Endicott v. Endicott

41 N.J. Eq. 93
CourtNew Jersey Court of Chancery
DecidedFebruary 15, 1886
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 41 N.J. Eq. 93 (Endicott v. Endicott) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Court of Chancery primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Endicott v. Endicott, 41 N.J. Eq. 93 (N.J. Ct. App. 1886).

Opinion

The Chancellor.

Thomas D. Endicott, late of May’s Landing, in Atlantic county, died May 28th, 1884. He left a widow, and four sons and five daughters. His personal estate was appraised at $31,826.29, and his real estate, including his homestead (valued at about $2,000), was of the value of about $6,000. The following are the parts of his will in respect to which a judicial construction and interpretation are sought:

“Second. It is my will, and I do order, that my entire estate be and remain the same as it now is, real, personal or mixed, including the furniture &c., to be occupied by my beloved wife, Ann Endicott, for and during her natural life. And I further order my executors, hereinafter named, to pay over to my beloved wife. Ann Endicott, the sum of $800 per year, for each and every year so long as she lives, out of the rents, interest, issues and profits thereof.
Third. That at the decease of my beloved wife, Ann Endicott, the homestead whereon I now reside, including the furniture &c., to become and be used by my beloved daughters, viz., Catharine, Elizabeth and Hannah, as and for a home of and for all or either of them as may then be unmarried, or if either or any of them marry and become widowed whilst said homestead be used or occupied as aforesaid, then to be a home for either or any of them so bereft during such widowhood.
[95]*95“Fourth. It is my will, and I do hereby order and direct my said executors, hereinafter named, to place the sum of $5,000 at interest, on some good security, and to pay the interest annually over to my beloved daughters, viz., Catharine, Elizabeth and Hannah, for their support and maintenance in keeping such home as aforesaid.
Fifth. And when said homestead be no longer used or occupied as aforesaid by either or any of my beloved daughters above named, then I give and devise the same to such child or children at that time living and their heirs and assigns forever, and the representatives of any deceased child to have the share of his or her parent.
Sixth. And my will is that any balance that may remain of the general income, rents, interest, issues and profits of my estate, not herein disposed of, it is my will the same be placed at interest on good security, or otherwise invested by my executors, as may seem to them safe and more advantageous to the estate and increase of the same.
“Seventh. But should both of my executors, hereinafter named, be removed by death, then the administrator cam testamento annexo to place said balance at interest on real security, and in no other way whatsoever invest the same.”

The scheme of this will is to keep all the estate, except the homestead and furniture, invested during the life of the widow, ■and to pay her $800 a year, for life, out of the rents, interest and income, she to have the right to occupy the homestead and use the furniture for life. At her death the homestead and furniture are to be used as a home by Catharine, Elizabeth, and Hannah, if unmarried, and if any of them, having been married, shall become a widow during such occupation and use, such widow or widows is or are also to have the right to occupy the homestead and use the furniture with her or their sister or sisters. And in order to furnish the three daughters with the means of support there and keeping up the property and paying taxes upon it, $5,000 .are to be invested at the testator’s widow’s death, and the interest is to be paid to them annually. The rest of the estate is to be kept well invested by the executors until such right of occupation shall be at an end, and then the homestead is to be divided among all of the testator’s children who shall be then living and the heirs of any deceased child or children, such heirs tailing per stirpes the share of the parent or parents. The property, other than the homestead and furniture and the $5,000, is to be divided among the testator’s children at the death of the widow, [96]*96and the $5,000, when the daughters cease to occupy the homestead.

In the first sentence of the second section of the will the words the homestead ” have manifestly been omitted by mistake. The intention was, it is clear, to provide that the homestead (including the furniture &c.) should be occupied by the widow for life.

The term furniture ” embraces everything about the house that has been usually enjoyed therewith, including plate, linen, china and pictures. 2 Jarm. Wills (R. & T.) 352.

The gift, in the third section, of the use of the homestead and furniture, is, as already indicated, for the purpose of providing a home for Catharine, Elizabeth and Hannah, if they should be unmarried at the widow’s death, or for such of them as shall then be unmarried, and also for any or either of them, who, having married, shall have become widowed, or shall, during* such occupation by the other or others of the three daughters, become widowed.

The fourth section provides that the executors shall invest $5,000 and pay the interest annually to Catharine, Elizabeth and Hannah, “ for their support and maintenance in keeping such home as aforesaid.” The expressed object of this provision shows that it was the intention of the testator that the gift should take effect when the use and enjoyment of the homestead and , furniture by Catharine, Elizabeth and Hannah, or such of them as should be entitled thereto under the third section, should begin, and not before that time, and that it should cease when that use and enjoyment come to an end. The gift is expressly for the purpose of supporting and maintaining them in keeping the homestead as a home. It is insisted, on behalf of Catharine, Elizabeth and Hannah, that the gift is to take effect and the enjoyment to begin at the death of the testator, and that it is, in effect, an absolute gift of $5,000 to them, and that they are entitled to it now. But the expression of the purpose and object for which the interest of the fund is given is fatal to all of those propositions. To enable Catharine, Elizabeth and Hannah, or such of them as should have the use and enjoyment of the homestead, to pay taxes &c., during their occupation, after the [97]*97death of the widow, and to assist them in supporting themselves in the homestead the testator creates and places in the hands of trustees a fund, of which the interest alone is to go to those daughters while living there. The trust is not a simple trust, where the trustee is a mere passive depositary, but it is a special one, one in which the machinery of a trustee is introduced for the execution of a purpose particularly pointed out, and the trustee is called upon to exert himself in the execution of the settlor’s intention. Lewin on Trusts 21; Cooper v. Cooper, 9 Stew. Eq. 121. To hand over to the cestuis que trust in this case the $5,000 would defeat the testator’s purpose. To effectuate his intention the fund must be invested and the interest paid over annually. Again, it is urged that the gift of the income of the fund is unlimited, and that therefore Catharine, Elizabeth and Hannah are entitled to the fund itself. But, as has already been said, the gift is not unlimited, but is to terminate with the use and enjoyment of the homestead by the beneficiaries.

By the fifth section of the will, it is provided as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
41 N.J. Eq. 93, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/endicott-v-endicott-njch-1886.