Coykendall v. Kellogg

198 N.W. 472, 50 N.D. 857, 1924 N.D. LEXIS 40
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedApril 5, 1924
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 198 N.W. 472 (Coykendall v. Kellogg) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Coykendall v. Kellogg, 198 N.W. 472, 50 N.D. 857, 1924 N.D. LEXIS 40 (N.D. 1924).

Opinion

Nukssle, J.

The plaintiff and appellant, Ella Coykendall, and the defendant and respondent, Emma Kellogg, are twin sisters. At the time this action was begun, they were seventy years of age. The plaintiff owned a house and several lots in town where she and the defendant and their mother, a very old lady who was an invalid, lived. The plaintiff also owned a half section farm nearby. Her mother had deeded her the house and a quarter of this land in 1906. The defendant also owned a half section of land adjacent to that of the plaintiff. TFe sisters and their mother had lived together in the plaintiff’s house since 1906, each contributing as they were able and as Was required to the common purse. The plaintiff was weakly, the defendant strong and vigorous. During the summer season the defendant usually lived on her farm. She attended to the management of her farm and the farm of the plaintiff. In February, 1918, the plaintiff proposed that if the defendant would agree to support the plaintiff and their mother for the remainder of their lives that plaintiff would convey to the defendant her half section. This was agreeable to the parties and to their mother as well; and accordingly, a warranty deed to the premises in the usual, form and reciting a consideration of “one dollar and other considerations” was executed and delivered by the plaintiff to the defendant. This deed was recorded by the defendant. It contained the usual covenants of warranty, etc., and among these covenants was inserted this recital, “and. party of the second part (Kellogg) agrees to support party of the first part (Coykendall) and their mother during their lifetime, and the hereby granted lands shall ■stand as security therefor.” This provision was embodied in the deed at the suggestion of the defendant for the protection'of the plaintiff. 'There was no other writing. At the time this conveyance was made, there was an unsatisfied mortgage against the land for $1,500. At the [861]*861time the plaintiff had a little monety in the bank and the defendant had a little money. The mother died in June, 1918. The sisters continued to lire together as theretofore until August, 1922, when they had a disagreement, and shortly thereafter this suit was started.

It appears that shortly after the land was transferred to her, the defendant went into the use and occupation of the same. She regarded it as her own, mortgaged it and made a will devising it with her other land. She rented it and appropriated the proceeds of the crops. She made various improvements thereon and paid the bills, including taxes and interest. She used, with the plaintiff’s consent, moneys from the plaintiff’s account in the bank at various times, and also at various times deposited moneys therein to plaintiff’s credit. It appears that she deposited more than she used. The testimony is uncertain and indefinite as to the amounts thus used or deposited. The defendant testifies that prior to the time when the land was transferred, she had contributed toward the common support of the parties about $10 a month; that thereafter she contributed what was required. The plaintiff testifies that at once the deed was given the defendant became exacting and unreasonable; that she failed to provide plaintiff with suitable food, clothing and care, and treated her harshly and unkindly. She claims that the defendant wholly failed to comply with the agreement to support her and her mother during the latter’s lifetime. Therefore, she brings this action. She asks in the way of relief that the deed be cancelled and set aside; that the defendant be required to account for the rents and profits of the land during the time she has been in possession; and that she, the plaintiff, have such other relief as may be agreeable to equity.

The Ramsey County National Bank is made a party defendant by reason of the fact that subsequent to the conveyance to the defendant Kellogg, Kellogg mortgaged the premises to the bank to secure the payment of $2,500. It appears that $1,605 of this aanount was used in paying off the prior encumbrance on the land with interest.

Plaintiff contends that the deed from her to the defendant is void; that the arrangement between the parties as to the support of the plaintiff and their mother was so indefinite and uncertain as to not amount to a contract; that there was no consideration for the deed; that the defendant was not a party to the deed, and therefore, not bound to [862]*862perform the contract for support; that defendant has not performed; that the defendant holds the land in trust for plaintiff, and must account for the rents and profits thereof.

The defendant contends that the conveyance to her was valid; that it was an absolute conveyance, and was intended as such; that the plaintiff has a lien on and against the premises conveyed to secure the performance of the contract to support; that the defendant accepted the deed, entered into the possession of the premises thereunder, has at all times reasonably performed according to the terms of the agreement, and is ready and willing and offers to continue in such performance.

The trial court found in favor of the defendants; that the deed was, and was by the parties intended to be, an absolute conveyance of the fee to the defendant, subject, however, to a lien or charge in favor of the plaintiff for the carrying out of the contract to support the plaintiff and her mother; that the agreement was sufficiently definite and certain to constitute a contract; that by its terms, the plaintiff -was entitled to receive and the defendant required to furnish reasonable support consistent with the needs of the plaintiff and her mother and their condition in life, having in view all the facts and circumstances at the time the contract was entered into, the age of the parties, their surroundings, and the manner in which they had lived prior thereto; that by the acceptance of such deed, the defendant became obligated to carry out and perform such agreement; that the mortgage to the defendant bank was a first lien upon the premises to the extent of $1,605 only; that as to the excess of the bank’s mortgage above $1,605 the same was subject to the lien of the plaintiff. The court further held that since the conveyance was an absolute one, the plaintiff was not in any event entitled to a cancellation of the deed, but must be relegated to an action for relief under her lien in case of a breach of the contract to support. The court, therefore, refused to pass upon the question as to whether or not there had been a breach of such agreement, and left that to be determined in a later action.

Judgment was thereafter entered in accordance with such findings. Thereupon the plaintiff perfected this appeal, demanding a review of the entire case and a trial de novo thereof. We take it that the ap[863]*863pellant makes no point as to the judgment in favor of the defendant bank, and that matter will, therefore-, receive no further consideration.

We think that the plaintiff has no ground for her contention that there was no good and sufficient contract- The record sufficiently warrants the court’s finding in that regard. From their very nature, contracts for support must remain more or less indefinite and uncertain.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
198 N.W. 472, 50 N.D. 857, 1924 N.D. LEXIS 40, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/coykendall-v-kellogg-nd-1924.