Hull v. Hull

16 Ohio C.C. 688
CourtOhio Circuit Courts
DecidedJanuary 15, 1895
StatusPublished

This text of 16 Ohio C.C. 688 (Hull v. Hull) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Circuit Courts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hull v. Hull, 16 Ohio C.C. 688 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1895).

Opinion

Scribner, J.

This case is brought into this court by way of appeal from the judgment rendered by the court of common pleas.

On December 26, 1861, one Isaac Hull departed this life, being the owner at the time of his death of a large amount of property, both real and personal, situated in the county of Lucas. This property consisted largely of farming [689]*689property, farming utensils and implements, and other personal property usually found on farms. There was also-a number of houses and lots in the village of Maumee, where the decedent resided for a long period of time prior to his death. There were store buildings, dwelling houses and merchandise, household utensils and other property not necessary to enumerate particularly. He left surviving him his widow, Chloe Hull, and two sons, William. Robert Hull and Joseph S. Hull. About a year after the death of the testator, William Robert Hull died and left, as his heir at law, the plaintiff in this action, William I. Hull, and also his widow who has married again, and who. appears in this proceeding as Emma A. Crosby. On August 24, 1858, he made and published his last will and testament, in due form. On December 23, 1864, some three days before his death, he added a codicil to his will, by which he revoked a pecuniary legacy contained in his will,, for one thousand dollars, to his son William Robert Hull, and reaffirmed his will in all other particulars.

The present proceeding was brought partly to adjust and determine the rights of the parties in the property left by the deceased,and partly for a partition of the real estate remaining undisposed of subsequent to the death of the deceased, by arrangement among the parties. The only questions presented to us relate to the construction of certain, provisions contained in the will of the deceased testator in connection with certain transactions growing out of those-provisions, it being suggested on the trial that as to all other matters except those growing out of the disputed construction of the will, an agreement and arrangement had been entered into between the parties. We are not called-upon to decide any matters excepting questions arising out of and resulting from the will which has been mentioned.

Chloe Hull has deceased,and is not at present before the court. One of the principal questions in controversy here-is as to whether or not, under the provisions of the will, the widow was given, by its terms, a life estate, or a full fee-simple estate in certain farm property described in the instrument.

The will is short, and a consideration of all its provisions seems necessary to reach a proper conclusion, and is as follows:

[690]*690“Be it known that I, Isaac Hull, of Maumee city, Lucas county, do make and publish this may last will and testament.
“Item First. I give and devise to my beloved wife Chloe in lieu of her dower the lots and appurtenances on which I now reside including the brick dwelling house, old brick store, wood.house, well, etc,, with all the household goods, furniture and other property that may be thereon, during her natual life.
“Also I give and bequeath to her lot No. 97 in the old plat of Maumee aforesaid with its appurtenances, with all the goods, wares and mechandise and property of every kind within or upon said lot to me belonging during her natural life.
“Also the farm with its provisions, produce and stock of every kind and implements of husbandry thereto attached, lying'upon and near the plank road running N. W. beyond the residence of A. D. Williams containing four hundred acres more or less.
“Also one sixth part of the toll bridge between Maumee city and Perrysburg with all other property,real and personal,to me belonging, freely to use and enjoy during her natural life, except lot No. 94 in the old plat of Maumee, which I hereby give and bequeath to the heirs of my son Joseph S. Hull.
“Item Second. I do hereby nominate and appoint my sons, Joseph S. Hull and W. Robert Hull, executors of this my last will and testament, hereby authorizing and empowering them to compromise, adjust, release, and discharge in such manner as^they think proper the debts and claims due me.
“Item Third. I dc hereby give and bequeath to my son, W. Robert Hull, the sum of one thousand dollars to be collected from claims and debts due or from funds that may be on hand at my decease,
“Item Fourth. After the decease of my aforesaid wife, Chloe, it is my will that the remainder of all my estate, real and personal, be equally divided between my two sons or their heirs, Joseph S, Hull and W. Robert Hull.
“If it shall become necessary in order to pay my debts, I do hereby authorize and empower my executors aforesaid [691]*691'to sell by private sale, in such manner as they may think .proper., all or any part of my real estate, and deeds to purchasers to execute, (acknowledge and deliver in fee simple.
“In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and fSeal this 24th day of August, A. D. 1858.
“Isaac Hull (Seal). ”

It will be observed that in the clause immediately preceding the last one which I have read, there are contained ■no words of limitation upon the estate devised,and no words •of perpetuity, and the question is, whether the limitation contained in the concluding clause of that paragraph immediately following applies to and limits the force and effect of the previous clause. I will read it again:

“Also the farm with its provisions, produce and stock of ■every kind and implements of husbandry thereto attached, ¡lying upon and near the plank road running northwest beyond the residence of A. D. Williams, containing four hundred acres more or less.” “Also one-sixth part of the toll bridge between Maumee city and Perrysburg, with all other property, real and personal, to me belonging, freely to use and enjoy during her natural life, except lot No. 94 in the •old plat of Maumee, which I hereby give and bequeath to the heirs of my son, Joseph S. Hull.” “Freely to use and ■enjoy during her natural life.” If the clause or expression ■which I have made use of is to be allowed to attach to both ■of these gifts, then, of course, the widow takes but a life ■estate. If it has no application to the preceding clause, ■then she takes, under the statute, although there are no words ■in perpetuity, an estate in fee. And it is upon the entire will, upon the objects and purposes of the testator to be gathered from the language of the entire will, that we are to resolve this question of doubt arising upon its face, where appears at the commencement of the first clause upon which this question arises, a blank, which, apparently was left for th purpose of filling in the number of acres contained in the tract. The testator has proceeded to write, apparently with his own hand, this will, until he has got to that part of the description which closes by saying: “lying upon and near the plank road running northwest beyond the residence of A. D. Williams, containing — ■” and there follows the blank, and that is filled in, evidently at another [692]

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Bluebook (online)
16 Ohio C.C. 688, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hull-v-hull-ohiocirct-1895.