Benson v. Williams

149 P.2d 549, 143 P.2d 477, 174 Or. 404, 1944 Ore. LEXIS 32
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedMay 1, 1944
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 149 P.2d 549 (Benson v. Williams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Benson v. Williams, 149 P.2d 549, 143 P.2d 477, 174 Or. 404, 1944 Ore. LEXIS 32 (Or. 1944).

Opinions

KELLY, J.

The salient allegations of plaintiff’s complaint disclose:

That in June 1934, Karl Buelow, Elizabeth M. Buelow, his wife, and their daughter, Gertrude Benson, the plaintiff herein, were residing upon the real property in suit.

On July 5, 1934, Karl Buelow died testate having devised said real property to his wife, Elizabeth M. Buelow.

That shortly after the death of Karl Buelow an agreement was made between Elizabeth M. Buelow and plaintiff and plaintiff’s fiance, Ciaron Benson, wherein Elizabeth M. Buelow promised and agreed to will said premises to plaintiff and build a new house thereon, and *407 in consideration therefor plaintiff and said Ciaron Benson agreed to move on to said property after their marriage to each other and care for same for said Elizabeth M. Buelow, tend the orchard, live on the premises and furnish all labor necessary for the care of said premises, including tractor and truck service, pay the fire insurance on the dwelling and other buildings, pay the taxes and water charges on the property and give said Elizabeth M. Buelow all the crops of fruit therefrom.

That plaintiff and Ciaron Benson were married on February 17, 1985, and about a week later moved on to said premises. That plaintiff and her husband fully kept and performed all the terms of said agreement until July 28, 1941, when a fire damaged the home on said premises to the extent that it became uninhabitable.

That said Elizabeth M. Buelow collected the money due under the insurance policy on said building.

That at the time of said fire it was further agreed that plaintiff and her husband would continue their agreement as aforesaid and permit Elizabeth M. Buelow to take the money coming due under said insurance policies in consideration for which, Elizabeth M. Buelow would not only leave them said property outright as previously agreed but within a short time she would construct on said premises a good modern home of convenient and suitable size and design for the use of plaintiff and her family.

That plaintiff and her husband have fully kept and performed the terms and conditions of said agreement as so modified.

That Elizabeth M. Buelow died on October 16, 1941.

That Elizabeth M. Buelow failed and neglected to construct a new dwelling on said premises as agreed; and also did not devise said realty outright to plaintiff.

*408 That the cost of constructing a dwelling on said premises of convenient and suitable size for the use of plaintiff and her family is in excess of the sum of $5,000.

That the defendant William E. Williams has possession of the assets of the estate of said Elizabeth M. Buelow, deceased.

That the defendants claim some right, title and interest in and to the property in suit by virtue of a purported will of said Elizabeth M. Buelow, a copy of which is attached to plaintiff’s complaint.

That said claim constitutes a cloud on plaintiff’s title to said property. That the claim of the defendants is subsequent in time, inferior in right and subject to plaintiff’s right to said property.

That the heirs at law of said Elizabeth M. Buelow have some interest in said property and said heirs at law are numerous and uncertain and Elfrida Wostl is one of said heirs at law and she is joined herein in her own individual capacity and as a representative of the other of said heirs to defend for herself and for the benefit of all other parties similarly situated and interested. That Frances Benson has an interest in said property as a child of plaintiff living at the time of plaintiff’s death, and said Frances Benson is made a defendant herein to defend for herself and for the benefit of all other parties similarly situated and interested.

That William E. Williams and C. D. Nickelson are each appointed trustee by said.will and they are joined as parties defendant as legatees thereunder and as purported holders of the legal title to said property pursuant to said will to defend as such trustees and for the benefit of all other persons who might acquire any *409 interest in and to said property by virtue of the provisions of said will.

The prayer in plaintiff’s complaint among other things prays that a trust be impressed upon the property in favor of the plaintiff, that the plaintiff should be decreed to be the holder of a fee simple title to said premises, that the claims of the defendants should be held inferior in right, and subsequent in time to plaintiff’s title to said premises, that the administrator of the estate of Elizabeth M. Buelow, deceased, should be required to pay to the plaintiff $5,000 in cash for the purpose of constructing a dwelling on said premises; and said prayer concludes with a plea for such other and further relief as to the court may seem meet and just.

The defendant, William E. Williams, as executor and trustee of the estate of Elizabeth M. Buelow, deceased, filed an answer to plaintiff’s complaint consisting of one paragraph which, omitting the prayer, is as follows:

“The defendant admits that defendant Karl Buelow died testate on the 5th of July, 1984, and that on the 11th day of February, 1935, the plaintiff was married to Ciaron Benson, and that on the 17th day of December, 1935, a daughter was born to the plaintiff and her husband and that plaintiff’s family, since then, has consisted of her husband, herself and said daughter, and that the plaintiff is 31 years of age and that her husband is 34 years of age. That the said Elizabeth Buelow died on the 16th day of October, 1941, and that she did not devise her real property to the plaintiff, nor construct a dwelling house on said property and the defendant has the possession of the assets of said Elizabeth M. Buelow estate with the exception as to disbursements made to date in the payment of her debts and in the administration of her estate and defendant *410 admits that a copy of her last will and testament is attached to the plaintiff’s complaint and that there may be other children of plaintiff living at the time of plaintiff’s death. That William E. Williams is appointed trustee under the said will of said Elizabeth M. Buelow, deceased.
4 4 Save and except as herein admitted defendant denies each and every allegation in plaintiff’s complaint. ’ ’

By her will, a copy of which is attached to plaintiff’s complaint, after giving her personal effects and $500 to her niece, Elfrida Wostl, Mrs. Buelow devised and bequeathed the residue of her estate affected by this proceeding in the following terms:

4 4 The rest and residue of my estate both real and personal, I give to my trustees for the following uses and purposes:
(A) My daughter, Gertrude E. Benson, shall have the use of the farm property owned by me in Hood River County, State of Oregon, so long as she occupies the said property as a home and keeps the property in proper condition in the judgment of my trustees. All running expenses including water taxes, insurance and power must be paid by her.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
149 P.2d 549, 143 P.2d 477, 174 Or. 404, 1944 Ore. LEXIS 32, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/benson-v-williams-or-1944.