Martin v. Greer

1 Georgia Decisions 109
CourtCoweta County Superior Court, Ga.
DecidedMarch 15, 1842
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 1 Georgia Decisions 109 (Martin v. Greer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Coweta County Superior Court, Ga. primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martin v. Greer, 1 Georgia Decisions 109 (Ga. Super. Ct. 1842).

Opinion

Upon the trial, most of the material allegations in the bill were sup" ported by testimony: there was some conflict however between the testimony of complainants and defendants, with regard to the identity of the money with which Buckley paid for the land which he exchanged for Jinny and her children. The Jury found a verdict in favour of complainants, for the sum of seven thousand dollars, to be discharged by the delivery of the negroes, and also for the sum of #2557, as hire.

The defendant’s counsel moved for a new trial, on the following grounds;

[112]*1121st. Because the complainants on the trial of said cause, offered parole evidence to prove the trust set forth in their bill of complaint, which was objected to by defendants, on the ground that an express trust could not be proved by parole under the law, which objection was over-ruled by the Court, and the parole evidence admitted, on the ground that the trust alleged in the bill was an implied or result, ing trust, and not an express trust.

2nd. Because the Court charged the Jury, that the statute of limitations did not commence running against the complainants, in favour of defendants, until the death of Buckley, which took place 15th July, 15:51.

3rd. Because the Court charged the Jury, that the statute of limitations did not commence running against the complainants, in fa-vour of defendants, until the time of the probate of the will of Buckley, by defendants.

4th. Because the Jury have returned a verdict in favor of Joseph Frost and wife, who have been made parties by amendment, who claim to be entitled to one-fifth of the property in controversy, without there being any evidence going to shew he had commenced any suit for his share of said property, against the defendants, until after the expiration of four years from the time of the probate of the will of said Buckley, so as to take the case out of the statute of limitations as to him.

5th. Because the defendants are sued by complainants as (be ex. ecutors of Hiram Buckley, deceased, and required to account for property held and possessed in their representative capacity, and the Jury have refused to allow them credit for their disbursements as rendered in their answer, which disbursements had been allowed' and sanctioned by the Court of Ordinary of De Kalb County, and wore not contradicted by any testimony.

6th. Because the Jury found contrary to Law and evidence.

These grounds will be considered in their order. As to the first, it is true that a motion was made at the trial, by defendants’ counsel, [113]*113to reject the evidence offered by complainants, upon the ground that according to the allegations in the bill, an express trust was created, and that an express trust could not be proved by parole evidence. — » The Court overruled the motion, and stated that it was of opinion, from the facts stated in the bill, that tile trust was a resulting trust, and not an express trust, but the Court is now of opinion, that so fat* as this motion was concerned, it is not material whether this be con* sidered as an express or implied trust, or a resulting trust, as the tes* timony would properly have been admitted to support either, that section of the Statute of Frauds and the other authorities relied on, not being considered as applicable to personal property. — See 2d VoL Story’s Equity 235, and the case of Benbow vs. Townsend, 7th vol. Eng. Ch. Rep’ts 143. The Court is therefore of opinion, that it did not err in overruling this motion, whether this be considered as an express or resulting trust.

As to the second ground, the Court will remark, that it has been furnished by both of defendants’ counsel with very able written arguments, in one of which the counsel has bestoived much labour on this branch of the case, for the purpose of establishing the position that Buckley did not have a life estate in the negro woman Jinny and her children, and that complainants could have commenced ail action at Common Law against Buckley, for the recovery of the four hundred dollars, for his breach of trust, in not applying it m the manner directed, immediately upon their coming of age, and that having the right to sue for the four hundred dollars, and having failed to do so, their right to sue for the property purchased with the money was barred by the statute of limitations.

The counsel remarks in his argument, “ that if the position assumed by the Court be true, that Buckley had a life estate in Jinny and her increase, and that the Martin children were seized of the property, as remainder men according to the rules of Law creating estates in remainder, then we admit, the statute did not commence running until the death of Buckley.” Let us then examine this question. An estate in remainder is defined to be “ an estate limited to take effect and be enjoyed after another estate is determined.”— 2nd Blk. Com. 164. There then must be a particular estate to support the estate in remainder, the remainder must commence or pass out of the grantor at the time of the creation of the particu[114]*114lar estate, and the remainder must vest in the grantee during tie continuance of the particular estate, or eo instanti that it determines.” And an estate in remainder may be created in personal chattels as well as real.” — Same authority 198.

The counsel asks “ from whom, or by whom, has such an estate been created by Jinny and her increase in the Martin children ? What grantor has conveyed Jinny and her increase to Buckley and wife during their lives, with remainder in fee to the Marlin children 7 From what legal premises does the Court arrive at the conclusion (hat Buckley had a life estate only in Jinny and her increase ?*’ The Court will endeavor to answer these interrogatories. In the first place, it will be recollected that it is alleged in the bill, rvhich allegation is supported by proof, that in the year 1802, upon the intermarriage of Buckley with the widow Martin, John Langdon, the father of Mrs, Marlin, delivered to Buckley and wife, the negro woman Nance, which was to remain in their possession during the life of the survivor, at whose death said negro and increase, was to become the property of the Martin children, that said negro remained in the possession of Buckley and wife, until the year 1807, when she was returned to Langdon, who furnished said Buckley with $400 in lieu thereof, which was to be vested in another negro woman in the place and stead of Nance, that the $400 was vested in a tract of land, and that in 1812, the land was exchanged for the negro woman Jinny and her two children, and placed in the place and stead of the said negro woman Nance and her increase, and to follow the conditions and stipulations made and entered into in relation to her. Now, it is a principle both of Law and Equity, “ that whenever the property of a party has been wrongfully misapplied, or a trust fund has been wrongfully converted into another s’pecies of property, if its identity can be traced, it will be held in its new form liable to the rights of the original owner, or cestui que trust.” — 2d Story’s Equity 502-3.

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Bluebook (online)
1 Georgia Decisions 109, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-v-greer-gasuperctcoweta-1842.