Blum v. Bush

49 N.W. 142, 86 Mich. 206, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 906
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 5, 1891
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 49 N.W. 142 (Blum v. Bush) 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
Blum v. Bush, 49 N.W. 142, 86 Mich. 206, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 906 (Mich. 1891).

Opinion

Champlin, C. J.

The bill is filed in this case to have a certain deed declared to be without consideration, void, and of no effect, and to have such deed decreed to be delivered up and canceled, and the complainant's title declared to be complete, absolute, and perfect as against defendant, Mary Bush, and she be decreed to release and convey to complainant all the right, title, and interest she has or claims to have under such deed, and she be enjoined from prosecuting a certain suit in ejectment, and from enforcing a judgment in such suit.

Henry Blum, Sr., and his wife, Margarette Blum, were aged people, who resided on a farm of 30 acres in the township of Brin, Macomb county, Mich. Their children [208]*208had grown up, and were married, leaving their parents to reside alone upon this small farm. Besides being aged and infirm, they were afflicted with partial blindness, Mr. Blum being more so than his wife.

In 1880 he made an arrangement with his son.Henry Blum, Jr., to work the farm, and care for himself and wife, and made a deed of the land, signed by himself and wife, by which he conveyed the premises to his son Henry, in consideration of his supporting them and the survivor of them during their' lives, but this deed was not delivered.

In 1885 he requested his daughter Mary Bush, who had married George Bush, and was then living upon a farm belonging to her husband in the town of Sterling, Macomb county, to move upon his place, and support and care for himself and wife during their lives and the life of the survivor, and pay all funeral expenses after their decease, for which he promised to give to said Mary a deed of the 30 acres. In compliance with this request Mary Bush and her husband removed to the place in the fall of 1885, and brought with them certain household goods, and some other personal property. After Mary Bush and her husband had been upon the place several weeks, Henry Blum, Sr., and his wife, Margarette, signed a deed, bearing date December 22, 1885, conveying the 30' acres to Mary Bush, which deed purported to be in consideration of one dollar; and immediately after the description are inserted the following words:

“This deed is given for the full support and care of parties of the first part during their natural life-time. Also said party of the second part shall pay all funeral expenses of parties of the first part.”

Whether this deed was delivered is a question over which there is a great conflict 'in the testimony; the grantors testifying that it was not, for the reason that [209]*209other papers were to be executed by Mary Bush and her husband to secure to the grantors the performance of the consideration; and the grantee and the subscribing witnesses testifying that it was delivered in their presence. The grantors testify that the deed was not delivered, but remained in their custody and control until produced at the trial; and the defendant testifies that after the deed was delivered to her she kept it for a time in her bureau drawer, and afterwards upon the clock-shelf, until she missed it, and supposed it was lost, or some one had taken it. She made no inquiries of any one about it. No one testifies to ever having seen it in her possession. Godleif Muehlhaeuser testifies to seeing the deed in Mrs. Margarette Blum’s possession during the time defendant resided upon the place. The question of the delivery of the deed was submitted to a jury in a suit in ejectment brought by Mary Bush against Frederick G. Blum (the complainant), and they found that it was delivered. Whether additional testimony upon the point is contained in this record than was submitted for the consideration of the jury we do not know.

It appears that, prior to the time when Mary Bush and her husband moved upon the premises in question, Henry Blum, Sr., had loaned to George Bush $500, for which he held his note; and it also appears that on the 26th day of April, 1886, Henry Blum, Sr., loaned to George Bush and Mary Bush $500, and to secure the payment thereof five years from that date, with interest at 6 per cent, yearly, they executed and delivered to Henry Blum, Sr., their note and indenture of mortgage upon their farm in the.township of Sterling, which mortgage was recorded on the 26th day of October, 1886, in Liber. 72 of Mortgages, on page 1, in the office of the register of deeds of Macomb county. George Bush testified that [210]*210the reason why he borrowed the last S500 was that, on account of his moving upon the land with his wife, he was obliged ‘cto buy one horse more, and all his machinery, to start down there with.” It also appeared that Bush left his son upon his ¡rlace in Sterling, which consisted of about 104 acres.

George and Mary Bush lived in the house Avith Henry Blum, Sr., and his wife a little over a year. George Bush Avorked the farm, and in the fall of 1886 sowed-winter Avheat upon the place. Mary eared for her father and mother, but matters did not progress smoothly in the families, and the minister was called upon to settle up differences and make peace. The parties belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and it was upon the occasion of one of these visits that Mrs. Blum showed Mr. Muehlhaeuser, the minister, the deed she had in her possession, heretofore referred to. The daughter .disagreed with her mother. In plain English, they quarrelled more or less, until finally Mary Bush left the place, and Avent to her former home in Sterling, taking with her part of her' household goods. 'She left her daughter, who remained some three or four Aveeks longer; and Mr. Bush remained while he marketed his produce, when he removed everything from the place, including stoves and furniture, and with the last load took his daughter home, leaving these aged and nearly blind people alone in the house, and, as they claim, without Avood, or suitable provisions to eat, and no one to cook for them. This was in December. In this extremity Mr. Blum sent for his son Henry, Avho came and brought provisions, and supplied them with fuel, and shortly thereafter .removed them to his own home.

The minister again tendered his kind offices to bring about a reconciliation in the family. Bush and wife felt [211]*211aggrieved at being put to. the expense and trouble of moving to and from tbe place, and at the minister’s suggestion arbitrators were chosen to settle all difficulties, who met the parties at the house of Henry Blum, Jr., in the month of January, 1887, where a full and satisfactory settlement was had. Henry Blum, Sr., was to ■surrender to George Bush the two notes he held, amounting, with interest, to nearly SI, 100, and Bush was to have the right to harvest the wheat he had sown upon the place, and Blum was to discharge the mortgage. With the terms of this settlement all expressed themselves ■satisfied. Henry Blum, Sr., at that time surrendered to George Bush the unsecured note, and delivered him the mortgage. The mortgage note, for some reason not satisfactorily' explained, was not handed over at that time, but it was agreed that it should be, and the mortgage discharged. The testimony is very convincing that this was a full settlement of all differences between Henry Blum, Sr., and his wife upon one side, and George and Mary Bush on the other.

Henry Blum, Sr., regarding the arrangement with his daughter at an end, entered into a new agreement with his son Henry for the care and support of himself and wife.

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Bluebook (online)
49 N.W. 142, 86 Mich. 206, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 906, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/blum-v-bush-mich-1891.