Polhamus v. Hines

128 Misc. 299, 218 N.Y.S. 401, 1926 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 775
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 6, 1926
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 128 Misc. 299 (Polhamus v. Hines) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Polhamus v. Hines, 128 Misc. 299, 218 N.Y.S. 401, 1926 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 775 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1926).

Opinion

Michael J. Larkin, J.

Plaintiff brings this action against the defendants for the purpose of reforming two right of way deeds, each dated June 23/1921, one given by the defendant Patrick F. McDonald to the defendant Peter F. Klinkert and Mary Klinkert, his wife, since deceased, and the other given by the defendant Peter F. Klinkert and wife to the defendant Patrick F. McDonald. [301]*301The deed to the Klinkerts was recorded April 1, 1922, and the deed to McDonald was recorded December 29, 1922.

On and prior to June 23, 1921, the defendant Patrick F. McDonald and the defendant Peter Klinkert, and his wife, Mary Klinkert, since deceased, were the owners respectively of the adjoining properties situate at Nos. 121 and 123 Ashworth place, Syracuse, N. Y. The properties are parts of lot 126, block 222, and each lot as so conveyed had a frontage of 31 feet on said Ash-worth place and was 100 feet in depth.

Prior to the said 23d day of June, 1921, the defendants Patrick F. McDonald and Peter F. Klinkert, and the latter's wife, who was then alive, negotiated and arranged for a right of way over their adjoining properties of eight feet in width, four feet in width over and along the land of each, and for the purpose of carrying into effect their agreement each of the owners deeded to the other what was then supposed to be a right of way of four feet in width, the defendant McDonald intending ,to convey to the defendant Klinkert and his wife a right of way over the easterly four feet of their lot and premises, and the defendant Klinkert and his wife intending to convey to the defendant McDonald a right of why over the westerly four feet of their lot and premises. The conveyances executed and delivered at the time by the defendant McDonald and the defendant Klinkert and his wife did not in fact describe and convey the right of way intended by them, but, on the contrary, the scrivener made an error in describing the rights of way. At the close of the plaintiff’s case and upon the stipulation of counsel it was conceded that at the time of the execution and delivery of the right of way deeds on June 23, 1921, the intention was to establish a right of way eight feet in width, as aforesaid.

The purpose of the right of way deeds is expressed therein as giving to the grantees, their heirs and assigns, and their agents and servants, and the tenants and occupants from time to time of the premises, and any other person or persons, for their advantage, to pass and repass on foot and with animals and vehicles over the described rights of way.

A restriction was incorporated in each conveyance that no building be placed upon the rear of the premises occupied by either party other than an automobile garage and that no automobile garage be so placed except a garage limited in capacity to contain two automobiles, and that no garage used as a repair garage or automobile workshop be placed upon either of said premises, and that in the event of a breach of such restrictions the right of way was to become void and that either party could enter upon and take the premises so conveyed without notice.

[302]*302In addition to the stipulation the evidence clearly shows that it was intended to establish a right of way along the adjacent premises for the benefit of the then owners and that a mutual mistake was made in not carrying out such intention. The attorney who drew the right of way conveyances testified that such was the intention of the parties and that a mistake was made by him in describing the rights of way intended to be conveyed.

On May 27, 1922, the defendant Peter F. Klinkert, his wife being then dead, conveyed the premises owned by him at No. 123 Ashworth place to the plaintiff and her husband by warranty deed, no mention being made therein of the right of way which had theretofore been established between the adjoining properties, but containing the clauses: “ Together with the appurtenances and all the estate and rights of the party of the first part in and to said premises. To have and to hold the premises herein granted unto the parties of the second part, and to their heirs and assigns forever.”

On September 12, 1923, Guy M. Polhamus conveyed to his wife, the plaintiff, Clara M. Polhamus, his interest in the property which had been conveyed to them by the defendant Klinkert and his wife. No mention was made of the right of way, but the deed did convey the appurtenances, and the premises were to be held by the grantee, her heirs and assigns forever.

On December 27, 1922, the defendant Patrick F. McDonald, then unmarried, conveyed to the defendants Frank L. Hines and Grace D. Hines the lot and premises which he owned at 121 Ash-worth place, subject to an unpaid mortgage thereon. The deed recited: This conveyance is also made subject to a certain right of way over the easterly four (4) feet of the aforesaid premises and more particularly described in a right of way agreement dated June 23, 1921, and recorded on the 1st day of April, 1922, in Book 513 of Deeds, at page 90. Together with the appurtenances and all the estate and rights of the party of the first part in and to said premises. To have and to hold the premises herein granted unto the parties of the second part, their heirs and assigns forever.” This deed to the defendants Hines was recorded in the Onondaga county clerk’s office on December 29, 1922, at four p. m., and the right of way deed from Klinkert and his wife to McDonald was recorded on the same day at four-eight p. m.

On September 22, 1925, and before the commencement of this action, the defendant Klinkert conveyed to the plaintiff by quitclaim deed all of his right, title and interest in and to the right of way described in the right of way deed given to him by the defendant McDonald on June 23, 1921. This last-mentioned right [303]*303of way conveyance was recorded in the Onondaga county clerk’s office on April 14, 1926.

A garage was built by the defendant McDonald on his premises before he conveyed to the defendants Hines and since their purchase it has been occupied and used by them. In driving to and from the garage the defendants Hines drive over a cinder path or driveway between the two houses and between two sidewalks, one on the Polhamus property and the other on the Hines property, and the wheels of their automobile pass over the Polhamus sidewalk.

A case of mutual mistake has been clearly established and reformation of the conveyances should be had in order that the intention of the parties be carried out. (Southard v. Curley, 134 N. Y. 148; Voci v. Page, 123 Misc. 766, 770; Jamaica Savings Bank v. Taylor, 72 App. Div. 567; Millspaugh v. Cassedy, 191 id, 221, 227, 228; Pitcher v. Hennessy, 48 N. Y. 415, 423; Delap v. Leonard, 189 App. Div. 87, 89; MacDonald v. Crissey, 215 N. Y. 609, 616; Born v. Schrenkeisen, 110 id. 55.) In the last case cited the court (at p. 59) said: “ Where there is no mistake about the agreement, and the only mistake alleged is in the reduction of that agreement to writing, such mistake of the scrivener, or of either party, no matter how it occurred, may be corrected.”

The defendants Hines contend that plaintiff is not entitled to recover for the following reasons: First That reformation of a deed can only be had as between the original parties and their privies. Second. That they were bona fide

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

Related

General Development Corporation v. Kirk
251 So. 2d 284 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1971)
Siegel v. Faryniarz
9 Misc. 2d 1035 (New York Supreme Court, 1957)
Bailey v. Stedronsky
13 N.E.2d 588 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1936)
Burlingham v. Hanrahan
140 Misc. 512 (New York Supreme Court, 1931)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
128 Misc. 299, 218 N.Y.S. 401, 1926 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 775, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/polhamus-v-hines-nysupct-1926.