Hutcheson v. Sumrall, Et Ux.

72 So. 2d 225, 220 Miss. 834, 63 Adv. S. 24, 1954 Miss. LEXIS 503
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedMay 3, 1954
Docket39075
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 72 So. 2d 225 (Hutcheson v. Sumrall, Et Ux.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hutcheson v. Sumrall, Et Ux., 72 So. 2d 225, 220 Miss. 834, 63 Adv. S. 24, 1954 Miss. LEXIS 503 (Mich. 1954).

Opinion

*837 Lee, J.

.Fred Hutcheson and others filed their bill against O. E. and Mrs. O. E. Sumrall, in the Chancery Court of Sunflower County, for a mandatory injunction to require that their water supply, which the defendants had cut off, should be turned on. The amended bill alleged in effect that they, and their predecessors in title, owned and were in possession of their respective properties before and at the time the defendants, and their predecessor in title, purchased the land on which the artesian wells were situated; and that their existing benefit, by reason of a system of pipes and conduits, was of a continuous, permanent and apparent nature, and was necessary for the reasonable enjoyment of their properties. A temporary injunction was issued, but after a hearing of the cause, following the defendants’ answer and motion to dissolve, the court entered a decree dissolving the injunction, disallowing damages, and dismissing the bill but permitting the use and enjoyment of the water until November 30, 1952. The complainants appealed, and a Judge of this Court granted supersedeas.

Sunflower Plantation, consisting of several thousand acres of land in Sunflower County, was privately owned *838 and operated for many years. Two free-flowing artesian wells were drilled to furnish water, and it was piped into a number of the tenant houses on the place.

The Federal Government, about 1936, purchased the plantation and operated it as a cooperative project until 1944. At that time, it began to sell off the acreage in small farms.

Deeds, dated January 1, 1944, were executed by the Government to Fred Hutcheson and wife for fifty acres, to E. K. Campbell and wife for about forty-three acres, and to Dill Lowe and wife for about sixty acres. A deed, dated October 24, 1945, was executed to Archie F. Smith for about 1.6 acres, which was subsequently acquired by Walter A. Johnson.

A deed, dated May 25, 1945, was executed to J. W. Johnson for several parcels aggregating about five acres. The artesian wells, together with a gin, store and other buildings were situated on this land.

All of the deeds contained two provisions as follows: “SUBJECT, however, to such easements and rights of way upon, across, or through the above described lands as heretofore have been granted by the UNITED STATES OF AMEEICA, or its predecessors in title for the construction, operation and maintenance of public utility systems, streets, roads and walks; * * * TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the aforesaid premises unto the said grantee and his heirs and assigns forever, together with all hereditaments, improvements and appurtenances thereunto appertaining. ’ ’

When the Hutchesons took possession of their property, water was being piped to it from the wells. The house on the Campbell property was built about 1924, and has had water ever since. The Lowe property was already connected with water when they moved in. The Walter Johnson property was known as the headquarters of the plantation. It was connected for water when the first well was drilled, and has shared in this water supply ever since. The properties of twelve or fourteen *839 other families and a church were also connected with, and received water from, these wells.

While J. W. Johnson is the owner of the record title to the land on which the wells are located, the Sumralls are the equitable owners of a one-half interest therein, and they operated a store and gin and lived on the premises.

Dill Lowe, W. B. Britt and Noel Hoffman testified that, on different occasions, a few days before the water was cut off, Mrs. Sumrall, in an effort to get them to trade at the Sumrall Store and Gin, told them that, if they failed to do so, their water would be cut off. They gave her little satisfaction, and thereafter on September 27, 1952, the water was cut off. It was admitted that, when complaint was made to J. W. Johnson, he requested Mrs. Sumrall to cut the water on, but she refused to do so.

Sumrall testified that the people greatly increased their use of water. While stating that they permitted leaks in their pipes, he admitted that he had never complained about it to anyone. He thought the users were not doing right in failing to trade at his store and gin; but he maintained that the pressure from the wells became so weak that he was unable to obtain sufficient water to operate his gin, and that he cut off the water for that reason. Mrs. Sumrall also testified that the pressure had weakened over the past two years, and, on that account, the operation of the gin was interfered with. She admitted that she wanted and expected the store and gin accounts of the water users, and felt that they should trade with her, but that only one of them was a customer. She said that it was her water, and she saw no need to give notice at the time it was cut off.

J. W. Johnson admitted that he knew about the wells at the time he purchased the property, but he did not know that they were supplying water to the various families. He made no inquiry whatever about the matter. The pipes, leading from the wells, were visible; and he *840 admitted that the slightest inquiry or inspection would have disclosed them.

The appellants make these contentions: Their deeds conveyed the “appurtenances thereunto appertaining.” The pipes on the Lowe and Campbell lands were connected with the wells, owned by the Government, before and at the time of the delivery of their deeds, and through the term “appurtenances” they were expressly granted water rights. While the Hutcheson deed was not delivered and recorded until after the receipt by J. W. Johnson of his deed, the Hutchesons were in fact in possession with a promise of sale, and when the deed was delivered, it bore the date of January 1, 1944. While the deed of Archie Smith, the predecessor in title of Walter Johnson, bore a date subsequent to the J. W. Johnson deed, Smith was actually in possession and such possession operated as notice. Besides, this property had been receiving water ever since the first well was drilled.

“The termappurtenances’ has been held to convey easements corresponding to quasi easements existing at the time of the grant, but it will not convey a quasi easement which is not continuous, apparent, permanent, and necessary, * * 28 C. J. S. 693, Easements, Section 33-a. From which it appears that an implied easement must he continuous, apparent, permanent and necessary. And “ ‘Apparent’ in this connection does not necessarily mean ‘visible’, hut includes permanent artificial structures. A use is apparent when it may he discovered upon reasonable inspection.” 28 C. J. S. 691, Easement, Section 33-a. See also Note at page 689 thereof.

In 28 C. J. S. 687, Easements, Section 31, it is said: “Easements corresponding to quasi easements existing at the time of the grant are impliedly granted on a conveyance of the quasi-dominant portion of a unified tract. Where both portions are conveyed at the same time to *841 different grantees, each grantee will take his part with or subject to the apparent, continuous, and necessary uses existing at the time of the severance.”

In 17 Am. Jur.

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Bluebook (online)
72 So. 2d 225, 220 Miss. 834, 63 Adv. S. 24, 1954 Miss. LEXIS 503, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hutcheson-v-sumrall-et-ux-miss-1954.