Brooks v. Smith

1 Thompson 226, 1 Shan. Cas. 158
CourtTennessee Supreme Court
DecidedApril 15, 1860
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 1 Thompson 226 (Brooks v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brooks v. Smith, 1 Thompson 226, 1 Shan. Cas. 158 (Tenn. 1860).

Opinion

Caruthers, J.,

delivered tbe opinion of tbe Court:

Action of covenant by tbe purchaser of a lessor against tbe assignee of the lessees. — Demurrer to tbe declaration sustained by tbe Circuit Judge, and appeal in error.

Tbe case'made in tbe declaration is, that Parrott God-win being tbe owner of a tract of land, in Grainger county, entered into and executed certain articles of agreement under seal with Ryons and Clovinger, of which proferí is made, by which “be leased to them, for tbe term of five years from tbe 1st of January 1854, a lot of ground— part and parcel of said tract of land.” By which articles they bound themselves to build upon said lot a shop, of dimensions, and description therein set forth, and to furnish tbe same with turning lathes, grind stone, water works etc. They were to have tbe privilege of "water,- timber, etc., necessary for tbe work. It is also provided that tbe lessees were to do all the black-smith work of tbe lessor, be furnishing tbe b’on during tbe term. — On bis part tbe said God-win for tbe work and buildings covenanted, “ that tbe said Ryons and Clovinger should have tbe use of tbe said shop, and all tbe machinery belonging thereto, tbe two small bouses then occupied by them, with tbe cleared land around them with tbe privilege to use firewood from God-win’s land during tbe term.” They were also to have tbe privilege of taking timber enough to build a frame bouse and have tbe use of it; but they were to cut no timber that would make plank, except for tbe erection of said building. And the said Ryons and Clovinger further bound themselves to deliver to Godwin at the end of tbe term “all the said bouses and the shop, and all tbe tools that may be [228]*228used in said shop, except such as are used in common blacksmith shops, in good condition except the wear of the same.” For a breach of these covenants by either, he was to forfeit to the other $100 and all damages.”

It is further averred that afterwards on the-day of-185 — the said Godwin sold and conveyed in fee to the plaintiffs the said tract of land, a part of which he had so leased as aforesaid, to the said Ryons and Clovinger, the said sale and conveyance being made before.the expiration of the said lease and before the breach of the said covenants.”

And before the breach the said “ Ryon and Clovinger assigned their said lease to the defendant, who took possession of said land so leased ”

The breaches assigned in the declaration, are :

1. The said shop and houses were not built.

2. The machinery was not put up, and the ‘4 Grindstones and Turning-Lathes, were not constructed.

3. The work of the plaintiff was not done in said shop though requested by him.

4. The premises, the houses and shop and the tools were not surrendered in good condition on the 1st of January, 1859.

5. The defendant did cut and use timber on said land, suitable for making plank, for other purposes and uses than making said houses.

The parties to this suit are not the parties to the covenant but according to the averments of the declaration, the plaintiff is the purchaser by conveyance in fee “of the reversion and the defendant the assignee of the lease. There is no privity between the parties. The lease is exhibited, but not the assignments of either the reversion or lease. [229]*229The lease of whiehprofert is made has no assignment upon it, nor is it even averred that there was a written assignment, hut barely that it was assigned to, and possession taken hy the defendant.” The lease does not expressly embrace the assignment of the parties. This suit cannot he maintained unless the covenants are such as to run with the land, or “touch and concern the estate,” as there is no pri-vity between the parties.

By the common law for the want of privity, and because covenants run with the land, but not with the reversion ; covenant could not be brought by the assignee of the reversion, and to remedy this the- act of 32 Hen. 8 was passed.

After reciting that, “ by the common law no stranger to any covenant could take advantage thereof, but only such as were parties or privies thereto” it gives reciprocal actions to and against the assignees of both parties to' a lease. This statute though general in its terms, and would seem to embrace all covenants that might be contained in a lease was easily construed to apply only to such as “ touch and concern” the thing demised and not collateral covenants, 3 Coke 16 “ Spencer’s case” brought into 1 Smiths leading cases 22 Margin

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

Related

Humphrey v. State
466 P.3d 368 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2020)
in Re Frank M Lambrecht Jr Trust
Michigan Court of Appeals, 2018
Holzer v. Gesellschaft
159 Misc. 830 (New York Supreme Court, 1936)
Dodge v. Campbell
128 Misc. 778 (New York Supreme Court, 1927)
Sorenson v. Sorenson
122 Misc. 196 (New York Supreme Court, 1924)
Hight v. McCulloch
150 Tenn. 117 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1923)
Moody v. Soper
117 Misc. 439 (New York Supreme Court, 1921)
Wagoner v. Wagoner
229 S.W. 1064 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1921)
Kaiser v. Kaiser
192 A.D. 400 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1920)
Schenker v. Schenker
181 A.D. 621 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1918)
South Memphis Land Co. v. Memphis Interurban Co.
135 Tenn. 353 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1916)
State v. Martin
82 Tenn. 92 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1884)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1 Thompson 226, 1 Shan. Cas. 158, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brooks-v-smith-tenn-1860.