Heffington v. Gillespie

176 S.W.2d 205
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 19, 1943
DocketNo. 14577.
StatusPublished

This text of 176 S.W.2d 205 (Heffington v. Gillespie) 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
Heffington v. Gillespie, 176 S.W.2d 205 (Tex. Ct. App. 1943).

Opinion

BROWN, Justice.

Joe R. Gillespie, deceased, left the following will which was probated:

“Last will and testament of Joe R. Gillespie of Frankston, Anderson County, Texas.

“I give devise, bequeath my estate and property, real and personal, after all my just debts which may be a claim upon my estate are paid. As follows :

“To my beloved wife Carrie Three Thousand Dollars Cash ($3000), and all household effects.

“To Arthur L. Gillespie 121 acres the A Miles farm near Jiba in Kaufman County, Texas.

*206 “To Minnie G. Meadows 142½ acres the Evans farm east of the town of Kaufman.

“To John R. Gillespie Five Hundred Dollars cash.

“To the seven daughters of Jno Gillespie 191 acres of the John Ferguson Survey-adjoining the Jim Owens home farm 3½ miles NE of Frankston, as per field notes made by Ben F. Wathens.

“To Jeff Gillespie Five Hundred Dollars ($500) cash.

“To the three children of Jeff, Francis, Robert and Lillian, 144 acres near Kaufman, the C. T. Pope farm.

“To Bryan Gillespie 140 acres, adjoining his 360 acres on the south, side by side the length of the 360 acres.

“The balance of the estate to be divided share and share alike. If there be real estate that can not be equally divided, in that event the executors are to sell and make the distribution.

“My great desire is that everything is to be settled in peace and love with each other. No court procedure, only the probating of the will. I name my brother T. E. Gillespie and Ira E. Meadows, as Executors without bond.

“In witness whereof I have signed this instrument as my last will April 3rd A. D. 1934.

“(Signed) Joe R. Gillespie.”

The two named executors qualified.

. Executor Gillespie executed the following contract of sale with V. F. Heffing-ton:

“State of Texas J “County of Kaufman J

“This contract this day made by and between T. E. Gillespie, one of the executors of the last will and testament of Joe R. Gillespie, deceased, and acting for Ira Meadows, the coexecutor of said will, and V. F. Heffington as follows:

“Said executors agree to sell to said Heffington that one hundred and nine and one-third acres (109½) of land situated in Anderson County, Texas, and known as the Joe R. Gillespie Homestead and being a part of the John Fergerson Survey as per field notes recently made by the County Surveyor of Anderson County at and for the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) cash to be paid on or before the 15th day of December, 1941. The said executors are -to retain in the Deed of Conveyance

to said Heffington one-half of the one-eighth mineral interest in said land which one-half of the said one-eighth is non-participating in down payments, bonuses, or rentals. Said executors are to furnish said Heffington with abstract showing good title to said land and should objections be raised to same by the attorney of said Heffington the said executors shall have a reasonable time in which to cure same and said executors are to deliver Deed of Conveyance to said land to said Heffington on or before December 15th, 1941, and on said date said Heffington agrees to pay the consideration hereinabove set forth. The said Heffington deposits with this contract a cashier’s check for the sum of five hundred dollars ($500.-00) with the Farmers & Merchants National Bank of Kaufman and should he fail to comply with his part of this agreement said forfeit is then to be paid by said bank to said executors. It is agreed and understood this contract is not binding on said Heffington unless on or before the 15th day of December, 1941, he can obtain a rental contract from the heirs of Joe R. Gillespie, deceased, on about one thousand acres of land in Anderson County adjoining the above mentioned land.

“Witness our hands in Kaufman County, Texas, this 14th day of October, A.D. 1941.

“(Signed) T. E. Gillespie, one of the Executors of the Last Will and Testament of Joe R. Gillespie. V. F. Heffington.”

Abstracts of title, covering the land involved, were delivered to Heffington and by him delivered to Monroe Ashworth, a member of the Bar of Kaufman County, Texas, who examined same for Heffington and rendered the following opinion:

“Monroe Ashworth, County of Kaufman

“County Judge Kaufman, Texas ■

November 13, 1941,

“Mr. V. F. Heffington

“Kaufman, Texas.

“Dear Sir:

“I have examined the abstract in four parts prepared by the Anderson County Abstract Company covering 1463.4 acres of land out of the John Ferguson League, abstract number 22 situated in Anderson County, Texas, less 15 acres to W. F. Neill, 32 acres to Herman Warrington, and 17.62 acres to Boyd Bacon. Title now appearing in the estate of Joe R. Gillespie, deceased. Subject however to the following exceptions:

*207 “The date of the last supplemental abstract is October 24, 1941, at 5 o’clock P.M., one supplemental of this abstract is missing to-wit, from January 29, 1913, at 2 o’clock P.M. to December 10, 1920, at 3 o’clock P.M. Therefore this partial opinion does not embrace that period of time and it will be necessary for me to be furnished the record between those dates.,

“As of January 29, 1913, title to the 1384 acres more or less stood in the name of W. T. Fields by virtue of his deed from A. Harris dated October 20, 1910, and on December 4, 1920, the title to this land stood in the name of Joe R.- Gillespie by virtue of his deed from J. P. Williams et ux. and W. W. Scarborough et ux., subject to certain indebtedness shown in said deed page 5 of abstract number' 7544 recorded in vol. 135, page 479, Deed Records of Anderson’ County, Texas. I find that the said indebtedness as shown in said deed has been released by proper instruments of writing and' except the 3 tracts of land to-wit, 15 acres to W. F. Neill,-32 acres to Herman Warrington, 1762 acres to Boyd Bacon, which-was conveyed to them by said Joe R. Gillespie during his life time.

“At page 36 of supplemental abstract number 9595 is shown an oil and gas lease by Joe R. Gillespie and wife to H. G. Lewis dated May 3, 1934; running for the primary term of 10 years on 388 acres more- or less-known as block number 1 of the subdivision of said 1463.4 acres. It may be that this-lease has expired under its own terms but if not it should be' released. This lease was assigned by the said. H. G. Lewis to the Humble Oil and Refining Company as shown on page 44 of said supplemental abstract.

“At page 54 of said'supplemental abstract is shown an oil and gas lease from Joe'R. Gillespie et ux. to Albert Baggett dated June 8, 1939, covering 841 acres of land of the Joe R. Gillespie tract. This lease is for the primary term of 5 years and may have terminated by its terms. You should require proof of this fact or obtain a release of this oil and gas lease.

“At pages 62 and 64 and 66 are shown affidavits by W. L. Ward, Jeff Austin, and F. M.

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Bluebook (online)
176 S.W.2d 205, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/heffington-v-gillespie-texapp-1943.