Miller v. Roberson

165 S.W.2d 469
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 26, 1942
DocketNo. 2284
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 165 S.W.2d 469 (Miller v. Roberson) 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
Miller v. Roberson, 165 S.W.2d 469 (Tex. Ct. App. 1942).

Opinion

LESLIE, Chief Justice.

C. W. Roberson instituted this suit in. trespass to try title against R. M. Miller to recover a small portion of a city lot in the town of Stephenville. The defendant answered by plea of not guilty and by plea of ten years’ limitation, and also by cross-action asserted title to a larger tract of land which included the smaller tract claimed by the plaintiff. The trial was before the court without a jury, and judgment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff for the small portion of the .lot sued for’ and denying all relief to defendant. Miller appeals, attacking the judgment by three assignments of error.

The facts out of which litigation grows are in substance as follows: The litigants agree that W. P. Pitman and W. J. Gray constitute common source of title; that they sold lot 3, block 9 in Stephenville, Texas, to the Clay Lumber Company December 31, 1930; that the Lumber Company conveyed same to Stephenville State Bank April 4, 1932, and that the Bank conveyed same to plaintiff, C. W. Roberson, January 17, 1940.

The land involved in this controversy is out of the southeast comer of lot 3, as shown by plaintiff’s pleadings, as well as [470]*470by defendant’s pleading's. The following plat reflects that fact as well as the respective claims asserted by the litigants.

The tract for which plaintiff sues will be referred to as Tract “A”, and the tract sued for by defendant in Cross-Action as

[471]*471Tract “B”. Tract “B” is 36.1 feet north and south by 58 feet east and west. Tract “A” is in shape and dimensions indicated by the plat.

June 24, 1930, W. P. Pitman and W. J. Gray conveyed to Elmer F. Grissom and Alice Grissom, his wife, lot 17, block 9, ■said addition to the City of Stephenville. This deed merely called for lot 17 with dimensions 58 feet east and west and 113.9 feet north and south. The description in the deed in no way called for or embraced a description of either Tract “A” or Tract “B”.

The Grissoms appear ton have gone into immediate possession of lot 17, and it is ■alleged that in connection therewith they took possession of Tract “B”, erecting thereon a garage and shed on the part designated as “A”. Reasonably soon after ac■quiring lot 17 the Grissoms built a residence thereon. This was erected by funds acquired by them through a loan extended to them November 1, 1930, by the United States Savings Bank of Detroit, Michigan. That Bank took a deed of trust on lot 17 .(113.9 feet by 58 feet) to secure the loan. There was default in payment of the loan .and the Savings Bank foreclosed its deed •of trust on lot 17. The trustee in that instrument deeded the land described in thei Deed of Trust to said Savings Bank on August 17, 1935, and on September 6, 1935, the Savings Bank by special warranty deed conveyed lot 17, as described in the trustee’s deed, to Defendant R. M. Miller (all deeds and instruments in favor of either plaintiff or defendant herein were duly filed and recorded.)

Appellant Miller contends that when the Grissoms purchased lot 17 on June 24, 1930, they and their grantors (Pitman and Gray) understood and intended that Tract “B” (embracing Tract “A”) was conveyed to the Grissoms, who then went into the possession thereof along with lot 17. That under the directions and with the consent of Pitman and Gray, who identified to them (the Grissoms) the corners and boundaries of lot 17 and especially Tract “B”, the Grissoms were put into possession of the same. In other words, said Miller contends (1) that the claims, uses and occupancy of Tract “B” by the Grissoms, the Savings Bank and himself have been of such a nature as to perfect in him title by ten years’ limitation, and (2) that transfers from each of them to the other and to him, respectively, established a privity of estate, enabling him to tack the adverse claims and possessions of each vendor to his vendee, thus completing the period of limitation and maturing in him such title.

By Point 1 the appellant insists that the undisputed evidence clearly establishes the alleged open, notorious and adverse possession of said land for more than ten years by him and those from and under whom he dcraigned title to Tract “B”.

The judgment of the trial court is contrary to this contention. We have carefully examined all the testimony in this case, and we believe it is sufficient to support the judgnfent. It certainly does not conclusively establish in the plaintiff and his predecessors in title any such alleged adverse possession sufficient to mature the title claimed by him. The least that can be said of the testimony on that issue is that same is conflicting, and the trial court has resolved the conflict in favor of the plaintiff. Under such circumstances this court is without authority to disturb the judgment.

The conflict in the nature of the evidence is readily seen by reference to the testimony of the witness Ben B. McCollum, who, as president of the Stephenville State Bank,'testified that about November, 1936, and during the asserted limitation period, he had a conversation with defendant Roberson, and called his attention to the fact that his buildings (garage and shed) encroached upon the land in dispute. That Roberson told him “that he would move the building any time the witness wanted him to.” McCollum further testified that Miller at that time signified his willingness to “vacate” the property. “That Miller agreed to vacate the property any time he (McCol-lum) wanted him to.” That the substance of such conversation was afterward communicated by him (McCollum) to plaintiff, C. W. Roberson.

Plaintiff, Roberson, also testified that about January 27, 1940, he also had a conversation with said Miiler in regard to the disputed land, and that said defendant answered in substance that he would like to keep his garage back there and he would either purchase it or do something about it, that he would vacate it if plaintiff requested.

The above and other testimony corroborative thereof supports the possible theory of the court’s judgment, namely, that the element of adverse possession essential [472]*472to mature a ten year limitation title was not established. Clearly, the court could base on such testimony a finding of recognition by Miller of the Bank’s title then being acquired by Roberson.

The rule of law applicable to such state of facts is stated in 2 Texas Jurisprudence Page 135, as follows: “A recognition of the title of the owner prevents or arrests the running of the period of limitation; and on the question as to whether the claimant’s possession was adverse or hostile, evidence of his acts and declarations is admissible. As it is said, ‘a single lisp or acknowledgment by the Defendant that he claims no title fastens a character upon his possession which makes it unavailable for ages’.”

For other authorities see those cited by the text, and also Mhoon v. Cain, 77 Tex. 316, 14 S.W. 24; Johnson v. Martinez, Tex.Civ.App., 18 S.W.2d 925;. Texas & N. O. Ry. Co. v. Speights, 94 Tex. 350, 60 S.W. 659; Texarkana National Bank v. Ealy, Tex.Civ.App., 130 S.W.2d 433; Lindquist v. Sanford, Tex.Civ.App., 132 S.W.2d 279.

Since the testimony stated sufficiently supports the judgment the same is not subj ect to the attack made by this contention.

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165 S.W.2d 469, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miller-v-roberson-texapp-1942.