Johnson v. Coit

48 S.W.2d 397, 1932 Tex. App. LEXIS 287
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 19, 1932
DocketNo. 12652
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 48 S.W.2d 397 (Johnson v. Coit) 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
Johnson v. Coit, 48 S.W.2d 397, 1932 Tex. App. LEXIS 287 (Tex. Ct. App. 1932).

Opinion

DUNKLIN, J.

Mrs. Lola N. Johnson, joined by her-husband, R. W. Johnson, and Mrs. Carrie D. Jones, joined by her husband, Cecil Jones, and Wm. O. Shannon, instituted this suit in the district court of Denton county for a writ of certiorari to the county court óf that county for revision and correction of orders entered by the latter court with respect to the estate of W. O. Shannon who died August 25, 1919, and whose will, of date February 15, 1917, and codicil thereto, of date June 21, 1917, had been duly probated in the county court of Denton county on October 25, 1919. The orders of the county court, the validity of which was challenged by the plaintiffs, purported to authorize and approve a conveyance made to Mrs. Cora Shannon, surviving wife of the testator, by the executors of the will of two lots of land situated in the city of Denton, Denton county, Tex. A copy of the will of W. O. Shannon, with codicil thereto, was attached to and made' á part of plaintiffs’ petition, according to which certain specified sums of money were bequeathed to four daughters of the testator other than those named above as plaintiffs in this suit. There was also bequeathed to Mrs. Cora Shannon the sum' of $2,000 if she be living and cohabiting with the téstator at the time of the latter’s death, and provided that she accept that bequest in full settlement and payment of all her claims to any and all property belonging to the estate of the testator; with the further provision that, should she refuse to accept such bequest, then she should take no part of the testator’s estate. There was a further provision that, if Mrs. Cora Shannon be not living and cohabiting with the testator at the time of his death, then she should receive $500 out of the estate, in full satisfaction. of all her [398]*398claims of interest in the estate, and that she have no part of the estate if she refused to accept that bequest. All the residue of the estate remaining after satisfaction of the personal bequests above mentioned was devised and bequeathed to the plaintiffs in this case.

It appears from further allegations in the petition that the suit was instituted within two years after plaintiffs, Mrs. Lola N. Johnson and Mrs. Oarrie D. Jones, 'became of lawful age, although there were no allegations in the petition that the same was true with respect to the suit of plaintiff Wm. O. Shannon.

The original will was executed in Bryan county, Okl., where the testator then lived, and the codicil was executed in Denton county, where the testator was living at the time of its execution and at the time of his death. In the original will, B. A. McKinney and W. E. Clark, of Bryan county, Okl., were named as executors, and in the codicil thereto J. C. Coit and Alvin M. Owsley were named as executors. In both of the instruments it was provided that the executors therein named should not be required to give bond. The original will contained this provision: “I further direct, so far as permitted under the law, they (the executors) administer my estate outside of the court and that they be clothed with independent powers as such executors.”

The codicil, after reciting that it was a codicil to the original will, embodies these provisions:

“(2) I further will and direct that no action be had on my estate in the Probate Court, other than the probating of this codicil and will and the filing of an inventory as the law directs.
“(3) And I further appoint and will and direct that my friends J. C. Coit and Alvin M. Owsley be and they hereby are appointed ¡executors of my will in connection with said B. A. McKinney and W. E. Clark, and that no bond be required of them, or any of them, ■and direct that my said executors, or either of them, acting alone as provided in said will, shall have full powers and authority to sell and convey any and all property belonging to my estate and make good and perfect titles thereto and do any and all other acts necessary to carry out the provisions of this will as amended by this codicil.”

Mrs. Cora Cotner, who was formerly Mrs. Cora Shannon, and all of the executors named in the two instruments, together with certain other parties claiming an interest in the two lots in the city of Denton under and by virtue of the order of the county court and conveyances made by Mrs. Cora Shannon thereunder, were made defendants in the suit.

Other facts alleged in the petition included the following: At the time of his death, W. O. Shannon owned the two lots situated in the city of Denton which belonged to his separate estate; the consideration paid therefor being property and money owned by him before his marriage to Mrs. Cora Shannon. One of those lots was of the market value of $5,000, and the other of the market value of $7,000. He also owned certain real estate situated in Bryan county, Okl., of the market value of $15,000, which was incumbered with a valid mortgage lien for 50 per cent, of its value. 'He also owned personal property sufficient to satisfy all the personal bequests included in the will, and the same was used by the executors for that purpose, and all of the bequests have been fully satisfied and all claims against the estate have been paid, leaving the two lots in the city of Denton and the Oklahoma real estate as the residue of the estate, and which residue, or remainder, is claimed by the plaintiffs in the suit. Mrs. Shannon owned no community or any other interest in the two lots situated in the city of Denton.

On March 24, 1920, J. C. Coit and Alvin M. Owsley, as executors of the estate, filed in the county court the following application:

“Come now J. C. Coit and Alvin M. Owsley, executors under the last will and testament of W. C. Shannon, deceased, and respectfully show to the court that under and by virtue of the terms of said will which has, at a former day and term of this court been admitted to probate, the testator made certain bequests and disposition of property therein which involved the community interest of himself and that of Cora Shannon, his surviving wife, and the said Cora Shannon having heretofore filed in this court her written declination to. accept under the terms thereof, but expressing therein her preference to take under her rights as community surviving wife, in lieu thereof, and they further show that certain portions of said property is situated in Denton County, Texas, and other portions thereof are in the State of Oklahoma, and that it is to the interest of the estate and of all parties interested therein that same be partitioned between these executors as such and Cora Shannon:
“They further show to the court that without expense upon the said estate, they, as executors for the estate, have reached an agreement with the said Cora Shannon for a fair and equitable settlement of said estate, subject to confirmation by the court, by the terms of which agreement the said Cora Shannon will quitclaim and convey unto the executors all right, title and interest she has in the remainder of the estate in consideration of a conveyance by the executors unto her of all interest of the estate in and to the following described real estate in the [399]*399City of Denton, in Denton County, Texas: (Here follows a description of tlie real estate.)
“And of a conveyance to her by the executors of the household and kitchen furniture mentioned in the inventory and appraisement.

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Bluebook (online)
48 S.W.2d 397, 1932 Tex. App. LEXIS 287, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/johnson-v-coit-texapp-1932.