Carroll v. Bowen

1937 OK 188, 68 P.2d 773, 180 Okla. 215, 1937 Okla. LEXIS 624
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMarch 23, 1937
DocketNo. 26664.
StatusPublished
Cited by44 cases

This text of 1937 OK 188 (Carroll v. Bowen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carroll v. Bowen, 1937 OK 188, 68 P.2d 773, 180 Okla. 215, 1937 Okla. LEXIS 624 (Okla. 1937).

Opinion

HURST, J.

This case involves the construction of the following clause in a deed from J. S. Bowen and Drucie Bowen, his wife, to Gebrge E. McClelland, covering a farm in Garvin county: “As a part of the consideration, the parties of the first part herewith retain an undivided one-half (Vz) interest in and to the royalty (the ordinary Vs ordinarily left the grantor in oil and gas leases being the royalty above referred to) in the above land.” After the execution of this deed the Pauls Valley National Bank acquired title to said land at a foreclosure sale, and later conveyed by warranty deed the land to the plaintiff, Arthur E. Carroll, which deed made no reference to said reservation in favor of J. S. Bowen and wife. J. S. Bowen died leaving as his sole heirs his wife and three children. A dispute arose between Carroll and the Bowen heirs as to whether the latter were entitled to any bonus money from an oil and gas lease that might be executed covering said land, and the oil company that was negotiating for a lease refused to purchase a lease thereon until this question was determined. Thereupon, Carroll filed this suit alleging that the clause in the deed was ambiguous and asking the court to construe it to mean that the Bowen heirs were not entitled to any of the bonus, and he also joined the bank and asked judgment on its breach of warranty. The Bowen heirs answered admitting that the clause was ambiguous, and in their cross-petition alleged that it was intended by said reservation that they should share in the bonuses, rentals, and royalties, and asked judgment quieting their title accordingly. The Pauls Valley National Bank filed an answer in which it denied generally the allegations of the plaintiff’s petition and the cross-petition of the Bowen heirs.

It will thus be seen that the plaintiff and the Bowen heirs assert that said clause is ambiguous and ask that the court construe it, while the bank by its general denial denies that the clause is ambiguous. Over the objection of the bank, Drucie Bowen was permitted to testify that at the time she executed the deed to McClelland it was her understanding that she and her husband reserved one-half of the mineral lights. The deed was drawn by a banker and not by a lawyer, and neither the banker nor McClel-land testified. Drucie Bowen was the only witness who testified !as to what the parties intended by the clause in question.

The trial court at first entered judgment decreeing that Carroll was entitled to all the bonus and rental money, but on- motion for new trial reversed itself and decreed that the Bowen heirs were entitled to one-half the bonus and delay rentals as well as the royalty. Prom this judgment Carroll and the bank have appealed.

1. The first question for decision is whether the court was in error in permitting Mrs. Bowen to testify as to what was intended by the clause in question. If the controversy had been between Carroll and the Bowen heirs, her testimony would undoubtedly have been admissible, since both assert in their pleadings that the deed is ambiguous. But since the bank denies that it is ambiguous, and properly objected to the testimony, and its liability on its warranty will be increased if the contention of the Bowen heirs is correct, we must pass upon the question of whether the clause is ambiguous. If the clause is ambiguous, it was proper for the court to admit evidence as to what the parties intended by the language used. Wilson v. Olsen (1934) 167 Okla. 527, 30 P. (2d) 710. If it is not ambiguous, it was not proper to admit or consider such evidence. Kansas City So. Ry. Co. v. Whitaker (1925) 115 Okla. 212, 242 P. 220; Eagle Printing & Publishing Co. v. Chandler (1926) 116 Okla. 108, 243 P. 237.

We are of the opinion that the clause in question is not ambiguous, and- it was error for the court to admit or consider the evidence of Mrs. Bowen. It is our duty to construe the clause in its entirety and to give ef- *217 feet to every word therein. When this is done, we think it is plain that the parties intended the clause to reserve an undivided one-half of the one-eighth royalty. The words in parentheses, “the ordinary % ordin'arily left the grantor in oil and gas leases being the royalty above referred to,” make plain what would have been otherwise ambiguous if those words had not been used. While the term “royalty” means a «hare of the product or proceeds therefrom, the percentage is variable. It is always 'agreed upon in the lease contract. Generally it is one-eighth. In the Osage Reservation, the Department of the Interior exacts a sixth. The state receives a fourth from the wells that adorn the Qapitol grounds. If the parties had not inserted the words in parentheses, the instrument would have been indefinite upon the percentage of royalty to be paid by the lessee, but as the amount of the royalty reserved has been defined, such ambiguity has been removed.

2. The parties treat the clause as a reservation and make no assertion that tt is void or insufficient to reserve the interest described against subsequent grantees. But whether we treat it as a reservation or an exception, it is valid and sufficient for the purposes therein intended. Dunlap v. Jackson (1923) 92 Okla. 246, 219 P. 314; Myers v. Hines (1931) 149 Okla. 232, 300 P. 309.

3. The words “bonus,” “rental,” and “royalty” are words of common use in this state in connection with oil and gas leases, conveyances, and reservations. Each has a definite meaning and will be construed in the ordinary and popular sense. Section 9408, O. S. 1931. The deed was executed in 1920, and for many years prior thereto Oklahoma had been one of the principal oil and gas producing states of the Union. .There had been production in the vicinity of the land in question for some time prior to the execution of the deed. The terms of the clause under discussion show that the banker who drew the deed was familiar with the oil and gas business, and we must assume that the parties to the deed were likewise familiar with it. The words “bonus” and “rental” are not used in the clause, nor is there any language used that would indicate that the parties Lad those words in mind. To sustain the judgment of the trial court, we would be compelled to hold that the word “royalty” as defined in this instrument included the words “bonus” and “rental.” This we cannot do.

The word “bonus” has a definite meaning in the oil and gas industry. It is defined in Bouvier as “a premium paid to a grantor or vendor,” and strictly is the dash consideration or down payment, paid or agreed to be paid, for the execution of an oil and gas lease. Northwestern Oil & Gas Co. v. Branine (1918) 71 Okla. 107, 175 P. 533; Carter Oil Co. v. Tiffin (1918) 74 Okla. 34, 176 P. 912; Magnolia Pet. Co. v. Saylor (1919) 72 Okla. 282, 180 P. 861; Morrison, Oil & Gas, p. 71; Summers, Oil & Gas, p. 241.

The term “rental,” as used in oil and gas leases, refers to the consideration paid to the lessor for the privilege of delaying drilling operations. Northwestern Oil & Gas Co. v. Branine, supra; Magnolia Pet. Co. v. Saylor, supra; Summers, Oil & Gas, p. 591; Thornton, Oil & Gas (5th Ed.) sec. 363, p. 644.

The term “royalty” in the strict sense is held to mean a share of the product or proceeds therefrom, reserved to the owner for permitting another to use the property. Hinerman v. Baldwin (1923, Mont.) 215 P. 1103; Homestake Exploration Corp. v. Schoregge (1928, Mont.) 264 P. 388; Bellport v. Harrison (1927, Kan.) 255 P. 52; Hill v. Roberts (1926, Tex. Civ.

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Bluebook (online)
1937 OK 188, 68 P.2d 773, 180 Okla. 215, 1937 Okla. LEXIS 624, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carroll-v-bowen-okla-1937.