Curry v. Curry

105 N.E. 951, 58 Ind. App. 567, 1914 Ind. App. LEXIS 198
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 30, 1914
DocketNo. 8,449
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 105 N.E. 951 (Curry v. Curry) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Curry v. Curry, 105 N.E. 951, 58 Ind. App. 567, 1914 Ind. App. LEXIS 198 (Ind. Ct. App. 1914).

Opinion

Hottel, J.

This is an action to quiet title to, and for partition of real estate brought by William A. Curry, and numerous other appellants, against Elmira Isenhart et al. The complaint is in the usual form and alleges that the plaintiffs and all the defendants except Elmira Isenhart are the owners in fee simple and tenants in common of the real estate described in the complaint, and sets out the respective interests of each of such plaintiffs and defendants except Elmira Isenhart, and as to her, alleges that she claims some interest in such real estate, which claim is unfounded and without right and a cloud upon the title of appellants and the other appellees. In their prayer for relief, appellants ask that they, together with the appellees, other than Elmira Isenhart, be declared the owners in fee simple of said real estate as tenants in common in the respective interests therein set out and that they be decreed partition, etc., and that .their title be quieted as against any claims of Elmira Isenhart.

To this complaint, appellees, other than Ellsworth Shively, then of unsound mind, and Elmira Isenhart, filed an answer admitting that their respective interests.are correctly stated in the complaint and denying that Elmira Isenhart has any [570]*570right, title or interest in and to said real estate and join with appellants in the prayer of their petition. Ellsworth Shively; by guardian ad litem, filed an answer, designated a general denial, in which he admitted that the complaint correctly set out the interest of the respective parties in said real estate, but denied that Elmira Isenhart had any interest therein. Elmira Isenhart answered by general denial and also filed a cross-complaint against appellants and all of her coappellees, which is in the usual form to quiet title and in which, as against both plaintiffs and her codefendants, she seeks to quiet title in herself to the same real estate described in the complaint. To this cross-complaint, appellants and appellees, other than Ellsworth Shively and Elmira Isenhart, answered by general denial. Ellsworth Shively by guardian ad litem answered by denial in the statutory form.

Upon the issues thus formed, there was a trial by the court and a general finding against appellants on their complaint and for appellee Elmira Isenhart on her cross-complaint. Appellants filed a motion'for a new trial which was overruled and judgment was rendered on the finding. Appellants perfected a term time appeal and assign as error, the ruling on such motion. The grounds of this motion relied on for reversal are those which charge that the decision of the court is contrary to law and is not sustained by sufficient evidence.

It is admitted that an September —, 1885, Amos Curry was the owner in fee simple of the real estate in question, and that he on that date died testate; that by his will he disposed of, or attempted to dispose of all his property both real and personal. The title of appellee Elmira Isenhart to the real estate in question, and the judgment of the court herein quieting her title thereto is predicated on such will. It follows that the determination of the questions presented by this appeal depends wholly on the construction to be [571]*571placed on such, will. Items Nos. 12 and 13 are those on which the controversy turns. They provide as follows:

“Item 12. I do will and bequeath unto my beloved son, David Franklin Curry, all the residue and remainder of my property and estate of every kind and description, both real and personal not hereinbefore specifically devised, subject nevertheless to the following directions, conditions, restrictions and limitations, viz., I will and direct that all the property and estate so devised to my said son, shall at my decease be placed in the possession, of and under the sole and absolute control of my friends, David Studabaker, resident of Decatur, Adams County, Ind., and Edwin R. Wilson, of Bluffton, Wells County, Ind.,'to hold in trust until my said son arrives at the age of forty years, and if they or either of them be not living or shall from any cause fail to accept said trust, then and in that case, I will and direct that the judge of the Wells Circuit Court, shall select and appoint a competent and proper person in the place of said persons above named, with like power to so appoint a successor to said trust, whenever there is a vacancy. ’ ’

This item then in detail gives directions to such trustees as to the management and control of such estate and the investment of the income derived therefrom, if any, after the payment of expenses for the son as directed, and then, further provides as follows:

“Provided, however that if said trustees or their successors shall at any time file their written statement tuider oath, before the judge of said Wells Circuit Court that they desire to deliver over to my said son any part of said estate, describing the same, and that their request is made .because my said son does not use intoxicants of any kind, that as they believe he is thoroughly temperate, of good habits and competent to properly use and manage the same, such judge shall make an order to that effect on the order book of said court either in vacation or term time of said court, and such order shall authorize said trustees to so deliver the estate and property so described to my said son at any time thereafter as they may deem best. I further direct that if my son should at any time marry, his wife [572]*572and his children born in lawful wedlock shall also be included in deriving a support proper to their condition in life, from said estate under the same conditions herein provided for nay said son. Item 13. I do further will, devise, and direct that if my said son David Franklin Curry shall never marry, or if he shall marry and die without leaving a wife or children him surviving, so as to inherit from him, then and in that case it is my will and bequest that ten thousand dollars of the property and estate hereinbefore devised to my said son shall be equally divided between said Philo Rogers and said Mary Studabaker, share and share alike, and the residue thereof shall be given to Elmira Isenhárt, wife of John Isenhart, who now lives near Fort Recovery, State of Ohio.”

We will indicate briefly and in a general way the provisions of the other items. Item No. 1 provides for payment of debts. Item No. 2 gives to the testator’s wife the home residence and appurtenant buildings, -furniture, fittings, etc. Item No. 3 gives the wife a horse and carriage. Items Nos. 4 and 5 give her a life estate in certain real estate which is a part of the real, estate in controversy. Item No. 6 gives the wife $8,000 in money. Item No. 7 gives testator’s niece Mary Studabaker and her children forever, 140 acres of land. Item No-. 8 gives such niece $800 in money. Item No. 9 is a request of the wife that she permit said niece to continue to live with her, during the life- of the wife, provided the niece remains a feme sole. Item No. 10 gives to Philo Rogers $500, in addition to what he had already given him, and to Hannah Warner $500 provided she remained with him and his wife until his -decease. Item No. 11 provides for using $2,000 of his life insurance money to purchase' a suitable monument. Item No. 14 provides for his executors to furnish bond. Item No. 15 names certain persons as his executors. In this connection, it should be stated that it appears from the agreement of parties and the evidence that, on March 31, 1893, David Studabaker and Hugh Dougherty, trustees of the estate of David F.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Estate of Prox v. Commissioner
1976 T.C. Memo. 229 (U.S. Tax Court, 1976)
Brown v. Schaffer
252 N.E.2d 142 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1969)
Stoner v. Custer
242 N.E.2d 651 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1968)
OSBURN, ADMRX. v. Murphy
193 N.E.2d 669 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1963)
Testamentary Trust of Paszotta v. Calumet National Bank
172 N.E.2d 904 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1961)
Martin v. Raff
52 N.E.2d 839 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1944)
Kramer v. Kramer
33 N.E.2d 360 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1941)
MacY v. Haueisen, Tr.
194 N.E. 777 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1935)
In Re Estate of Wadsworth
223 N.W. 783 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1929)
Oliphant v. Pumphrey
141 N.E. 517 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1923)
Vaubel v. Lang
140 N.E. 69 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1923)
F. L. Mercer Lumber Co. v. Isenhart
139 N.E. 292 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1923)
Ewart v. Ewart
123 N.E. 180 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1919)
Wallace v. Cutsinger
115 N.E. 789 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1917)
Nickerson v. Hoover
115 N.E. 588 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1917)
Defrees v. Brydon
275 Ill. 530 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1916)
Haigh v. Haigh
105 N.E. 951 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1914)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
105 N.E. 951, 58 Ind. App. 567, 1914 Ind. App. LEXIS 198, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/curry-v-curry-indctapp-1914.