Holbein v. Holbein

30 N.W.2d 899, 149 Neb. 281, 1948 Neb. LEXIS 21
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 13, 1948
DocketNo. 32291
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 30 N.W.2d 899 (Holbein v. Holbein) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holbein v. Holbein, 30 N.W.2d 899, 149 Neb. 281, 1948 Neb. LEXIS 21 (Neb. 1948).

Opinion

Paine, J.

This is an action to quiet title to 80 acres of land, brought by two sons and the heirs of two deceased sons of Christian Holbein, deceased, against William Holbein, the eldest son of Christian Holbein, the respective spouses being also made parties. The trial court quieted title to the land in the defendants and dismissed the petition of the plaintiffs, who have appealed.

It is alleged that Christian Holbein died December 17, 1910, intestate, and at the time of his death was the owner of an equitable title in the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 32, Township 9 North, Range 23 West, of the Sixth Principal Meridian, in Dawson County; that his widow, Barbara Holbein, died intestate November 17, 1917; that their estates were administered except as to the 80 acres above set out; that the above described land was purchased March 23, 1906, from Adaline Hitchcock, a widow, the deed being made to William Holbein, but it is alleged that the money was [283]*283paid by Christian Holbein. It is further alleged that it was the intention of William and his father, Christian, that William should have no interest in said land, but should convey said land to the heirs of Christian Holbein upon his death, and it should be held in trust for that purpose; that William recognized the existence of the trust by asking three of his brothers on March 2, 1922, for a few years’ extension of time before dividing up the land; that during the lifetime of his father, Christian, and after his death during the lifetime of his mother, Barbara, and up to and including 1922, William paid rent upon said land, first to his father, then to his mother, then to the heirs-at-law of his father and mother; that the first knowledge the plaintiffs had that William held himself out to be the owner of the land was on February 20, 1936, when he and his wife conveyed the premises to themselves as joint tenants with the right of survivorship, and that said deed, made without consideration, was for the purpose of depriving the plaintiffs of their interest in said land; that at various times William promised his brothers to divide the land at some future date; that originally the heirs of Christian and Barbara Holbein were their five sons, William, Robert, Gottlieb, Gottlob, and Charles; and that at the time of the filing of this petition William, Charles, and Robert each owned an undivided one-fifth interest in the land, another one-fifth interest was owned by the heirs of Gottlieb Holbein, and the last one-fifth interest was owned by the heirs of Gottlob Holbein, deceased, all of such heirs being made parties plaintiff. The plaintiffs prayed for a judgment quieting the title in the owners described in the petition and that an accounting be had for the rents and profits.

The defendants, William Holbein and his wife, Louise, in their answer denied specifically the allegations of the petition not admitted, and alleged that on March 23, 1906, defendant William Holbein purchased the land described in the petition from Adaline Hitchcock for [284]*284$5,460, received a warranty deed on said date, and filed the same; that William Holbein paid $1,000 cash, for which he received a seller’s receipt, and executed a mortgage for the premises, securing several notes payable annually; and that all of said mortgage notes were paid in full, with interest, by him, and on May 18, 1908, said mortgage was released. Defendants further alleged that they have resided upon the premises since its purchase, claiming to own it, enclosing it with fences, placing valuable improvements thereon, have farmed and cultivated it, and paid all taxes thereon since the purchase thereof.

The defendants denied that their father, Christian, and their mother, Barbara, ever had any right, title, or interest to said premises, and specifically denied that the plaintiffs, or any of them, had any right, title, or interest therein, either legal or equitable. The defendants further alleged that the plaintiffs and each of them have been guilty of laches; that their right and claim to the premises have become stale; and their right, if any they had, has been barred by the lapse of time.

For a reply the plaintiffs alleged that they relied upon the promises of the defendant that he would perform his trust and divide the land between them. They further alleged that an attempt was made to settle the matter by filing an action on February 13, 1939, to partition the land, and that the petition herein was filed March 18, 1941, and because of this record the plaintiffs are not guilty of laches.

The court entered a decree in favor of the defendants, found that there was insufficient evidence to sustain plaintiffs’ petition, that the defendants are the owners of a fee title to the 80 acres described in the petition, and quieted the same in the defendants.

The plaintiffs assigned as errors for reversal that the findings and judgment are contrary to the evidence and to the law, and that the court erred in admitting certain testimony of the defendants in evidence, which was [285]*285duly excepted to at the time by the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs relied entirely for reversal on the question whether the evidence sustained and justified the trial court in quieting the title to the 80 acres in dispute in the defendants.

The plaintiffs insist that Christian Holbein had an interest in the land from the day it was purchased, and while the title was taken in the name of his oldest son, William, yet he was simply to hold it in trust, and when the old man died the eighty was to be divided equally between the five sons. Plaintiffs insist that William always paid pent on this 80 acres and promised on several occasions to divide it.

Charles Holbein, a plaintiff, testified that from the time this 80-acre tract was purchased in 1906 the one-third rent portion was always taken across the road and put in the granary north of the road on the father’s land; that this continued not only until the mother died in 1917, but continued until 1922; and out of this each brother received his one-fifth share.

Charles Holbein also testified that there was no time, at which his father, Christian, talked to him about the 80 acres when William Holbein was also present. He testified that a meeting was held at his father’s place about a week after his father’s death, when all of his brothers were there, and he was asked these questions: “Q Was there any talk, among your brothers, with reference to what you were to do about the northwest quarter of section 32, Township 9, Range 23? A No, there wasnt anything mentioned. * * * Q What was said and who said it, with regard to whether this quarter section, or any part of it, would be included in your Father’s Estate? * * * A They didnt say much about the other, the other eighty in there, why he didnt put that in, he said, we will settle later on, on that; and that was Bill Holbein said that.”

Charles testified that his brother William was appointed administrator of their father’s estate; that upon the [286]*286closing of that estate he was given a power of attorney by the others; and that he opened a special “P. A. Account” in the Pioneer Bank, made deposits in it and payments out of it, and gave some to the mother and the balance to the brothers. He further testified that rent was always paid by William on the west 80 acres in suit here, but never on the east eighty, which was admittedly William’s own land, and that was where all of his buildings were erected; that this rent account was settled in 1922, at G. C.

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

Related

FIRST NAT. BANK IN MITCHELL v. Daggett
497 N.W.2d 358 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1993)
Biggerstaff v. Ostrand
261 N.W.2d 750 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1978)
Jirka v. Prior
243 N.W.2d 754 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1976)
Campbell v. Kirby
239 N.W.2d 792 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1976)
Muller Enterprises, Inc. v. Gerber
133 N.W.2d 913 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1965)
Halsted v. Halsted
99 N.W.2d 384 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1959)
Olsen v. Best
92 N.W.2d 531 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1958)
Giacomini v. Giacomini
81 N.W.2d 194 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1957)
Vielehr v. Malone
63 N.W.2d 497 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1954)
Paul v. McGahan
57 N.W.2d 283 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1953)
Parrott v. Hofmann
37 N.W.2d 199 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1949)
Maca v. Sabata
34 N.W.2d 267 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1948)
McCormick v. McCormick
33 N.W.2d 543 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1948)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
30 N.W.2d 899, 149 Neb. 281, 1948 Neb. LEXIS 21, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holbein-v-holbein-neb-1948.