the following

Findings of Fact

1. Decedent, Harvey Bassler, died testate on March 14, 1950.

2. At the time of his decease, decedent was a resident of Jackson Township, Lebanon County, Pa.

3. The Claude W. Unger collection, consisting of a collection of books, manuscripts and other allied materials and articles, was an asset of the estate of decedent.

4. The will of decedent does not dispose of the Unger collection.

5. Prior to and at the time of the death of decedent, the Unger collection was in the possession of decedent, he having been engaged in sorting and cataloging and arranging books and allied materials for some time previous to his decease while the collection was stored and housed in the college library building of Franklin and Marshall College.

6. Decedent had offered to make a gift of the Claude W. Unger collection to the Pennsylvania German Society if the society provided for the housing of the collection, made it accessible to public use and provided funds for its enlargement.

7. On October 11, 1947, the society accepted the offer of decedent to make a gift of the collection to the society.

8. The society, for the purpose of performing its agreement with decedent, entered into a valid agreement with the college whereby the society agreed to erect a building for the housing of the collection on [412]*412the campus of the college adjacent to the Fackenthal Library Building of the college.

9. The society has proceeded to perform its agreements contained in the contract relating to the collection and is willing and able to perform all of its promises and agreements pertaining to said contract.

10. The collection consists of approximately 45 tons of books and other allied materials and the expense of having the collection removed from its present location into the custody of the administrators of the estate of decedent would be enormous and burdensome to the estate.

11. The awarding of the custody and possession of the collection to the personal representatives of the estate of decedent would not serve any useful purpose.

12. The collection is of no value to the estate of decedent.

18. There does not exist any substantial dispute between the párties hereto.

14. Notice of this proceeding and of the hearing held in this matter was given to all parties interested in the estate under the will of decedent, to all the heirs and next of kin of decedent, and to the Department of Revenue of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by registered mail.

Discussion

Petitioners are the personal representative of Harvey Bassler who, at the time of his decease, was a resident of Jackson Township, Lebanon County, Pa. Respondents filed separate appearances and answers in this court. The said collection was in the possession of decedent at, and immediately prior to, the time of his decease. This court, therefore, has jurisdiction over the parties of the subject matter of this proceeding: Keyser’s Estate, 329 Pa. 514.

[413]*413The parties do not dispute any of the facts averred in the pleadings filed in this proceeding. There was no contradiction of any of the facts testified to at the hearing of this proceeding. It, therefore, appears that no substantial dispute exists between the parties and the court finds no need to submit the matter to a jury: Moyer’s Estate, 341 Pa. 402.

The subject matter of this proceeding consists of approximately 45 tons of books, pamphlets, manuscripts and other allied materials pertaining to Pennsylvania Dutch history and folklore, which books and other materials are known as the Claude W. Unger Collection. Decedent purchased this collection for the sum of $15,000. He later entered into an agreement with Franklin and Marshall College to store the collection temporarily in the library building of the college.

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Related

Keyser's Estate
198 A. 125 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1938)
Moyer's Estate
19 A.2d 467 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1940)
Chapple's Estate
2 A.2d 719 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1938)

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Bluebook (online)
79 Pa. D. & C. 408, 1951 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 364, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bassler-estate-paorphctlebano-1951.