Little v. Giles

25 Neb. 313
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 15, 1889
StatusPublished
Cited by40 cases

This text of 25 Neb. 313 (Little v. Giles) 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
Little v. Giles, 25 Neb. 313 (Neb. 1889).

Opinion

Maxwell, J.

This action was instituted by the plaintiffs, sixty-nine in number, against the defendants, to quiet the title to certain real estate in the city of Lincoln. Jacob .Dawson was the common source of title, and the plaintiffs claim under his widow, the defendants claim under his children, and ■the determination of the case depends upon the construction of the will of said Jacob Dawson, made on the 10th day of May, 1869. He died on the 18th day of June following, leaving surviving him his wife, Editlia J. Dawson, and six minor children. The will, omitting the formal parts, is as follows:

[318]*318“After all my lawful debts are paid and discharged, the residue of my estate, real and personal, I give, bequeath, and dispose of as follows, to-wit: To my beloved wife, Editha J. Dawson, I give and bequeath all my estate, real and personal, of which I may die seized, the same to remain hers, with full power, right, and authority to dispose of the same as to her shall seem most meet and proper, so long as she shall remain my widow ; upon the express condition, however, that if she should marry again, then it is my will.that all of the .estate herein bequeathed, or whatever may remain, should go to my surviving children, share and share alike, and in case any of my children should have deceased, leaving issue, then the issue so left to receive the share to which said child would be entitled. I likewise make, constitute, and appoint my said wife, Editha J., to be executrix of this my last will and testament, hereby révoking all former wills rirade by me.”

This will was duly admitted to probate, and the real estate belonging to the estate of Jacob Dawson was conveyed by the widow under the will.

In the trial of the cause a large amount of testimony was taken'in the case, which is preserved in the bill of exceptions now before us.

The court made the following findings: “The court finds, first, that the will executed by Jacob Dawson on the 15th day of June, 1869, and under and by virtue of which said Dawson disposed of said real estate in controversy, was intended to and did vest the full and complete title in fee simple-to said real estate in his widow, Editha J. Dawson, so long as she should remain single.

“2d. That said Jacob Dawson, at the time of the making and execution of said will, and at the date of his death, was seized of very little personal property, and was possessed of practically no means aside from the real estate in controversy, and that it was the intention of said testator that the full and complete legal and equitable title [319]*319to said real estate should vest in Editha J. Dawson, so long as she should remain single and unmarried, for the support and maintenance of herself and her children, who were minors at that time.

“ 3d. That said Editha J. Dawson sold and conveyed said real estate for a full and valuable consideration to plaintiffs and their grantors, receiving the consideration money so paid for said real estate, for the use of herself ■and her minor children, and that said proceeds were so used.

“ 4th. That the several plaintiffs in «aid petition named, us their interests appear at the date of the trial of this cause, are entitled to the relief as prayed for in their said bill.”

Of the same date, but said to have been dated back, we find the following additional findings, the individual names of the plaintiffs and defendants being given in the title of the judgment:

“Now on this 14th day of December, 1887, this case coming on further to be heard, and the court having duly considered the pleadings and testimony therein, and listened to the argument of the counsel, and having been duly advised in the premises, doth find, all and singular, the issues joined in said action in favor of the plaintiffs, and the allegations of the plaintiff’s petition to be true, and doth further especially find:
“1st. That the will set forth in the pleadings in said action, executed by Jacob Dawson, on the 15th day of June, 1869, and by virtue of which said Dawson disposed of his said real estate in controversy herein, was intended by said Dawson.to convey and deed, and have a full title in fee simple to said real estate, to his widow, Editha J. Dawson, so long as she should remain such widow, with full and lawful power and authority to sell and convey the same during her widowhood.
“2d. That said JaCob Dawson, at the time of making [320]*320and execution of said will, and at the- time of his death, was seized of very little personal property, and was possessed of practically no means aside from the real estate in. controversy, and that it was the intention of said testator-that the full and complete legal and equitable title to said real estate should vest in said Editha J. Dawson, so lorigas she should remain single and unmarried, for the support and maintenance of herself and children, who were minors at that time, with full power and authority to sell and conve}*- the same in fee simple during her said widowhood-
“3d. That said Editha J. Dawson sold and conveyed said real estate, for a full and valuable consideration, to the plaintiffs below named and their grantors, receiving the-consideration money so paid for said real estate, for the-u'se of herself and her minor children, for their support, nurture, and education, and that said proceeds were in fact so- used.
“4th. That the said several plaintiffs below named, astlieir interest appears at the date of 'the trial of this cause,, are respectively entitled to relief as prayed for in their-petition herein; to each of which findings defendants severally except.
“ It is therefore considered, ordered, adjudged, and decreed by the court here that the- said defendants and each aud all of them, and all persons claiming through or uuderthem, or any of them, or acting or assuming to act by the-authority or with the eonnivant defendants, or any of them, be and are hereby perpetually restrained and enjoined from in any manner, by suit, action, or proceeding by law or in equity, in the courts of this state, or in any other courts, assailing or traducing or questioning the title- or possession, or .right of possession, of Samuel W. Little to-the premises in the amended petition described, that is to say:” (Describing the lots.)

The court then proceeds to describe the property to which each plaintiff is entitled,, and, rendered a decree, as. [321]*321prayed in the petition. The defendants object in their brief to this latter finding and judgment, but as we find, them signed by the judge who tried the cause, they are properly in the record. The defendants appeal.

The will in question was construed by tire supreme court of the United States in Giles v. Little, 104 U. S., 291, and it was held, that the will merely conferred an estate iqion Editha Dawson during widowhood, and in case she married again the remainder in fee passed to his-children. The words in the will, “or whatever may remain,” were construed as applying alone to the personal estate, and did not affect the realty. The decision is based on the prior one of Smith v. Bell, 6 Pet., 68.

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

Related

Hays v. Johnson
189 N.W.2d 475 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1971)
Hayhurst v. Hayhurst
1966 OK 238 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1966)
Brandeis v. Brandeis
34 N.W.2d 159 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1948)
Chesnut v. Master Laboratories
27 N.W.2d 541 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1947)
Hulse v. Tanner
6 N.W.2d 618 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1942)
Graff v. Graff
286 N.W. 788 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1939)
Bretschneider v. Farmers National Bank
268 N.W. 278 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1936)
Anderson v. Anderson
46 P.2d 98 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1935)
Anderson v. Anderson
229 N.W. 124 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1930)
Darr v. Darr
206 N.W. 2 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1925)
Ostrander v. Muskegon Finance Co.
202 N.W. 951 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1925)
Abbott v. Wagner
188 N.W. 113 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1922)
Scruton v. Wiger
177 N.W. 23 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1920)
Kluge v. Kluge
172 N.W. 756 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1919)
Will of Weymouth v. Weymouth
161 N.W. 373 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1917)
Schminke v. Sinclair
158 N.W. 458 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1916)
Postlethwaite v. Edson
155 P. 802 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1916)
Mabry v. . Brown
78 S.E. 78 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1913)
Bilger v. Nunan
199 F. 549 (Ninth Circuit, 1912)
Bilger v. Nunan
186 F. 665 (U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Oregon, 1911)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
25 Neb. 313, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/little-v-giles-neb-1889.