Crawford v. Severson

5 Gill 443
CourtCourt of Appeals of Maryland
DecidedDecember 15, 1847
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 5 Gill 443 (Crawford v. Severson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crawford v. Severson, 5 Gill 443 (Md. 1847).

Opinion

Dorsey, J.,

delivered the opinion of this court.

The appellant’s claim is for a legacy of one thousand dollars with the interest thereon, (to which he makes title as assignee,) bequeathed by Thomas Severson to his daughter Sarah Denny, by his will bearing date the 17th day of April, 1824, and admitted to probate on 13th day of April, 1825.

The only clauses in this will which are material to the issues in this cause are the six following, viz:

Item. I give and bequeath to my son, John Severson, all my home plantation whereon I now reside, except so much thereof as I may put to the plantation I purchased of John Money, by my altering the divisional fence between said plantation, which said divisional fence is to be taken for the division lines between said plantation to him in fee simple.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my son, Samuel Severson, all the plantation I purchased of John Money, and so much of my home plantation as I may put to said plantation by the alteration I may and do make in the divisional fence between the two plantations, which said divisional fence is to be the division line or lines between said plantations, to him in fee simple.

Item. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah, wife of John Denny, one thousand dollars, to be paid to her in manner following,—six hundred dollars of which is to be paid by my son John at the expiration of three years after my death, with two years interest thereon, and the remaining four hundred dollars is to be paid by my son Samuel three years after my death, on his attaining full possession, which ever may last happen, with two years interest thereon.

Item. I devise and bequeath all the rest and residue of my estate, both real and personal, to be equally divided between my sons John Severson and Samuel Severson, their heirs and assigns forever, in equal proportion, share and share alike.

Item. It is my will and desire that my sons John Severson [445]*445and Samuel Severson shall have, receive, and inherit, and enjoy their bequest herein made to them, as they severally arrive to the age of eighteen years, or my death, which ever may last happen. And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my brother, John Wroth, and my son, John Severson, executors of this, my last will and testament.

Between the three first and three last of the aforegoing clauses in the testator’s will there were many bequests, but they have no bearing or connection with the questions in controversy in this cause.

The assignments of the legacy being fully proved; the first and most important question which we are required to decide is whether the legacy given to Sarah Denny is a charge upon the lands devised to John Severson and Samuel Severson ?

By the first and second devises made by the testator, he gave the lands to John and Samuel in fee; and by the immediately succeeding clause of his will he gave to his daughter, Sarah Denny, one thousand dollars, to be paid to her by his sons, John and Samuel, in the manner and in the portions therein specified, that is, John was to pay six hundred dollars and Samuel four hundred dollars.

By such a bequest, this legacy is not payable, as legacies ordinarily are, by the executors out of the personal estate of the deceased, but by the express mandate of the testator, is to be paid by his devisees, John and Samuel. Upon what ground could such a requisition be made of them ? Upon no conceivable ground, but that the testator, in giving them his property, had prescribed the terms and conditions of his own munificence. Such is the inference of reason and of law ; and as conclusively appearing by the acts of the testator, as if his intention had been declared in the most explicit terms. In consideration of the devises made to them by his will, he requires them to pay to their sister one thousand dollars, in the manner and upon the terms on which he directs it to be done. In what light does a court of equity regard such a proceeding ? An answer to this question cannot be more satisfactorily given than in the language of some of the authorities on the subject. [446]*446if a testator directs a particular person to pay, he is presumed, in the absence of all other circumstances, to intend him to pay out of the funds with which he is intrusted. 2 Story's Eq. sec. 1247.

In 1 Story's Rep. 383, Sands vs. Champlin, Justice Story says that “ a charge of debts upon a devisee in respect of lands devised to him, has always been held to be, not a mere charge upon the devisee personally, but, a charge on the lands.” And on the same page in the same case he says: “such an order and direction is in the language of command, and imports a trust fixed upon the estate devised ; for it is a charge in consideration of the devise; or in other words, it is a charge upon the estate in the hands of the devisee.” And in page 384 of the same case, the learned Justice says : “ indeed I understand it to be a general rule in the construction of clauses of this sort, that where the testator devises an estate to a person, and in respect thereof charges him with the payment of debts and legacies, the charges are always treated as charges in rem, as well as in personam, unless the testator uses some other language, which limits, restrains, or repels that construction.” A similar principle to that asserted by this court in the case before us was decided by Lord Redesdale, in Cary vs. Cary, 2 Sch. & Lef. 188. And in an anonymous case in 2 Freeman's Rep. 192, it is said, “and if a man by his will deviseth his lands to J. S., and doth desire that the said J. S. should pay his debts; or if it be the said J. S. paying his debts; or if immediately after the devise of his lands, he doth appoint or desire that his debts should be paid; or if he useth any expression in the will, whereby it appears that he had any intent to charge his lands with his debts, in such case his lands will be so charged.”

It follows from the authorities referred to that the lands devised to John and Samuel Severson were charged with the payment of the legacy of one thousand dollars bequeathed to Sarah Denny; and that quoad hoc the lands were held by them in trust. Thus far this case has been considered apart from the devise of the rest and residue of the real and personal [447]*447estate of the testator to John and Samuel Severson. But that devise can have no effect in discharging the lands first devised to them, from the lien for the payment of the legacy.

Such a residuary devise might increase the amount of property subjected to the lien, but could not operate, as a discharge therefrom, of any part of it. It does not appear that any real estate passed by the residuary devise, nor that there are any specific articles of personal property which were embraced by it, that are now in the possession of any body, that a sale thereof might have been sought, together with the realty, by the bill before us.

The answer of the infant heirs of John Severson urges as a defence against the relief demanded by the appellant’s bill of complaint, that Thomas Severson

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Bluebook (online)
5 Gill 443, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crawford-v-severson-md-1847.