Bennett v. Chapin

7 L.R.A. 377, 43 N.W. 893, 77 Mich. 526, 1889 Mich. LEXIS 770
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 8, 1889
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 7 L.R.A. 377 (Bennett v. Chapin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bennett v. Chapin, 7 L.R.A. 377, 43 N.W. 893, 77 Mich. 526, 1889 Mich. LEXIS 770 (Mich. 1889).

Opinions

Long, J.

The complainant, who is now about 31 years of age, is the only child and heir at law of Eliza J. Bennett, deceased, who departed this life in September, 1879, leaving a last will and testament. The main provisions of the will are as follows:

I, Eliza J. Bennett, of the city of Lansing, county of Ingham, and State of Michigan, do make and publish this my last will and testament.
“First, I direct that my executors shall, during the minority of my daughter, Alice Florence, provide for her education, clothing, and maintenance in a suitable manner, and that they shall thereafter pay to her the sum of one thousand dollars per annum until she shall have attained the age of thirty-five years: Provided, That, in case she shall receive any funds from any other source at any time, my executors shall pay to her only such sum as may be necessary to make her total annual income one thousand dollars:' Provided, further, That, if any portion of said yearly allowance shall not be expended within any one year, for the purposes aforesaid, the difference between the sum actually expended in such year and the sum of one thousand dollars shall in no case nor in any event be subject to the order or control of my said daughter, but any such sum shall be treated in the same manner as any other funds that may remain in the hands of my executor.
[529]*529“ Second, If tbe executors shall at any time find it necessary, or shall deem it for the best interest of my estate, to sell any of the realty, I desire sale to be made in the following order: First, my property at Grand Ledge, Michigan; second, lot No. ten (10), block sixty-six (66), in the city of Lansing; third, the south-east quarter of the south-east quarter of section thirty-six (36), in the township of De Witt, Michigan; fourth, lots two and three (2 & 3), of block sixty-seven (67), in the city of Lansing. 'And in no case shall said last-named lots be sold before my said daughter shall attain the age of 35 years, unless she shall become incompetent, from any cause, to earn a livelihood, and in no event for less than the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, by my executors.
“ Third, My estate shall remain in the hands of my executors until my said daughter shall attain the age of thirty-five years, and whatever surplus there may be from year to year, after the payment of said thousand dollars, together with the taxes and other liabilities of said estate, shall be by them invested in first-mortgage securities on well-improved farming lands.
“Fourth, If my said daughter, Alice, shall live to attain the age of v thirty-five years I direct that my executors shall then transfer to her absolutely my entire estate, both real and personal.
“Fifth, If- my said daughter, Alice, shall die before attaining the age of thirty-five years, leaving no lawful issue, or, leaving lawful issue, such issue die, I give my entire estate to my well beloved husband, Jacob B. Bennett, if he survive her or her issue as aforesaid.
“ Sixth, If my said daughter, Alice, shall die before attaining the age of thirty-five years, leaving lawful issue, such issue shall take said property at the time my said daughter should have taken it had she lived.
“ Seventh, I do hereby constitute and appoint Jacob B. Bennett and Schuyler F. Seager, of the city of Lansing aforesaid, executors of this my last will and testament.-’-’

This will was duly executed on May 30, 1876. After-wards, and on July 19, 1879, the testatrix added the following codicil:

“1. I don’t wish the property on Washington avenue [530]*530sold until such time as it will bring not less than one hundred dollars per foot front..
“2. It is my wish that my daughter, Alice, should have such preparation as would enable her in any reverses of fortune to support herself by her own exertions. I therefore direct my executors to set apart from my estate a sum sufficient to give her a thorough course of kindergarten training; the money necessary for that purpose to be by them realized from the sale of properties other than the Washington-avenue lots.”

This will and codicil were duly proved and allowed in the probate court for Ingham county on December 5, 1881.

Jacob B. Bennett, one of the executors named in the will, is the father of the complainant, but he and Mr. Seager, the other executor, are now both deceased. At the time of the probate of the will both executors refused to accept the trust, and thereupon the complainant was appointed administratrix with the will annexed, accepted the trust, and gave the requisite bond. She continued to execute the trust until November 16, 1888, when she filed her resignation with her final account in the probate court, and was duly released and discharged, and the defendant, Edward C. Chapin, duly appointed administrator de bonis non with the will annexed, and now continues to execute the trust.

The complainant claims by her bill that up to about the month of September, 1881, she has heretofore been able to support herself by her own exertions, and by means derived from sources outside of said estate, and a small sum from said estate, to wit, the sum of &589-.19, but that since , said time, and for the year last past, she has been in ill health, and unable to earn her own support, and has been obliged at times to appeal to the kindness of friends for support and assistance, so that at the present time she is indebted in personal obligations [531]*531to friends that have assisted her in about the sum of $1,500, and further says that the major portion of said indebtedness was incurred in fitting herself for the position of a teacher of kindergarten, and that she so fitted herself for such work, and has a portion of the time been able to pursue such employment, but, owing to her ill health, is no longer able to do such work; and further says that she no longer has any source of income from outside sources, and is wholly unable to support herself by her own' exertions.

That, under and by the terms of the first paragraph of said last will and testament, she is entitled to have paid to her from said estate, as she believes, the sum of $1,000 per annum until she shall have attained the age of 35 years, or such sum as with any funds or support received from outside sources will make her annual income $1,000; that there is no personalty belonging to said estate other than a small sum, not exceeding the sum of $250 per annum, arising from the rents of certain of the real estate mentioned in said last will and testament and codicil of said deceased, which said sum is not sufficient to meet the items of insurance and the taxes on said property.

That of the real estate described in the second paragraph of the last will arid testament of said deceased, the Grand Ledge property and lot No.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
7 L.R.A. 377, 43 N.W. 893, 77 Mich. 526, 1889 Mich. LEXIS 770, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bennett-v-chapin-mich-1889.