Boyd v. Boyd

2 F. 138

This text of 2 F. 138 (Boyd v. Boyd) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Boyd v. Boyd, 2 F. 138 (circtdmn 1880).

Opinion

Nelson, D. J.

This suit was brought under the statutes of Minnesota to quiet the title to certain real estate situate in the county of Ramsey, in said state. The fee of the land was in the defendants’ testator at the time of his decease, and had been since the year 1855. The plaintiffs claim title by gift from the deceased, and that possession was given to them, without a deed, in 1855; also by devise under a holographic will executed by their testator May 26, 1856, in Adams eounty, in the state of Mississippi. The defendants set up title under the same will, and a codicil thereto executed September 10, 1862. The case is put at issue by proper pleadings, and is submitted to the court without a jury.

The defendants prove their title by will, which is met by opposing title of plaintiffs attempted to be shown as before stated by gift, and also by adverse possession under the statute of limitations, and finally by special devise under the will through which the defendants claim.

It is urged by the defendants that the special devise in the will of the land in controversy to the plaintiffs is revoked by the codicil. If it is not, then there can be no doubt about the plaintiffs’ title. The following is the will and codicil:

“I, Samuel S. Boyd, of the county of Adams and state oí Mississippi, do make, ordain, and publish this my last will and testament, revoking all others, and this being all in mj own handwriting and containing ten pages of manuscript:

[139]*139“1. I direct my whole estate existing at the time of my decease — real, personal and' mixed, private and partnership —to be kept together, managed, controlled, disposed of, and distributed as hereinafter directed.

' “2. I give to my beloved wife and children the use of my Arlington property in Natchez, or such other dwelling-house as may be our usual family residence at the time of my death, to be so held during the life of my said wife, at all events, and after her death for the use of such of our children as may survive her, until such survivor or survivors marry or arrive at the age of 21 years. With said residence I include all the furniture, carriages, horses, servants, and other things appurtaining thereto, and in the ordinary use of the family. So far as the children are concerned this right to cease as each arrives at the age of 21 years or marries. And for the support, education, and maintenance of my said family, under this clause of my will, as well as for keeping up said establishment, I direct my executor, hereinafter named, to apply a gross sum not exceeding $10,000 per year, and an additional sum not exceeding $2,000 per year for the sole and separate use of my wife, all without accountability or charge to them on the final settlement of my estate, and. to come out of the income or profits of my estate. It is also my desire and intention that my beloved sisters-in-law, Aim and Maria Wilkins, remain in the use of said residence as long as any of the family occupy it under this clause of my will.

“3. As each of my children become of age (21 years) or marry, I direct the above allowance of $10,000 to be diminished $2,000 per year, and so also should any of them die.

“4. As each of my children become of age or married I give to such child the sum of $50,000, to be invested by my executor in productive property — land and slaves preferred— for the sole and separate use of such child forever; but if such child should die without issue surviving, then and in that case this devise to return to my estate and be distributed as hereinafter directed.

“5. The investments and disbursements hereinbefore directed are to come from the income and profits of my estate; [140]*140that is — First,, from the income and profits of my private and individual estate; and, secondly, from the income and profits of my partnership estates, as hereinafter named and indicated; and in the last case whatever amount is taken from the proceeds of the partnership property, a like amount is to be deducted and transferred to the private and individual account of the surviving partner.

“6. It is the understanding and agreement between me and my partner, Eice C. Ballard, that the planting partnership alluded to above shall be continued, notwithstanding the death of either partner, for the period of 12 years from the first of January, 1856, in the same way and with the Bame force, authority and right in the survivor as if both were living; and I therefore direct that at that time, or as soon thereafter as all the partnership debts are paid, the whole of our said partnership as it may then exist, and wherever it may be, shall be divided into two equal parts, any necessary inequality to be made equal by money, and the part then belonging to my said estate and to my said partner, or his estate, if he be dead, to be ascertained by lot; and thereupon I direct all my property, of all kinds and descriptions, be divided into as many equal parts or shares as will correspond to the number of my surviving children and wife, counting my wife as a child for this purpose, and my said estate I give and bequeath to them in said shares, the share of each to be ascertained by lot, each share being made equal to the other, as in the above case, and each to have an equal share thereof, as aforesaid, in absolute estate and forever, my wife included. Should any of my children die before said distribution is made, leaving issue surviving at the time of said distribution, then such issue are to take the place of such deceased child; and after said distribution should either of my said children die leaving no issue surviving, I direct that the share of such child shall be distributed equally among the surviving brothers and sisters of such child.

“7. In order that my said partner surviving me may be freed from embarrassment in the management of our partnership affairs till the time of the aforesaid division, I state [141]*141that he has full power as survivor, without regard to any power as executor, to manage and control all our partnership property and effects, and the proceeds thereof to invest in further purchases of any kind for the benefit of our said partnership, and to increase and extend the same, and to manage and dispose of the same, and to sell or exchange any portion thereof, if deemed most advantageous by him for the benefit of our said partnership, as we could do if both were living, it being my preference that land and slaves be preferred in purchasing, especially in regard to the proceeds of any sales of land or slaves by my said partner.

“8. In regard to the division of said partnership property between said Ballard and my estate, I direct the probate judge of Adams county, for the time being, under his private seal, to nominate one judicious and disinterested person, who shall act with such other as may be appointed by and on behalf of said Ballard, or his estate, in making said division, and should they not agree then the two to select a third man as umpire, and the conclusion thus arrived at, in either way, shall be final. In regard to the division herein provided for of my estate among my children and wife, I direct my executor to make a like selection of suitable persons to make the same. In regard to both of said divisions, I mean and intend by the above to include the appraisement of the shares, as well as the actual process of division by lot.

“9. I appoint my friend Bice G.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2 F. 138, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/boyd-v-boyd-circtdmn-1880.