Rector v. Price

1 Mo. 373
CourtSupreme Court of Missouri
DecidedNovember 15, 1823
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 1 Mo. 373 (Rector v. Price) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rector v. Price, 1 Mo. 373 (Mo. 1823).

Opinion

M’Girk, C. J.,

delivered the opinion of the Court.

This is a bill brought by Elias Rector, in his life-time, against RisdOn H. Price.

The hill goes for specific performance of a contract for the sale of land. It appears by the bill, that on the 21st of June, 1816, or thereabouts, Rector, in company with Messrs. Riddle, Beckle & Sloo, purchased of the United States, 1984 acres of tad, situate in the Illinois, of which Rector owned one-fourth part, and paid and. [265]*265obtained patents therefor, in the the year 181 — . That shortly afterwards, Rector purchased of Justus Post, the undivided third part of 3540 96-100 acres in the Illinois, also, where the town of America stands, in all, 476 acres. That the land purchased of Post was entered, but not paid for, and Rector held Post’s bond, to make title as soon as patents could be obtained from the United States. That Rector, in June 21st, 1816, sold to Price the third of his interest in the above land; that is to say, 62 acres in the first tract, and 414 in the second parcel, for which Price paid him in land and money, as follows; eleven thousand nine hundred dollars in all; sixteen hundred arpents of land in the county ot Howard, m Missouri, at the price of four thousand eight hundred dollars ; one lot of land in the town of St. Louis, at the price of eight hundred dollars; five arpens of land, adjoining the town of St. Louis, at the price of two thousand five hundred dollars; three hundred and fifty acres of land, on an island in the Mississippi river, seven miles above St. Louis, for the price of two thousand eight hundred dollars; and the sum of one thousand dollars in cash. That, at the time of the contract, patents had not issued for said land. Rector gave his bond to Price, in the penalty of $23,800, conditioned to make to him a good title, free from all incumbrances, in three years from the date, or sooner, if patents could be obtained. That, at the time of the sale, it was well known to Price, that divers persons were interested in the entries of the lands, and that the ultimate time of making final payments, would not arrive within the three years limited for making the complete title, by Rector to Price, and that Rector intended to accelerate the payments. That, immediately after the sale, Price took possession of the land, and has ever since remained in possession. That Price had perfect knowledge of the quality, situation, and value of the land, and expressly denies misrepresentation to him. That, at the time of the sale, the complainant entertained a well founded hope that patents would have issued from the United States, in time to have saved his bond, and that, in this, complainant was disappointed. That, being anxious to save his bond from forfeiture, he did, on the day his bond was out, make and tender to Price, a deed in fee simple, for said land, and that the patent had not yet issued for the land, nor had Post paid to the United States the money due on said land. That Price refused to accept said deed, and sued on said bond immediately, and recovered the penalty of 23,800; and that Price is about to take out execution thereon. That in March, 1821, as complainant was informed, final payments were made by Post, and patents issued, but not come to Post’s hands. Post, on the 1st May, 1821, made a deed of the land to Rector, and that he, on 20th June of the same year, and still before the arrival of the patents, made and executed another deed to Price, for the land, which was also refused.

The hill then states, that Price had failed to cpnvey to him one tract of land in payment, at $2,800, and that the title to the 1600 arpents tract, had entirely failed, which was sold to him at $4,800, and that these two sums he was in danger of losing by reason of Price’s insolvency.

And also, that a conditional division .of lots, in the town of America, was madp between Mm, Price, .and others, setting apart the part Price should have, in the event it should be decreed that Price should take the land.

The bill then states, that the 62 acres he sold to Price, out of the tract entered by Riddle & Co. had been long patented, and that the complainant had ofiered to make Price a title to that, but does not show, whether the patents issued for that part, be[266]*266fore or since the bond became forfeited, nor whether before or since that period, the deed was offered.

The bill then prays a specific performance, and that Price may be compelled to take the land, and that he be enjoined, on the judgment at law, and for general relief.

The supplemental bill states, that the patents have come to hand. This bill was filed August, 1822.

The defendant’s answer admits the purchases made as stated in the bill; admits the judgment at law, and that he is about to take out execution; denies taking possession of the ¡and; admits he knew of the nature of Rector’s title, and asserts, he refused to purchase, unless Rector would bind himself to make title within three years, at most.

The answer denies all knowledge of situation, except from Rector; and in answer to that part of the bill, which calls an answer, if any misrepresentation was made, answers and charges: „

First. That the plan of the town, exhibited to him at the time of the purchase, is not the one on which the town was afterwards laid off, by which his number of lots were diminished.

Second. That the town scite is not high and dry, as represented to him by Rector.

Third. Misrepresentations about intended improvement, and a canal.

The answer charges it to have been Rector’s own fault, that the patents did not issue in time to save the bond, and shows large sums of money were received of Price and T. Douglass, in payment for the same land; and insists, that, with that money, Rector ought to have paid the United Slates, and obtained the patents.

•The answer admits, Rector tendered the deeds, and that he refused to take them, because Rector had no title; admits the recovery on the bond, and charges that Rector vexatiouslv delayed him in his recovery, say two years, and caused the defendant to expend large sums of money, &c.; admits patents may have issued, but insists, he ought not now tobe compelled to take the land.

The defendant admits his inability to convey good titles for the two tracts’mentioned, and offers to deduct the price of them, with interest, from the sum equitably due him.

There were some depositions in this case, that will be noticed in their proper place, if deeded material.

The complainant relies on the following points, for a decree.

First. That, in this case, time is not material.

Second. That when it is liot material, equity always relieves against a forfeiture.

Third. That when the title of the vendor is incomplete, at the time of the sale, and that fact is known to the. vendee, a Court of Equity will give time to complete the title, and not dismiss the hill.

Fourth. That, in equity,-if a good title can he made at the time of the decree, it is enough.

Fifth. That when the vendee is let into possession, at the time of the contract, or immediately after, a specific performance will never he refused on the objection of time having passed.

Sixth. That no change of value, after the contract made, can be an objection to a specific performance.

Seventh.

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Bluebook (online)
1 Mo. 373, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rector-v-price-mo-1823.