Jeffery v. Hursh

27 N.W. 7, 58 Mich. 246, 1885 Mich. LEXIS 506
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 28, 1885
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 27 N.W. 7 (Jeffery v. Hursh) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jeffery v. Hursh, 27 N.W. 7, 58 Mich. 246, 1885 Mich. LEXIS 506 (Mich. 1885).

Opinion

Champlin, J.

Plaintiffs, as heirs-at-law of John Jeffery, deceased, brought ejectment to recover possession of the west half of the northeast quarter of section 22, township 14 north, range 4 east, in Isabella county. They claim title in fee. On the 10th day of March, 1856, John M. Hursh, now deceased, acquired the title in fee-simple to the land in question by patent from the United States, and some time afterwards gave a mortgage thereon to one Ganson, and another to John Jeffery. At this time the defendant Elizabeth Hursh, was the wife of John Hursh, the mortgagor, and joined with him in the execution of the mortgages. Afterwards, and on the 29th day of March, 1871, John M. Hursh by warranty deed, conveyed the land to Wesley Win-[249]*249tors, and ho on the same day conveyed by deed the land to the defendant Elizabeth Iinrsh. April 9th 1872, Elizabeth ilursh executed a power of .attorney to her husband, John M. Iinrsh, by which she empowered him “ to sell and convey all lands that I am possessed of in the counties of Clare and Isabella, to receive payments for the same at any price or prices that to my said attorney may seem meet and just, and to execute and deliver such deed or deeds of conveyance in my name as may be necessai’y to convey the title to such land in fee.” On the 23d day of November, 1872, John M. Ilursh executed a warranty deed of the land in question together with about five hundred and sixty acres of lands belonging to himself, to John Jeffery, the plaintiff’s ancestor. In this deed he purported to act for himself personally and as the attorney in fact of Elizabeth Iiursli. It contains a covenant that the premises are free from all incumbrances, and also of warranty against all lawful claims.

The defendants claim that this instrument was not intended as an absolute deed, but that it was either a mortgage or a conditional sale; and in either case is void as to the Land of Elizabeth Ilursh, for the reason that the power of attorney from her to John M. Ilursh did not authorize him to make either a mortgage or conditional sale of her land. The evidence adduced in support of defendant’s claim consisted (1st) of a bond bearing the same date as the deed, executed by Jeffery to John M. Ilursh, conditioned that he, Jeffery, on the receipt of $3514.46, being the same amount as the consideration named in the deed, with interest thereon at the rate of ten per cent, from that date, to be paid on or before one year to him by said Ilursh, would make, execute and deliver to the said John M. Hursli, his heirs or assigns, or to whomsoever might be named by said Ilursh, a good and sufficient deed of conveyance of such interest as I now have acquired of said Ilursh, of the following described lands situated in Isabella county and State of Michigan.” [Here follows a description of the land in question, and a large number of other descriptions, containing over five hundred acres in all, and being the same lands described in the deed and no others.] [250]*250(2d.) Of the testimony of witnesses as to what occurred at the time the papers were executed, and the admission of Jeffery ; and (3d) of the fact that Mrs. Hursh had always remained in the possession of the land in question, claiming it as her own and ¡laying the taxes thereon, and that Jeffery never interfered with the possession of defendant Hursh, and never sought in any way to acquire possession thereof.

John M. Hursh and John Jeffery had both died before tin's suit was commenced. The only living witness who has testified to what occurred at the time the papers •were executed is 'William E. Winton. lie was the attorney of John Jeffery in his life-time, and after his decease he was the attorney of Mrs. Jeffery, who was appointed administratrix of the estate of John Jeffery, and who was also guardian of the plaintiffs in this suit. lie liad assisted in one of the trials of this case at the circuit and addressed the jury on behalf of the plaintiffs. He was judge of probate of Gratiot county, in which the estate of John Jeffery was administered, and was exercising that office at the time the papers in controversy were drawn. John Jeffery died about a year and a half after the deed and bond were executed. After Mrs. Jeffery was appointed administratrix, Mr. Winton, acting as the judge of probate and her legal adviser, at a time when the occurrence was comparatively recent, advised Mrs. Jeffery that the deed in question was not in fact an absolute deed, but a mortgage, and under his advice she treated it as a mortgage, and sold and assigned it as such to one Seri ven who brought a suit to foreclose it as a mortgage. She also treated it as a mortgage security in her account of the estate before the probate court of which Winton was judge. After an interval of twelve years from the execution of the deed and mortgage in his presence, he testifies as to what occurred on that occasion as follows :

“On the 23d day of November, 1872, Mr. Jeffery, in company with John M. Hursh, came into ,thc probate office, where I was alone. After the introduction of Mr. Hursh, Mr. Jeffery said that Mr. Hursh had come to sell his wife’s farm, with a power of attorney, and wanted me to examine the power of attorney and see if it was sufficient to [251]*251vest him with such power. I examined it, and told Mr. Jeffery that I thought it was sufficient. Then Mr. Jeffery went on and made a computation of the amount that was due him on the mortgage, and perhaps some other papers. My mind is not clear enough now to remember how many papers he had, but he had a mortgage, and I can recollect some notes; but whether there were any more notes than were secured by the mortgage I cannot state positively, and the amount of a mortgage that some proceedings had been taken to foreclose that was a lien on this same land, — this land in controversy. Having ascertained the amount that was due Mr. Jeffery, and also on the other mortgage, Mr. Hursli mentioned a certain amount of money over and above. Mr. Jeffery says to Mr. Ilursh : ‘ That eighty is not worth that amount.’ The amount he wanted, together with this, amounted to over three thousand dollars. If my recollection serves me right, he said it was not worth that money.
Question. Who did?
Answer. Mr. Jeffery. Mr. Hursli says, ‘ I have some other land that I will put in, together with the eighty in controversy, that will satisfy you for the amount of money I want.’ Mr. Jeffery says: ‘These are Indian lands about which there is considerable question nowadays about their title. I don’t consider them of much value.’ Mr. Hursli says, ‘ I will put in enough so I think you will feel satisfied ; ’ and he put in the amount that the deed describes.
Q. Hid Mr. Hnrsh make any remark about the title in that connection ?
A. He said there was some question about it; but he thought perhaps some of them might be good. After he put in. the amount of land he spoke of, it seemed to meet the minds of both parties. I then drew the deed, describing the lands as set forth in the deed.
Q. [Handing the witness the instrument from Hnrsh and wife to Jeffery.] Is that the deed you drew at that time ?
A. That deed is in my handwriting. I think that is the identical deed. I drew the deed and counted out the money. Mr. Jeffery laid down the money to see if it -was correct. I counted out the money for Mr. Hursli, after delivering the deed, and Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
27 N.W. 7, 58 Mich. 246, 1885 Mich. LEXIS 506, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jeffery-v-hursh-mich-1885.