Bryant v. Sevier

20 So. 2d 582, 197 Miss. 457, 1945 Miss. LEXIS 299
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 22, 1945
DocketNo. 35768.
StatusPublished

This text of 20 So. 2d 582 (Bryant v. Sevier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bryant v. Sevier, 20 So. 2d 582, 197 Miss. 457, 1945 Miss. LEXIS 299 (Mich. 1945).

Opinion

Aexander, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

Appellees filed their bill against appellant praying cancellation of the purported devise in the will of J. T. *462 Sevier to appellant as a cloud upon appellees’ title to certain lands, as evidenced by a prior deed in trust to them from the said J. T. Sevier. Appellant filed answer and also a cross-bill which set up the alleged invalidity of the deed in trust as a conveyance of the title in fee. This attack was based upon the contention that the deed was testamentary in character, and that the grantor or settlor of the trust was its sole beneficiary. Demurrer to the cross-bill was sustained and the prayer of the original bill was granted, confirming the title in the appellees as trustees and canceling the testamentary devise to Mrs. Bryant.

The deed in trust is as follows:

“This indenture, made this 7th day of December, A. D. 1939, by and between J. T. Sevier (a single' man), of Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, party of the first part, and Hubert T. Sevier, of Madison County, Tennessee, and Henry W. White, Jr., of Knox County, Tennessee, as Trustees, parties of the second part, Witnesseth:
“That the party of the first part, for and in consideration of One Dollar ($1.00) cash to him in hand paid, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, and of the covenants and undertaking's hereinafter imposed upon and assumed by the parties of the second part, has granted, bargained, sold and conveyed, and does hereby grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said parties of the second part the following described real estate, to-wit:
“A certain farm containing approximately 275 acres, situated in the First Judicial District of Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, and more particularly described as follows: SW%; (sic) W% of SE% and SE14 of SEj4 Section 35, Township 25, Range 1 East, less five acres out for road. To have and to hold the same, together with all improvements thereon, and the. rights, privileges' and appurtenances thereto belonging, or in any wise appertaining, together with all livestock, farming implements and machinery now located- thereon, unto the said *463 parties of the second part, their successors and assigns, in fee simple.
‘ ‘ This indenture is, nevertheless, in trust for the following uses and purposes, and none other, viz.:
“ (1) The party of the first part, being aged and infirm in body, and desiring thereby to provide for his comfortable support during the remainder of his life, and for the care and preservation of his estate, does hereby create and establish in the parties of the second part this trust, to the end that:
“(a) The parties of the second part are to receive, take charge of, and manage the aforesaid properties, paying from the. income therefrom, if sufficient for that purpose, all taxes, assessments and charges against the same, together with the expense of the operation thereof, and upkeep and repairs, accounting to and paying over to the party of first part the surplus income or profits therefrom, or so much thereof as in the opinion and discretion of the parties of the second part is needful, necessary or suitable for the comfortable support and well being of the party of first part during the remainder of his natural life; and said property is further charged with the reasonable and necessary expense of the burial of the party of the first part.
“(b) That in the event, in the discretion of the parties of the second part, it should become necessary or advisable at any time to sell said property, or any part thereof, for purposes of reinvestment, or in order to defray the expense of the support and maintenance of party of the first part, or the upkeep and maintenance of the remainder of said property, the parties of the second part are vested with full power, authority and right to sell, transfer and convey said property, or any part thereof, by their deed; and purchasers from said parties of the second part are hereby relieved and excused of the obligation of looking to the application by parties of the second part of the proceeds of any such sale.
*464 “ (c) The parties of the second part shall at frequent intervals, and at least once in each twelve months, give to the party of the first part a fnll and accurate accounting of all receipts and disbursements of this trust, and of how they have executed the same.
“ (d) The parties of the second part shall, ás soon as is reasonably possible after the death of the party of the first part (but as to this the second parties are to exercise their discretion) convert into cash all of the corpus of this trust not theretofore disposed of or consumed, and the proceeds therefrom, together with any unexpended income from the trust, shall be distributed by parties of the second part to those who upon the death of the party of the first part would be entitled under the laws of descent of the State of Mississippi, to inherit the real estate of the party of the first part; this distribution to be made after the parties of the second part have first discharged all estate and inheritance taxes, both State and Federal, which may then exist against the estate of the party of the first part or against the property herein conveyed.
“ (e) The parties of the second part are excused from taking and filing oath, giving bond, filing inventories, statements or settlements with any court or tribunal, insofar as party of the first part may lawfully waive same.
“(f) In the event of the death of either of the parties of the second part before the termination of this trust, the survivor shall have and exercise all of the powers herein conferred upon said second parties. '
“ (2) The parties of the second part, by executing this instrument, hereby accept the trust herein imposed upon them, and agree to execute the same in accordance with the terms of this instrument.
“In witness whereof, the parties hereto have hereunto set their hands and seals on the day and year above written.
*465 “J. T. Sevier,
“Party of the First Part
“Henry W. White, Jr.,
“Robert T. Sevier,
“Parties of the Second Part.”

The instrument was duly acknowledged and recorded.

The will, executed about a year and a half after the foregoing instrument, is as follows:

“Last Will and Testament of John Turner Sevier.
“The State of Mississippi:
“Tallahatchie County:
“I, John Turner Sevier, of the aforesaid County and State, being over twenty-one years of age, and of sound and disposing mind, make this, my last will and testament.

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Related

Hopkins v. Dalferes
153 So. 367 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1934)
Anderson v. Love
151 So. 366 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1933)
Garrett v. Hamblin
19 Miss. 219 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1848)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
20 So. 2d 582, 197 Miss. 457, 1945 Miss. LEXIS 299, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bryant-v-sevier-miss-1945.