Brewer v. Marshall

18 N.J. Eq. 337
CourtNew Jersey Court of Chancery
DecidedMay 15, 1867
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 18 N.J. Eq. 337 (Brewer v. Marshall) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Court of Chancery primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brewer v. Marshall, 18 N.J. Eq. 337 (N.J. Ct. App. 1867).

Opinion

The Chancellor.

The injunction in this case restrains the defendant, Marshall, from selling or removing from the farm conveyed to-him by the defendant, Cheeseman, known as the Swope farm, any marl, and from digging any marl on it except for the use of the farm. The defendants have filed their answer, and move to dissolve the injunction.

The defendant, Cheeseman, was, in 1841, seized of a farm in the county of Gloucester, known as the Swope farm, on which there were valuable beds of marl. On the twenty-third of February, in that year, he conveyed to James Wt Lamb, two tracts of that farm, one a tract of forty-eight acres, lying east of the Cross Keys road, which divided the farm, and another of twelve and a half acres, lying west of the road, on Great Timber creek, and which, in the deed, is described as twelve acres and a half of marl land.” The. deed grants a right of way over a strip twenty feet in width, from the road to the creek, along the marl lot, and contains in the description of the premises, after the description of the way, these words: “ Also, the said George Cheeseman, his heirs or assigns, are not to sell any marl by the rood or quantity from off his premises adjoining the above property.”

On the fourteenth of December, in the same year, Lamb conveyed back to Cheeseman the forty-eight acre lot. On the third of January, 1842, Cheeseman conveyed to Lamb another part of the Swope farm in two lots. One was a lot [339]*339of seven acres adjoining the creek, and north of and adjoining the twelve and a half acre lot; the other was a strip of one acre, leading from the seven acre lot eastwardly to the road, and. including the land over which the right of way had before been granted. On the same day, Cheeseman executed to Lamb a bond in the penalty of $5000, secured by a mortgage on part of the Swope farm not conveyed. The conditions of the bond and mortgage (which were both in the same words) contained this recital : that Cheeseman, in consideration of $1650, had, by deed of the same date, conveyed to Lamb a lot of seven acres, part of the Swope farm; that the principal value of said lot consisted in the valuable beds of marl upon it; that there were divers like beds of marl upon the residue of the Swope farm; that said sum was paid not only as the consideration for said lot, but upon the express agreement between the parties, that neither. Cheeseman, his heirs or assigns, nor any other person holding said farm, should, within thirty years from the date, dig, sell, remove, or suffer to be dug, sold, or removed, from off the said farm, any part or parcel of the marl thereon, except for the use of the farm, “so that the said marl, or any part thereof, should not be sold or otherwise brought into competition with the marl of the said James W. Lamb •” and upon the further agreement that for any violation of said covenant, by the said Cheeseman, his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns, or other persons holding said farm under him or them, said Cheeseman, his heirs, executors, or administrators, should pay to said Lamb, his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns, the sum of $500. The condition was that if they did not so dig or sell, and if they paid up such penalties, the obligation and mortgage should be void.

On the sixth of September, 1842, Lamb conveyed back to Cheeseman the seven acre lot, except a triangular part con-' tabling about one-tenth of an acre, retained to give access from the one acre strip (used as a way) to the twelve and a half acre lot; this being the means of communication from that lot to the Cross Keys road.

[340]*340Lamb conveyed the twelve and a half acre lot, the one acre used for a way, and the tenth of an acre reserved from the seven acre lot, to the complainant, Brewer, by two deeds, one dated March third, 1847, the other dated January third, 1848; the last deed conveyed the one acre used as a road, and the tenth of an acre reserved from the seven acre lot. And on the same day, Lamb assigned to Brewer the bond and mortgage given to him by Cheeseman.

Cheeseman, by four deeds made at different times, conveyed to the defendant, Marshall, the rest of the Swope farm not conveyed to Brewer.

Both defendants have, at different times, dug, removed, and sold, from the seven acre tract and other parts of the Swope farm, marl by the ton and measured quantity, since 1842; and the defendant, Marshall, was continuing to do so, until the injunction.

These facts appear by the bill, and are admitted by the answer.

The complainant insists, that the clause in the deed of 1841, and the agreement recited in the bond and mortgage from Cheeseman to Lamb, are real covenants running with the land; that he, as the assignee of Lamb, and the owner of the lands conveyed to him, is entitled to the benefit of these covenants; and that Marshall,-as the assignee of the land to which they relate, held by Cheeseman at the making of them, holds that land subject to the burthen of these covenants, and is bound to observe them.

Upon the correctness of these positions, the whole question of the injunction depends. If the covenants do not run with the land conveyed to Brewer, he, as assignee, cannot have the advantage of them; and if the burthen of them does not run with the land conveyed to Marshall, he is not bound by them. In either case, the injunction against Marshall ought not to be retained.

There has been much discussion in the courts, as to what covenants or agreements are real covenants, and run with the land, so that the assignee or heir of the land can take ad[341]*341vantage of them, and as to what covenants run with the land burthened by them, so that the assignee or heir takes the land subject to the burthen.

Both of the covenants in this case are valid as personal covenants : Lamb could maintain a suit against Cheeseman for their violation, and could recover his damages. For the purpose of this motion, we may admit that the mortgage is valid as against Marshall; he took title subject to it, and his lands are liable, in case of forfeiture or breach of condition. But the injunction does not depend upon that question; for such damage Brewer, as assignee, must look to a foreclosure and sale. The injunction can only be maintained on the ground that the agreement in the recital is a covenant real, running with the land.

The leading case on this subject is Spencer’s case, reported in 5 Rep. 16, and printed and commented on in 1 Smith’s Lead. Cas. 115. There Spencer demised a house and lot to S. for years. S. covenanted for himself, his executors, and administrators, that he, his executors, administrators, or assigns, would build a brick wall on part of the land demised. S. assigned the term to J., and J. to Clark. Spencer sued Clark for a breach of the covenant to build the wall. The court, by the first resolve, held, that a covenant only bound the assignee when it was concerning a thing in esse, parcel of the demise, not when it related to a wall to be built. By the second resolve, they held, that if the covenant had bound the assigns by express words,- it would have bound the assignee, although it was for a thing to be newly made, as it was to be upon the tilling demised; but that if the covenant was for a thing to be done collateral to the land, and did not touch or concern the thing demised, in any sort, as if it were to build a house upon other lands of the lessor, the assignee should not be charged, although the covenant was for the covenantor and his assigns.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Petersen v. Beekmere, Incorporated
283 A.2d 911 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1971)
Water Users Assn. v. Bldg. Assn.
297 P. 385 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1931)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
18 N.J. Eq. 337, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brewer-v-marshall-njch-1867.