Dow v. Jewell

18 N.H. 340
CourtSuperior Court of New Hampshire
DecidedDecember 15, 1846
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 18 N.H. 340 (Dow v. Jewell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dow v. Jewell, 18 N.H. 340 (N.H. Super. Ct. 1846).

Opinion

Parker, C. J.

The plaintiff’s ease is, that the tract of land in Burnt swamp, of which he now claims one half, divided and severed, was purchased with the money of Jonathan, Jacob and Sally Jewell. He states a sale of land at Bugsmouth Hill woods, belonging to them as heirs of Joseph Jewell, and that the proceeds of that sale were invested in the purchase of the tract in Burnt swamp.

The answer of Jonathan Jewell attempts to show that [349]*349Joseph Jewell owned only one third of the Bugsmouth Hill land; that all who were interested joined in the sale, and that although the money received upon the sale may have gone into the purchase of the land in question, Jacob and Sally had no interest in if, he having accounted to them. But however the ownership of the land sold may have been, there is no evidence to prove that the money of any persons except Jonathan, Jacob and Sally Jewell was used in the purchase of the land in question. There is nothing to show that any of the other persons named ever claimed an interest in the land in Burnt swamp.

The attempt on the part of Jonathan Jewell to show that notwithstanding the money of Jacob and Sally received on that sale was used in making this purchase, yet that the purchase was for himself, and that he thereupon became indebted to the others, fails altogther.

He does not allege that it was so agreed. He alleges a settlement of accounts with Jacob in 1821, but does not allege that tins money was included in that settlement, and no proof is offered that any such settlement was ever made.

His answer, although evasive, tends very strongly to prove that the money of Jacob and Sally was in fact used by him in making the purchase, and that Jacob, at least, had some interest in the land.

The answers of the other defendants, who come in upon his subsequent conveyance, deny the purchase in trust, but tbey do not appear to have had any knowledge except what they may have derived from him, and from the fact of the division.

.From the evidence it appears that Jonathan, during the time he held the title, admitted that Jacob owned half, and that Sally had a right to have her wood from it. It proves also that he applied to two of the heirs of Jacob to have a division made, and that he was present in making one, and putting up the monuments.

[350]*350One of his sons, Richard, since dead, is shown to have been present, aiding in that partition, and Jonathan, in his deposition, taken to be used in the suit at law, and now used against him to show his admissions, says his boys and Jacob’s wanted the land divided.

There is further evidence that he proposed to give a deed of the part thus divided off to the heirs of Jacob, upon receiving a deed of one half of the saltmarsb, of which Jacob held the title, and it appears that George, another son, and one of the defendants, was present at that time. -

The evidence of Ms admissions, made in disparagement of his title, and giving a character to his possession at the time he held the title, is competent to show the true nature of his title and possession, against the other defendants, who claim under him. 2 N. H. Rep. 372, Proprietors of Claremont v. Carlton; id. 387, Adams v. French; 15 N. H. Rep. 563, Smith v. Powers, and authorities cited.

There is also evidence of acts of ownership by Jacob, in his lifetime. And the evidence that Jonathan and Jacob held other lands in common might tend to strengthen the case.

Upon the first point, then, the evidence is quite sufficient to overcome the answers, and to establish the fact that the money of Jacob was used in making the purchase, in a manner to constitute a resulting trust in his favor, to some extent, because it was understood and agreed that the purchase ivas to be made with his money, for his benefit.

It has been objected that the allegation in the bill on this point is not sufficient\ but the bill states that Jonathan laid out the money of the three, for their common use, benefit and advantage, under an agreement and understanding that Jonathan and Jacob were to be owners in fee and tenants in common, each of a moiety, and that' Sally was to have her wood from the land daring he? [351]*351life, and that a deed was taken to Jonathan. This is a sufficient allegation of such a purchase as to raise a trust. The extent of the trust, for the benefit of those interested, remains to be considered.

There is some evidence tending to show that other money, beyond the money received for the sale of the Bugsmouth Hill land, may have been furnished by Jonathan, or Jacob, or both, and used in making the purchase, but this is not alleged on either side, and the evidence is quite too slight and uncertain.

The money of Sally, having been used in making the purchase, which was to be to some extent for her use and benefit, the defendants object that she ought to be made a party, and it is clear that she has, or may have, an interest in the subject matter of the suit. The argument for the plaintiff assumes that she has no interest except to have her wood from the land, but that is the very question first to be settled.

She is entitled to allege and show, by other proofs than those already in the case, that, by the actual agreement in pursuance of which the purchase was made, she was to be equally interested with her brothers in the title. If no affirmative evidence of that character exists, she may, upon the case as it now stands, contend, as the defendants have done, that parol evidence cannot be introduced to prove that her interest was other than an equal interest, according to the proportion of the money advanced by her in making the purchase, she being interested in that purchase.

If the operation of the purchase was to raise a resulting trust for her, to the extent of one third of the land, then the division between Jonathan and the heirs of Jacob, even if there were no other objection to it, must fail for that reason, not having been made among all those interested, and there would be an end of the plaintiff’s case. But the exclusion of unwritten evidence to establish and [352]*352limit a trust for her to take wood alone, may not necessasarily result in showing that she has an interest in the land. Should the evidence, upon her being brought in as a party, tend to show, as it now does, that in point of fact there was a verbal agreement, by which, in consideration of the money advanced by her, she was to have her wood from the land during her life, and should it be found in point of law, no trust of that character could be set up as resulting from the use of her money in making the purchase, for the want of evidence in writing to establish and limit a trust of that character, a question may still arise, whether "the exclusion of the proof of such verbal contract, for the purpose of raising a trust, will result in giving her a trust estate in one third of the land, because her money was used to that extent, or will exclude her from any interest, on the ground that the proof that she was to have an interest in the purchase, by the agreement of the parties being excluded, the fact alone that her money was used by the others would only create a debt in her favor against them, and enable her to recover the amount of them in a personal action for that purpose.

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Bluebook (online)
18 N.H. 340, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dow-v-jewell-nhsuperct-1846.