Eastman v. Batchelder

36 N.H. 141
CourtSupreme Court of New Hampshire
DecidedJanuary 15, 1858
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 36 N.H. 141 (Eastman v. Batchelder) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme 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
Eastman v. Batchelder, 36 N.H. 141 (N.H. 1858).

Opinion

EastmaN, J.

Upon the facts presented in this case, and assuming that the condition of the mortgage from Tasker to Batch-elder and wife was kept during the life-time of Tasker, ther.e lies at the foundation of this proceeding this question: has the complainant any such title or right as will enable him ¾0 maintain his original bill ?

In Flanders & Wife v. Lamphear, 9 N. H. 201, which was an action growing out of a contract similar to that made by Tas-ker in the present case, the court held that the duty was personal to the mortgagor, and that he could not transfer it to third persons and substitute them in his stead, without the consent of [149]*149the mortgagees. In that case the plaintiffs gave a deed of the premises to their son, Daniel Flanders, Jr., and he gave back a mortgage, conditioned for the support, by himself, his heirs, executors and administrators, of the plaintiffs during their natural lives, and to pay sundry debts against his father. Subsequent to this the son conveyed the premises to a third person, arid they were again conveyed, so that Lamphear, the defendant, held them by several mesne conveyances from the son, Flanders, Jr. The plaintiffs then brought a writ of entry against Lamphear, and it was decided that it could be maintained, unless it could be shown that the conveyance by the son was made with the consent of the plaintiffs. In remarking upon the terms of the condition of the mortgage, Parker, 0. J., says: “The language seems to be selected with a particular view of securing the performance by the son, so long as he might fulfill it, and after that time by his heirs or personal representatives.”

In Clinton v. Fly, 1 Fairfield 292, (which was a writ of entry, brought against the defendant as the assignee of one Koundy,) a contract in writing had been made between the town of Clinton and Roundy, by which it was agreed that Roundy should suitably maintain his father and mother, and an idiotic brother, during their natural lives ; for which the town agreed to give him the use and occupancy of a certain farm, during the lives of the father and mother, and at their decease to give him a deed, conveying all the right, title and interest of the town in the same; and it was held that the contract was not assignable, it not having been made with Roundy and his assigns; and that it was a personal trust; and the action was sustained, and the town recovered the land of Roundy’s grantee. In the course of the opinion the court remarked, that, if the contract should be held assignable, the persons to be supported would be liable to be transferred at the convenience and pleasure of successive assignees, whether they possessed or not the temper and qualities which would enable them satisfactorily to fulfill the trust.

In the present case, a part of the consideration of the deed of the farm to Tasker was the support of Batchelder and his wife [150]*150during their several lives, by their son-in-law; the object no doubt being to have their daughter and her husband reside with and take care of them in their old age. It was a personal undertaking by Tasker, and to secure the performance of it the mortgage was given. So far as the liabilities and rights of Tas-ker are to be considered, the case cannot be distinguished in principle from that of Flanders and Wife v. Lamphear. During his life Tasker could not have sold the premises and transferred the responsibility of supporting Batchelder and his wife upon third persons, without their consent, and had he done it they could have maintained a writ of entry for the premises.

Batchelder gave a deed of all of his real estate to Tasker, upon the consideration, among others, that he and his wife should be supported on the premises during their lives, by Tasker, his-heirs, executors and administrators. This was a contract which the parties were perfectly competent to make; which was for good consideration on both sides; concerning which no fraud is proved or suggested, and which a court of equity cannot set aside. A court of equity, says Chancellor Kent, cannot control the lawful contracts of parties. 4 Kent’s Com. 181.

For good reasons Batchelder chose to have the contract a personal one, and not to have it extend to the assigns of Tasker. Tasker could not, therefore, transfer the premises and his responsibilities, nor could his creditors, before his decease, have deprived him of the possession of the land, and retained it. Had they taken possession, the condition of the mortgage would have been broken, and Batchelder could have brought his writ of entry and recovered the land.

The mortgage of Tasker to Batchelder was put upon record, and was open to the inspection of all. Independent of that mortgage, Tasker was the owner of the premises, and could convey them by mortgage or otherwise; and the conveyances would be good, provided they should not be defeated by a failure to perform the condition in the mortgage to Batchelder. Tasker’s grantees, however, would take subject to that mortgage, and that would be a matter for them to consider in taking their con[151]*151veyances. But as the mortgage would be brought to their notice by the record, no fraud could be charged upon Batchelder, and they would have to hold, subject to his claim. They could not take possession of the premises and redeem the mortgage, because the contract was personal with Tasker and did not embrace them.

We call this instrument a mortgage, because every conveyance of lands, made for the purpose of securing the payment of money, or the performance of any other thing in the condition thereof stated, is declared by our statute to be a mortgage. Rev. Stat., chap. 131, sec. 1. But it is not a mortgage that can be satisfied by the payment of money. That is not its condition. There is no provision by which money is to be paid. The condition requires personal services, and those to be performed by John B. Tasker, his heirs, executors and administrators. That is the contract which the parties have fairly and legally entered into, and of which they have given public notice, by placing the same upon the records of the county, and no one has a right to put Batchelder and his wife in a different situation. Suppose John B. Tasker, in his life-time, had broken the condition, and then tendered a sum of money as damages, and brought his bill to prevent a foreclosure, would the court say that it could be done ? If a tender of money could answer for one breach, then it might for others ; and if damages could be paid from time to time, then why might they not be for the entire time? and thus the condition of the mortgage be wholly defeated and the character of the contract entir^y changed.

Lord Eldon says there is a distinction between the breach of a covenant or condition to pay money, and one requiring acts to be done. In the former case relief may be granted against a forfeiture, because the money and interest may be paid as a satisfaction. But where any thing else is to be done but the payment of money, the law having ascertained the contract and the rights of the contracting parties, a court of equity could not interfere. Hill v. Barclay, 19 Vesey 56. And this doctrine is recognized and stated by Chancellor Kent as the rule that now prevails. 4 Kent’s Com. 130.

[152]*152It has been suggested that, notwithstanding the condition was personal, to be performed by Tasker, yet that the legal possession of the land might be in his grantees, and thus a bill be maintained.

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Related

Gotham v. Gotham
55 N.H. 440 (Supreme Court of New Hampshire, 1875)

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Bluebook (online)
36 N.H. 141, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/eastman-v-batchelder-nh-1858.