Byrnes v. . Baer

86 N.Y. 210, 1881 N.Y. LEXIS 200
CourtNew York Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 4, 1881
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 86 N.Y. 210 (Byrnes v. . Baer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Byrnes v. . Baer, 86 N.Y. 210, 1881 N.Y. LEXIS 200 (N.Y. 1881).

Opinion

Andrews, J.

The Bevised Statutes (2 R. S. 57, § 5) declare that “ every will that shall be made by a testator, in express terms, of all Ms real estate, or in any other terms denoting his intent to devise all Ms real property, shall be construed to pass all the real'estate which he was entitled to devise at the time of Ms death.” This enactment changed the rule which theretofore existed, that a devise could not operate upon lands *216 acquired by a testator after the making of the will without a republication, however clearly such intent was expressed in the testamentary instrument. In Butler’s Case (3 Co. 30), this doctrine was based upon a construction of the Statutes, 32 and 3Í Hen. VIII, which empowered persons “ having lands,” etc., to devise ; and it was held that only such lands as the testator had at the time of making the will, were within the purview of those statutes. It is stated by Parker, Oh. J., in Ballard v. Carter (5 Pick. 112), that the rule is founded on the interest which the law always takes in heirs. But, whatever may have been the reason for the rule, it was thoroughly settled.

It cannot be doubted, however, that the rule, in many case's, defeated the intention of testators. A testator understands that his will takes effect only upon his death, and where he in terms devises all his real property, the natural inference is, that he refers to all the real estate he shall then own. Unless specially instructed, he would not understand that a different rule applied to real, from, that applied to personal property, or that a republication would be necessary to pass after-acquired property of one kind, and not of the other. The section referred to has abrogated the rule of the common law, and it enacts a new rule of construction, viz., that words of general devise, shall be construed to pass all the real estate which the testator was entitled to devise at his death. It is clear that, to bring a devise within the statute, the testator must make known, by words in his will, his intent to devise all his real estate. His intention cannot be inferred from extrinsic facts. The statute requires, that the intention shall be shown by the will. The words used may be interpreted, as in the case of other written instruments, in the light of surrounding circumstances; but the intention must, after all, be .found in the words of the will. Where the will in terms devises all the testator’s real estate, without limitation, there is no 'room forconstruction. The statute makes the devise to speak as of the time of the testator’s death, and all his real estate, which he then owns, and could devise, is comprehended in the disposition. But the statute may operate, although there *217 be no devise in express terms, of all the testator’s real estate. The alternative language is, or in any other terms denoting his intent to devise all his real property.” The construction of this alternative- clause is not free from difficulty. It seems clear, that the legislature contemplated a case where the intent of the testator to devise all his real property might be indicated, in the absence of the specific descriptive terms most usually employed. It would not seem to be necessary, in order to give effect to the alternative provision, that the “other terms” used, should point specifically to the death of the testator, because all the statute requires in either case is, that the will should show by words de presentí, an intention to devise all the testator’s real property. If this is shown, then the statute makes the will speak as of the time of his death. The alternative provision is, we think, satisfied, by the use by the testator of words which by construction of law and by usage, comprehend real property, although not exclusively applicable thereto. It has now become an accepted canon of construction of wills, that general words are to be taken to comprehend a subject which falls within their usual sense, unless there is, as said by Lord Eldon, in Church v. Mundy (15 Ves. 396), “ something like a declaration plain to the contrary.” In accordance with this rule it is now held, (although contrary to some of the earlier cases), that the words, estate,” “ property,” etc., used in a residuary clause, are understood in their ordinary sense, and operate upon both real and personal estate, even when terms are afterward used in reference to the devise, more properly applicable to personal property. (Saumarez v. Saumarez, 4 My. & Cr. 331; Mayor of Hamilton v. Hodsdor, 6 Moore’s P. C. C. 76; Jackson v. Housel, 17 J. R. 281; 1 Jarm. on Wills, 721.) The general sense of particular words may, be restrained by the context, indicating that they were used in a limited sense or as designating only one species of property, but in the absence of such indication, the testator must be presumed to have used them in the usual and larger sense, and effect is given to them accordingly. Where, since the statute, a testator gives in general *218 terms the residue of his estate or property, and there is both real and personal property upon which the ’ will may operate, the testator thereby manifests an intention to devise all his real estate, unless a more limited purpose, is to be gathered from the other parts or clauses of the will. We need not decide in this ease what construction would be given to general words, where the testator owned no real estate, when the will was made. But where a man makes a will, the fair presumption is that he intends to dispose of all his property ; and if he gives all the residue of his estate, it fairly means that he gives all his property, real or personal, not otherwise disposed of. The Massachusetts statute, provides that all after-acquired interests in real estate shall pass by the will, whenever such clearly and manifestly appears by the will to have been the intention of the testator; ” and in Cushing v. Aylwin (12 Metc. 169), where a testatrix, who at the time owned no real estate, made her will disposing of “ all my property,” in trust to certain trustees, their executors, etc., it was held that her intention to dispose of all the real estate she owned at the time of her death, manifestly appeared, and consequently that real estate acquired by her after the making of the will, passed thereby. (See, also, Loveren v. Lamprey, 22 N. H. 434.)

It only remains to apply to the will now in question, the rules of construction to which we have adverted. The first clause is immaterial to the present inquiry. The second, and third clauses, are as follows: “ Secondly. I give, devise and bequeath to my well-beloved wife all my household furniture * * * and all other articles in our usual use in our household, and further, the use of my dwelling-house, or the rents, issues and- profits thereof, during her life. Thirdly.

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Bluebook (online)
86 N.Y. 210, 1881 N.Y. LEXIS 200, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/byrnes-v-baer-ny-1881.