Halbert v. Ward

61 S.W.2d 162, 1933 Tex. App. LEXIS 835
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 24, 1933
DocketNo. 4036
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 61 S.W.2d 162 (Halbert v. Ward) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Halbert v. Ward, 61 S.W.2d 162, 1933 Tex. App. LEXIS 835 (Tex. Ct. App. 1933).

Opinion

JACKSON, Justice.

Plaintiffs in error, R. P. Halbert and his son R. A. Halbert, herein called appellants, owned surveys Nos. 130,131, and 132 in block B, H. E. & W. T. Ry. Co. lands in Sutton county. The defendants in error, Mrs. J. A. Ward and her son, J. A. Ward, Jr., herein called appellees, owned surveys Nos. 125, 126, and 127 in the same block. The east boundary of the appellants’ surveys and the west boundary of the appellees’ surveys is a common line.

It is conceded by appellees that appellants have title to surveys 130, 131, and 132, and by appellants that appellees have title to surveys 125, 126, and 127. The questions of limitations were abandoned, and the action; resolved itself into a boundary suit to determine the location of the common line between appellants’ and appellees’ said surveys.

The appellees alleged that R. E. Halbert and the owners of other near and adjacent lands in said block, together with themselves, entered into an agreement by virtue of which it was decided that J. A. Simpson, county surveyor of Tom Green county, and a licensed land surveyor of the state of Texas, was selected and authorized by the owners to survey and locate on the ground the lines and corners of all. the surveys constituting the west portion of said block. They alleged the names of the parties to the agreement and the lands owned by each; that, in pursuance thereto, J. A. Simpson was employed about the 11th day of January, 1930, to survey and mark:-the boundaries and corners of the various sections covered by the agreement; that on January 26th thereafter, in pursuance to the agreement theretofore had, the parties, for the purpose of approving the correctness of the work and to show their acquiescence in, ratification, and adoption thereof, expressed their satisfaction therewith in writing in the form of a letter written to the commissioner of the general land office; that subsequent to the execution of said letter or agreement the general land office approved the work of J. A. Simpson in said block, and issued patents to the owners of one or more of the surveys according to the lines and boundaries determined by the said Simpson; that the agreement relative to the location of the boundary lines was binding, and the appellants, having acknowledged such agreement, approved and acquiesced in the work thereunder, estopped themselves from denying the effect of such boundary agreement or the location of the common line by the said Simpson between the sections owned by themselves and appel-lees.

At the close of the testimony, in response to a peremptory instruction, the jury found for appellees, and judgment was entered that appellants take nothing by their suit; that the line in controversy be established as located by Surveyor Simpson; that Mrs. J.' A. Ward have judgment for the 338 acres of land in controversy, and $546, with interest thereon, as the reasonable rental for the time said land had been unlawfully held by appellants. This judgment is before us for review.

The appellants challenge as error the action of the trial court in directing a verdict for the appellees.

The litigants concede, and the record discloses, that the trial court directed a verdict in favor of appellees because he was of the opinion that a boundary agreement had been made which under the uncontroverted facts and circumstances bound the appellants.

The appellants say in their brief that the statement of facts contains 367 pages, and it is therefore impracticable to give even a synopsis of the testimony bearing on the disputed issues. We concur in this statement, and will not undertake to recite the testimony in detail.

The uneontradicted evidence is that the location of the lines and corners of the surveys in block B were doubtful and uncertain ; that several surveyors had placed them in different positions; that none of such surveys had been approved or accepted by the land commissioner, who refused to issue patents to the surveys on the lines as located by any of said surveyors.

Some of the owners desired patents, and in 1928 B. M. Halbert, Arthur Simmons, and Surveyor Saunders visited Austin, consulted with the commissioner of the general land office relative to securing patents, and on their return B. M. Halbert advised R. E. Halbert and others that the lines between the surveys as previously located would not be accepted; that the commissioner had advised him, if the owners'would get together, select a surveyor, and agree to abide by the result of his work and have the lines run from a certain corner and a report thereof made to the commissioner, such agreement and survey would be recognized; that subsequent thereto Mr. Simpson was employed to run the lines, and the parties mutually agreed to abide by the result of his work, and later advised the commissioner of the land office of such work and agreement in the following instrument:

“Sonora, Texas, Jan. 28, 1930.
“Mr. J. H. Walker, Land Commissioner, Austin, Texas.
“Dear Sir: Mr. J. A. Simpson has been doing some surveying for us in Block B, H. [164]*164E. & W. T. Ry. Co. in Sutton County, west of Sonora, .as per Mr. Robinson’s and your instructions to Mr. E. C. Saunders and B. M. Halbert on tbeir yisit to tbe land office in October, 1928.
“Viz: To commence at tbe Northwest Corner of Section 85, and tbe Northeast Corner of Section 92, in said block, made by John McNicol and run our lands out.
“We know and believe tbe work of Mr. Simpson is correct and satisfactory to all of us, and we ask for its acceptance and approval. Each of us owning tbe lands in Block B set opposite our respective names:
“Respectfully,
“Mrs. J. A. Ward, Sections 92, E ½ 101, 93, 100, 109, 116, 125, 126, 115, 127 and 114.
■ “J. A. Ward, Jr., Sections W ½ 101, 108, 117, 118, 107.
“ITred & Joe Berger, Sections 102, 91, part 86.
“B. M. Halbert, Sections 122, 123, 124, 133, 134, 135, 138. 139, 140.
“Arthur Simmons, Sections 121, 136, 137.
“R. P. Halbert, Sections 132, 141, 142, 131, 143, 130.
“B. M. Halbert, (Holds under contract to purchase from H. P. Cooper Estate, subject to approval of title and Probate Court), Sections 119, 106, 103, & 90.”

Tbe field notes of tbe surveys as made by Mr. Simpson were approved, and tbe commissioner issued patents to several sections by virtue of said survey and agreement. The appellants and appellees knew Mr. Simpson began his work at tbe northeast corner of section 92 and the northwest corner of section 85, and assisted in and observed tbe surveying while it was being done. Each of tbe parties to tbe agreement testify to the facts and circumstances relative to tbe making thereof and tbeir agreement to abide by tbe result of Mr. Simpson’s survey.

R. E. Halbert in bis testimony states that be agreed with the others as to tbe location of tbe corners, agreed to adopt tbe survey, and signed tbe instrument sent to tbe land commissioner.

R. A. Halbert did not sign tbe letter, and was not a party to tbe agreement, but be testified that be acquired bis interest in tbe land in controversy from his father in October or November, 1930; that he acted as chain bearer during tbe surveying done by Mr.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Martin v. Ford
853 S.W.2d 680 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1993)
M. C. Winters, Inc. v. Cope
498 S.W.2d 484 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1973)
Allstate Insurance Co. v. Furr
449 S.W.2d 295 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1969)
Snodgrass v. Robertson
167 S.W.2d 534 (Texas Commission of Appeals, 1942)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
61 S.W.2d 162, 1933 Tex. App. LEXIS 835, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/halbert-v-ward-texapp-1933.