Craver v. Jermain

17 Misc. 244, 40 N.Y.S. 1056
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1896
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 17 Misc. 244 (Craver v. Jermain) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Craver v. Jermain, 17 Misc. 244, 40 N.Y.S. 1056 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1896).

Opinion

Chester, J.

This is an action in which the plaintiff seeks- to procure relief from a certain bond and mortgage for $3,000, held by the defendant James B. Jermain, dated December 31,1886, so far as the same is an incumbrance upon what is known as the Jacob Sharpe farm, or upon the surplus moneys arising from the sale thereof under a prior mortgage. . ,

The defendant Chester B. Graver has interposed an answer seeking substantially the same relief with reference to this mortgage as that asked for by the plaintiff.

Flora Cheney, formerly Flora Lape, since deceased, and the defendant Annie Campbell, by her guardian. ad litem, each put in an answer alleging that the mortgage is also void as against the farm known as the Andrew Barringer farm.

It is charged that this mortgage was procured by fraud or was made as it is by the mutual mistake of the- parties. At the close of the testimony I held that there was no evidence to submit to the jury on the question of fraud, and that only questions of law were •presented for determination.

It appears that Bernhard U. Sharpe died on the 22d day of November, 1882, seized and possessed of four farms in the town of North G-reehbush, Rensselaer county: one known as the Conrad Sharpe farm; one known as the home or Harris farm; one known as the Jacob Sharpe farm, and one known as the Andrew Bar-ringer farm.

At the time of his death there was a mortgage for $10,000 upon said home or Harris, farm, and said Jacob Sharpe farm, and a [246]*246mortgage for $4,000 upon said Conrad Sharpe farm, and the said Andrew Barringer farm was free of any.mortgage incumbrance.

Bernhard IT. Sharpe left a will,, dated February 14, 1882, which was admitted to probate by the surrogate of Rensselaer county December 2, 1882, and letters testamentary thereon were issued to George N. Sharpe and William S. Bettsj two of the executors and trastees named therein.

By this will the testator devised and bequeathed his property as follows: .

First. To his wife Mary F. Sharpe, so long as she remained his widow, • an annuity of- four hundred dollars each year after' his death, together with certain rights and privileges upon his said home or Harris farm, which annuity, rights and privileges- were thereby made a charge, lien and incumbrance upon all of the testator’s real estate above mentioned, and also a personal charge upon the. several devisees thereof. ' This provision for the wife was made in lieu of dower and of all claims which she might otherwise have against the estate of the testator.

Second. To his executors all 'of his personal estate in trust to pay his funeral expenses, build a monument, pay expenses of administration, and the residue thereof to be applied toward the payment of the debts and bonds and mortgages owing by him at the time of his death.

Third. To his son George FT. Sharpe and his grandsons Melvin B. Sharpe and William 'Sharpe said Gomad. Sharpe farm and said home or Harris farm subject to the foregoing provisions and subject to so much of his mortgage indebtedness of $14,000 ás shall not be paid from his personal property as aforesaid. The said George FT. Sharpe during his lifetime to have the control, management and use of said two farms subject to the provisions aforesaid, for the purpose of enabling him to meet and pay the aforesaid yearly legacy, to testator’s wife and the interest on such unpaid mortgage indebtedness as aforesaid, and the taxes and repairs on said two farms. , .

Fourth. The' use, occupancy, income and avails of said Jacob Sharpe farm to his daughter Elizabeth Graver. (plaintiff herein) and to his grandson Chester B. Graver during their lives and to the survivor during his or her life, subject to the payment by them each year after testator’s decease of $100 to his executors, to be paid by them to his wife so long as she remains his widow on account of her annuity, and subject also to the payment of $100 [247]*247each, year to George FT. Sharpe, and in case of his death to Melvin B. and William Sharpe, to he applied by them on said mortgage indebtedness.

Fifth. Subject to the foregoing provisions he devised said Jacob Sharpe farm, from and after the death of said Elizabeth and Chester, to the children and issue of said Chester, if any shall survive him, subject to the payment by said children and issue of $2,000 to said George FT., Melvin B. and William Sharpe, to be applied to the payment of said mortgage indebtedness as against said Jacob Sharpe farm, which. $2,000 was made a hen and charge thereon. But, in case said Chester shall die without any children or issue surviving him, said farm, is devised to said George FT., Melvin B. and William Sharpe. The said Elizabeth Graver, during her life, subject to the payments aforesaid, to have the control and management .of said Jacob Sharpe farm and of the use and income thereof, to enable her to make such payments amounting to $200 each year and to pay the taxes and necessary repairs.

Sixth. The use, income and avails of said Andrew • Barringer farm to his executors in trust to manage, let or rent the same as they may think best, collect and receive the rents, income and avails thereof and to pay therefrom the taxes, insurance and necessary repairs, and then to pay to his great grandchildren Flora Lape, Jasper Campbell and Annie Campbell each year after his decease until they shall all have arrived at the age of twenty-one years, to said Flora $50, and to Jasper and Annie $25 'each toward their schooling, clothing and support, and after payment thereof to pay from such income, rents and avails the sum of $100 toward said $400 annuity to his wife each year so long as she remained his widow, and the further sum of $100 each year during the life of his wife and of his granddaughter Eveline and until said Flora, Jasper and Annie shall all have arrived at the age of twenty-one years toward the payment of said, mortgage indebtedness and the interest thereon, and the residue of such income and avails, -if any, to be paid one-half to' said Flora and the other one-half to said Eveline, Jasper and Annie equally.

Seventh. From and after the death of his said wife and said grand- • daughter Eveline he devised said Andrew Barringer farm to said Flora Lape, Jasper Campbell and Annie Campbell, their heirs and assigns forever, subject to the payment by them of $2,000 to said George FT., Melvin B. and William Sharpe in payment of said mortgage indebtedness as against said Andrew Barringer farm or [248]*248against the devisees thereof, the payment of which $2,000 was made a lien and charge thereon. .In cáse said Flora, Jasper and Annie shall all die before arriving at. the age of twenty-one years • without leaving any issue surviving them or either, of them, then and in that case from and after the marriage or death of said wife and death of said grandchild Eveline said Andrew Barringer farm is devised to 'said son George' FT. and grandsons Melvin B. and William -Sharpe.

Sometime before the death of the testator, Jasper Campbell, a beneficiary mentioned in the will, died, when about five, years of age, and the provision for his benefit lapsed.

In December, 1886, three separate proceedings to mortgage infants’ real estate were instituted, the purpose being to raise money to- buy off the widow’s annuity which, by the will, was made a • personal charge upon the devisees and also a hen upon the lands sought to be mortgaged. ■ One of these proceedings was instituted by Chester B.

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Bluebook (online)
17 Misc. 244, 40 N.Y.S. 1056, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/craver-v-jermain-nysupct-1896.