Frey v. Nowlin

19 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 484, 27 Ohio Dec. 270, 1917 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 13

This text of 19 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 484 (Frey v. Nowlin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Common Pleas of Ohio, Franklin County, Civil Division primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Frey v. Nowlin, 19 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 484, 27 Ohio Dec. 270, 1917 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 13 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1917).

Opinion

Kinkead, J.

This action and another by Eliza A. Woodruff et al against the same defendants, numbered 71279, were brought to enjoin the defendants from locating and establishing a cemetery.

Defendant William C. Nowlin has acquired more than 100 acres of land adjacent to plaintiffs’ farms, on which it is proposed to establish a cemetery.

Frey complains that the cemetery is to be located about eighty-eight yards from his dwelling-house without his consent.

[485]*485Woodruff and Cherry complain that defendants intend to locate the cemetery within forty-five yards from their dwelling-house without their consent.

The defendant, the Fai'rview Cemetry Company, is a private corporation organized under the laws authorizing the incorporation of a company for profit. It has an authorized capital .stock, and the individuals named as defendants hold the stock. Defendant William C. Nowlin is the president. He admits in testimony that it is proposed that the corporation intends to engage in the business of conducting a cemetery for profit.

The corporation has not yet acquired the land. Defendant William C. Nowlin has purchased about 150 acres and now holds it individually. He admits, however, that it is his purpose to transfer eighty-seven acres to the corporation, to be used by it for burial purposes. The remaining portion of the land Nowlin states he intends to hold in his own name, and that it is to be converted into a park, to be used for park purposes, and for driveways furnishing entrances to the portion of the land to be held by the corporation for burial of the dead. It is to be used in connection with the eighty-seven acres to be held by the corporation. It is conceded and admitted that all the land now held by Nowlin, the eighty-seven acres proposed to be conveyed to the corporation to be used for burial purposes, as well as the remaining portion to be held by Nowlin, is all plotted for general improvement pursuant to the plan to construct and maintain a cemetery. New and extensive plans for draining the lands are contemplated. It is proposed to adopt one general scheme of draining all the lands as an entirety.

As disclosed by the last plan shown, eighty-seven acres is to be used for burials, while the remaining portion — the front part — is to be used for park purposes, with drives and entries to the eighty-seven acres which constitute one composite improvement in clear furtherance of the construction and maintenance of a cemetry by the direct and indirect use of all the land. The dwelling-house located on the portion adjacent to the public road is to be used for housing the keeper of the cemetery. An additional house is proposed to be built in that portion of [486]*486the property to be occupied by Nowlin, vice-president and general manager of the company.

It seems quite apparent that an evasion of the restrictions of the statutes concerning the amount of land which a cemetery association may hold is the purpose of the defendants. The legal questions presented are unique and important.

The question naturally arises whether a corporation organized for profit can engage in the business of conducting and maintaining a cemetery for the profit of its stockholders. The stock of the corporation may be bought and sold as may stocks^ of corporations generally. It is intended to have a sinking fund of ten per cent, of the selling price of the lots for perpetual maintenance, and the burial lots are to be sold with a view to profit for the stockholders. It is admitted to be a money-making scheme.

The corporation, Nowlin states, is practically non-existent as it stands today. But it is determined what Nowlin and the corporation intend to do. He states that he thinks he will reorganize the association under the statute; but he intends to hold the title to the front part of the property.

It is disclosed, therefore, that the front part of the property is to be used in conjunction with the eighty-seven acres which the corporation expects to use for burial purposes. The original plat shows this. It constitutes one general improvement. Though the front part of the property held by Nowlin is not to be used to bury the dead, as he now disclaims, it is nevertheless to be in general aid of and to carry out the purpose of maintaining a cemetery. Clearly this is an attempt to evade the purpose and intent of the statutes regulating cemetery associations.

May a corporation be authorized for profit for the purpose of engaging in the business of conducting a cemetery?

Decision of such a question should, under some circumstances, be made in a quo warranto proceeding. But its consideration, as well as of the corporate rights of the company, seems pertinent and relevant in determining the private right presented by the evidence in this case. It is said that the individuals and [487]*487the corporation are about to invade the rights of plaintiffs.

It is entirely clear that no land can be acquired or obtained nor appropriated for cemetery purposes within 200 yards of a dwelling-house without the consent, in writing, of the owner of the tract of land on which such dwelling-house is situated. Section 3678, General Code.

Nor can a cemetery be located, by either an association or incorporated company for cemetery purposes, within 200 yards of a dwelling-house unless the owner gives his consent. Section 10096, General Code.

The purposes of the statutes conferring this right upon owners of dwelling-houses so located, is to restrict any kind of an organization from invading this property right thus distinctly conferred upon owners of property. It is a direct recognition of the legal objections to such location of a cemetery.

Sections 3678, 3442, 10093, 10096 provide for certain restrictions and limitations upon legally constituted-corporations or organizations as to appropriating and acquiring land for cemetery purposes.

Sections 3441 to 3475, chapter six of the General Code, relating to cemeteries, are regulatory provisions concerning powers, duties and restrictions upon such organizations as well as of township trustees who are authorized to acquire and hold ten acres for cemetery purposes.

Chapter 6, ‘ ‘ Cemetery Associations, ’ ’ Sections 10093 to 10119, has to do with conferring powers and duties and imposing restrictions and limitations upon “a company or association incorporated for cemetery purposes.”

These regulations and limitations are binding on any company, however organized, which undertakes to acquire lands for cemetery purposes.

The public character of the undertaking by any company or association organized or incorporated for cemetery purposes is clearly marked by the fact that the power of appropriation or of eminent domain is conferred upon it.

It is provided by Section 10095 that if it be necessary for any such company or association to acquire lands by appropria[488]*488tion such proceedings shall be taken therefor as are provided for the appropriation of property to the use of corporations. Limitations are placed upon such appropriation not permitting lands to be taken upon which there is a dwelling-house, barn, stable or other farm buildings, etc.

All companies or corporations organized for cemetery purposes are prohibited from either acquiring by private contract or from appropriating more than 100 acres of land. Sections 10093, 10094.

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19 Ohio N.P. (n.s.) 484, 27 Ohio Dec. 270, 1917 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 13, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frey-v-nowlin-ohctcomplfrankl-1917.