Locke v. Barbour

62 Ind. 577
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1878
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 62 Ind. 577 (Locke v. Barbour) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Locke v. Barbour, 62 Ind. 577 (Ind. 1878).

Opinions

Perkins, J.

Suit for partition, brought by John M. Barbour, trustee for Sarah E. Potter, Mary Potter, Alpha Potter and Catherine Potter, against "William M. Locke, George Bonebrake, James S. Lytle,Lewis Morris and James R.Parker. The lands of which partition is sought are those of which Richard F. Lytle died seized, and disposed of by his last will, a copy of which follows :

“ I, Richard F. Lytle, Sen., of Hamilton county, State of Indiana, being of sound mind and memory, and considering the uncertainty of this transitory life, do thereupon make, ordain and publish this to be my last will and testament. That is to say,

“First, I direct, that, as soon after my decease as possible, my executor pay all my lawful debts and funeral expenses out of any portion of my estate’s property applicable to that purpose. Whereas I have heretofore given and conveyed to my son James S. Lytle a tract of eighty (80) acres, lying south of the town of Strawtown, in Hamilton county, Indiana, (see description in said deed,) now I do hereby give and devise to him twenty acres of land, to be taken off of the south-east corner of my farm near Strawtown, and adjoining to the said tract heretofore conveyed to him, and which said twenty acres is all the land which I design for my said son. I do hereby bequeath and devise to Nathan L. Lytle and Richard F. Lytle, Jr., the undivided and equal one-fifth portion of all my lands and real estate, (except the 20 acres above described,) wherever situated, to have and to hold the same for the sole use, behoof and benefit of my daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Potter, and to her heirs begotten of her body; and I further direct that the said trustees do pay over to the said Sarah, or to her heirs [579]*579"begotten as aforesaid, tlie full rents and profits thereof, annually, for her or their exclusive support and maintenance, and to be receipted for by the said Sarah, if living.”

Said Sarah Elizabeth Potter had, at the death of the 'testator, living children of her body begotten, viz.: Mary Potter, Alpha Potter, and Catherine Potter, who were still living at the commencement of this suit.

“ I do further direct, that, in case the said Sarah Elizabeth Potter should die without leaving any children or their descendants, that then, and in such case, the land devised to her shall be the absolute property of the said Nathan L. Lytle, Richard E. Lytle, Jr., Malinda G. Lytle, Mary Ann Lyng and James S. Lytle, their heirs and assigns forever.

“ I do also give and bequeath to Nathan L. Lytle, Mary Ann Lyng, Richard E. Lytle, Jr., and Malinda G. Lytle, all the balance and residue of my lands and real estate, wherever they may be situated, equally, to share and share .alike therein, to have and to hold the same to the said devisees, their heirs and assigns forever.

“ I do further direct, that any and all personal property, of which I may die possessed, and which may remain after the payment of my debts, be equally divided between the said James S. Lytle, Nathan L. Lytle, Mary Ann Lyng, Richard E. Lytle, Jr., Malinda G. Lytle and Sarah Elizabeth Potter.

“ Whereas I have heretofore advanced to my grandson, Henry W. Terrell, who is the sole child of Elizabeth Terrell, formerly Elizabeth Lytle, therefore I do not herein devise any thing to him.

“I do hereby constitute and appoint my said sons Nathan L. Lytle and Richard E. Lytle, Jr., executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

“ In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my [580]*580name and affixed my seal, this 28th day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four (1864). Richard F. Lytle, [seal]”

On November 29th, 1864, the will was probated.

On March 17th, 1870, the legatee, Sarah Elizabeth Potter,, by a deed in which her husband joined, sold and conveyed to her brother, Nathan L. Lytle, one of the legatees, all her interest in the land devised by her father, receiving therefor its full value, three thousand six hundred dollars.

Previous to this the other general legatees in the will had also sold and conveyed to the said Nathan L. Lytle, and the deeds were all duly recorded.

On February 19th, 1872, Nathan sold and conveyed one. hundred and eighty-nine acres of this land to the appellants Locke and Bonebrake, who made the purchase and paid the money, (ten thousand dollars,) the full value of the land.

On February 24th, 1872, Locke and Bonebrake sold and conveyed these one hundred and eighty-nine acres of land to the appellant Parker, who likewise paid the full value; of the land.

On Mai’ch 18th, 1870, said Nathan L. Lytle sold and conveyed to-Richard F. Lytle, Jr., for four thousand dollars, the remainder of the land devised by his father, and to which he (Nathan) had acquired the title by purchase-, from the other legatees, as above indicated.

On January 2d, 1872, said Richard F. Lytle, Jr., sold and. conveyed this last tract, eighty and thirty-two one hundredths acres in amount, to the appellant Morris, who-paid the full value, took possession and made valuable improvements on the land.

On February 6th, 1875, the appellee, John M. Barbour, was appointed trustee in place of Nathan L. and Richard F. Lytle, Jr., named in the will as trustees.

A month later, March 9th, 1875, this suit was brought,, and assumes that the sale and deed made by Mrs. Potter [581]*581and her husband were each a nullity, and seeks to have set off to her the land she received under the will and to recover rents for the use of it since she conveyed it, the same .as though she had never made any conveyance of it.

The court, after sustaining the demurrers to the answers, Tendered judgment for partition, appointed commissioners, had the land set oif substantially as prayed for, and rem dered judgment for hack rent at the rate of five dollars per acre, making the money judgment against Morris two Rundred and ninety-eight dollars and seventy cents, and against Parker seven hundred and one dollars and thirty cents.

The will was duly probated and recorded.

The case turns upon the construction of those clauses in the will which declare the use to which the devisees in trust are to hold the property, viz.:

“ To have and to hold the same for the sole use, behoof and benefit of my daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Potter, and to her heirs begotten of her body, and I further direct that the said trustees do pay over to the said Sarah, or to her Reirs begotten as aforesaid, the full rents and profits thereof, annually, for her or their exclusive support and maintenance, and to he receipted for by the said Sarah, if living.

“I do further direct, that, in case the said Sarah Elizabeth Totter should die without leaving any children or their •descendants, that then, and in such case, that the land demised to her shall he the absolute property of the said Nathan L. Lytle, Richard E. Lytle, Jr., Malinda G. Lytle, Mary Ann Lyng and James S. Lytle, their heirs and assigns forever.”

We think the meaning of this part of the will may he •expressed by reading it as follows : “ To have and to hold the same for the sole use, behoof and benefit of my daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Potter, for life, and to her heirs begot[582]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
62 Ind. 577, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/locke-v-barbour-ind-1878.