McDermott v. Gray

95 S.W. 431, 198 Mo. 266, 1906 Mo. LEXIS 70
Supreme Court of Missouri·Decided July 3, 1906·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

FOX, J.

This cause is brought to this court by appeal on the part of the plaintiff from a judgment and decree dismissing the bill of plaintiffs, which sought to set aside certain deeds executed by appellant Lucy Turner, conveying certain lands to the respondent, for possession of the same and for rents and profits.

To fully appreciate the nature and character of this cause of action it is well to indicate the substance of the issues as indicated by the pleadings.

The amended petition upon which the case was tried alleges that one Robert L. McDermott died at the county of Clark intestate during the month of September, 1901, leaving as Ms heirs at law the plaintiffs, his sister, mother and brother.

2nd. That said McDermott at his death was the owner of ten thousand dollars worth of personal property.

[273]*2733rd. That he at the time was the owner of the following real estate in said county, to-wit: The southwest quarter of section 29, and the northwest quarter of section 32, all in township 65, range 7.

4th. That before the death of said McDermott, by a pretended marriage to thq defendant, under the name and style of Bertie Holliday, he married the defendant, and that said pretended marriage, occurred on the ---day of October, 1896.

5th. That defendant by virtue of said marriage claimed to be the widow of the decedent McDermott, and having elected under the statute to take as an heir was entitled to one-half of all his estate.

6th. That after the death of said McDermott, plaintiff Louisa A. McDermott (mother of decedent) conveyed all her right, title and claim in and to an undivided one-sixth of said lands to plaintiff Lucy Turner (sister of decedent), and that plaintiff James W. McDermott (brother of decedent) conveyed to said Lucy Turner all of his undivided one-sixth of said lands by deeds duly recorded.

7th. That thereafter for the purpose of partitioning said lands and for no other purpose whatever, plaintiff Lucy Turner conveyed by deed to defendant all her right, title and interest in the southwest quarter of section 29 in said township and range, and that thereupon in consideration of such conveyance and for the purpose of partitioning said lands defendant conveyed by deed to said Lucy Turner the northwest quarter of section 32, said township and range, and that in order to equalize the value of the lands so divided said defendant paid Lucy Turner the sum of $1,700.

8th. That said defendant never was the wife of said McDermott, deceased, and was not after his death his widow, and was not entitled to any part of said estate of said McDermott, but on the contrary was at the time of the said pretended marriage with said de[274] cedent the wife of one Alonzo TI. Gray, who was at the time of the said marriage living and for a long time thereafter.

9th. That the defendant commenced a suit for a divorce from the said Alonzo H. Gray returnable to the April term, 1896, of the circuit court of Clark county, Missouri, and that at said term of said court such proceedings were had therein that the defendant obtained a decree of divorce from her said husband Alonzo H. Gray, and that within six months thereafter the pretended marriage between her and said McDermott was consummated as aforesaid.

10th. That said decree of divorce so rendered in favor of defendant was and is null and void and did not divorce the defendant or annul the bonds of marriage between her and said Gray.

The petition further states that at the time of the death of the said Robert L. McDermott and at the time of the making of the deeds in partition and long thereafter both the plaintiff and defendant were mutually mistaken with reference to the effect of the divorce decree, and both in good faith mutually believed that the decree of divorce was valid and did divorce the parties, and so believing were mutually mistaken both as to the law and the fact that the defendant was the widow of decedent McDermott by virtue of the said pretended marriage and his heir, and that she was entitled to the undivided one-half of all of his property, she'as aforesaid having elected to take under the statute, and that this plaintiff, Lucy Turner, in good faith, believing the divorce decree valid and that defendant was the wife and widow of said deceased McDermott made the partition deed as aforesaid to the defendant and had she not been deceived by the mutual mistake of both the defendant and herself she would not have made the same, and that there is and was no consideration for the deed from herself to said defendant for the reasons aforesaid, and that on account of the mutual mistake of both [275] parties, plaintiff Lucy Turner and defendant, they both believed that they were tenants in common of the lands herein described.

Said petition further charges that on account of the invalidity of said divorce decree and circumstances following as herein stated they were not tenants in common, and that the defendant had no right, title or claim to any of the property of said McDermott, deceased. That they did not discover such mistake until immediately before the commencement of this suit. That said Lucy Turner here brings into court the said sum of $1,700, for the use' of said defendant and asks judgment and a decree that the title in and to the lands so conveyed to the defendant be cancelled and for naught held and esteemed and the same be vested in the plaintiffs according to their respective rights and that they have judgment for possession of the lands and for rents and profits.

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McDermott v. Gray, 95 S.W. 431, 198 Mo. 266, 1906 Mo. LEXIS 70 (Mo. 1906).

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