Francis v. Green

65 P. 362, 7 Idaho 668, 1901 Ida. LEXIS 25
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedMay 31, 1901
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 65 P. 362 (Francis v. Green) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Francis v. Green, 65 P. 362, 7 Idaho 668, 1901 Ida. LEXIS 25 (Idaho 1901).

Opinions

STOCKSLAGER, J.

In this case we are called upon to review the proceedings of the trial court on appeal from the judgment thereof. It appears that William M. Francis and Sarah F. Francis are husband and wife. The complaint alleges that [671]*671the real estate which is the subject of this action is the separate property of the plaintiff Sarah M. Francis, and for that reason William M. Francis is not made a party to the action. The complaint alleges: That about the year 1879 said plaintiff and her said husband located upon and improved a certain tract of land as follows: “About one hundred and sixty acres lying along Marsh creek at the intersection of Little Cottonwood and said Marsh creek,” etc. That said land is disputed Indian country,, but by permission of the Secretary of the Interior plaintiffs and their predecessors in interest have been permitted to remain upon, cultivate, occupy and improve the same, and that plaintiffs are now in the possession and occupation of said lands and improvements, and have been since the year 1879 continuously,, and are entitled to such possession, occupation and improvements. That the defendants, their predecessors, etc., have been and now are in possession, occupation and use of about one hundred and sixty acres lying to the north of and adjoining the lands of plaintiffs upon such disputed Indian country, having the same, or practically the same, rights that the plaintiffs have to the lands above described. That the land possessed by plaintiffs is arid, and will not produce agricultural crops successfully without irrigation. That plaintiffs and their predecessors in interest in the year 1879 appropriated of the waters of Little Cottonwood creek certain water therein flowing for agricultural and domestic purposes, and ever since have claimed and used, and now claim and use, such water for such purposes. That on the twenty-eighth day of December, 1898, in the action of William Francis, plaintiff (being the William M. Francis herein referred to), against Andrew Goodenough and J. and B. Green, 'defendants, in the above7entitled court, judgment and decree were duly made and entered in favor of said plaintiff and against said defendants adjudging and decreeing to plaintiff the use of one hundred and twenty-five inches of the waters of said Little Cottonwood creek from April 1st to June 1st of each year, and one hundred inches thereafter up to August 1st, and seventy-five inches thereafter during the remainder of each irrigating season, for the proper irrigation of the land of plaintiffs above described; such rights to be of equal dignity with a similar right [672]*672awarded to Andrew Goodenough; such rights to be superior to all other rights of any parties claiming water from said stream; and that the rights decreed to J. and B. Green should in no wise interfere with the rights of the plaintiffs in said action. That since the year 1879 plaintiff and her husband, William M. Francis, resided upon and used above-described land as a home, diverted water from said creek to be used upon said land, and continued to so use and occupy said land as a home until some time during the year 1899, when said William M. Francis deserted and abandoned plaintiff Sarah M. Francis, and has since resided separate and apart from her; but that she, with her children, has continued to reside upon, said land as a home, and continued to use the water for agricultural and domestic purposes. That after the separation of said William M. Francis and Sarah M. Francis, in settlement of their property rights, said William M. Francis, by deed, conveyed to Sarah M. Francis all his interest in and to said land and the water theretofore decreed to him. That about the same day said William M. Francis and his wife, Sarah M. Francis, conveyed by deed to William L. Francis an undivided one-half interest in all of said land and the water belonging thereto. That by reason of such conveyance said plaintiffs are the joint owners of such land and the water decreed thereto. That defendants claim some estate or interest in said water so decreed to William M. Francis adverse to plaintiff, but that such claim is without right, etc. To this complaint defendants answer, denying that the property in controversy is, or ever was, the separate property of Sarah M. Francis. Deny that the tract of land claimed by plaintiffs contains one hundred and sixty acres, or to exceed one hundred and twenty acres, and allege that not to exceed eighty acres have ever been improved or cultivated. Deny that said land is situated on disputed Indian country, but allege that said land lies within the Fort Hall Indian reservation. Deny that plaintiffs occupy said land by permission of the Secretary of the Interior, or any other legal authority, and allege that plaintiffs are trespassers upon said lands and Indian reservation. Admit the decree as set forth in plaintiffs’ complaint, but allege the court was without jurisdiction, and that the decree was void. Deny that the plaintiffs, or either [673]*673of them, have used or claimed the amount of water decreed to said William M. Francis since the spring of 1898 until June, 1900, but allege that one-balf of said water has been used by these defendants since the spring of 1898 until the appointment of a water master by the court on June 19, 1900, and that one-half of said water was sold and abandoned to these defendants by said William and Sarah M. Francis. Deny that William M. Francis ever deserted or abandoned his wife, Sarah M. Francis. Deny that they have ever separated as husband and wife. Admit the execution of the deed referred to, but deny that it was made as a settlement of property rights, and allege that said deed was made wholly for the purpose of defrauding defendants. Admit the execution of the deeds to William L. Francis and Sarah M. Francis, but allege that said deeds were made without consideration, and for the purpose of defrauding defendants; that at the time said conveyances were made to said William L. Francis and Sarah M. Francis they well knew that defendants had been continuously in peaceful possession and use of one-half the water right decreed to William M. Francis since the spring of 1898, and knew of the claim of defendants in and to said water by reason of their purchase and use of said water right from the said William M. Francis and Sarah M. Francis. Deny that plaintiffs are the joint owners of the water in controversy. Admit that they claim an interest in the waters decreed William M. Francis. By way of cross-complaint, defendants allege: That in the year 1896 they settled upon the lands referred to in plaintiff’s complaint, comprising two hundred and fifty acres, and have resided there continuously ever since, cultivating said land. That said lands lie within the Fort Hall reservation. That the water for the irrigation of said land is taken from Cottonwood creek, etc. That at the time they settled upon their lands William M. Francis and Andrew Goodenough were using water from said stream for the irrigation of their lands. That in 1897 defendants conveyed water from said stream to their lands for the purpose of irrigation. That in the spring of 1898 William M. Francis commenced a suit in the district court to determine the rights of said Francis and one Goodenough to the waters of said stream. That said William M. Francis and [674]*674Sarah M. Francis, in consideration of defendants employing an 'attorney, and paying him for his services, for the purpose of prosecuting such suit, and paying the costs thereof, they would give to defendants one-half of whatever rights might be decreed to them, and make to defendants proper conveyances therefor. That said Sarah M.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
65 P. 362, 7 Idaho 668, 1901 Ida. LEXIS 25, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/francis-v-green-idaho-1901.