Robertson v. Brown

13 Tenn. App. 211, 1931 Tenn. App. LEXIS 65
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedFebruary 28, 1931
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 13 Tenn. App. 211 (Robertson v. Brown) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robertson v. Brown, 13 Tenn. App. 211, 1931 Tenn. App. LEXIS 65 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1931).

Opinion

CROWNO.VER, J.

This case and the case of J. F. Murff, Administrator, v. I. F. Robertson, Executor, were heard together in the Chancery Court and by agreement were sent up to this court in one transcript, but separate decrees in each case were entered in the Chancery Court, and separate assignments of errors, briefs and arguments were filed in this court; hence we will prepare separate opinions in the two cases.

The original bill in this cause was filed by I. F. Robertson, executor of M. L. Moore, deceased, for the construction of his will, and particularly for the construction of a trust for Mrs. Lena Hale created by the will, praying that he be directed as to his duties with reference to the trust fund and with reference to the rights and interests of the parties defendant.

The bill was filed against Mrs. Willie Lane Brown, remainderman after the life estate of Mrs. Lena Hale, deceased, and all of the heirs of Garner Hale, the deceased husband and legatee of Lena Hale, and the creditors of both Lena Hale and Garner Hale, the purpose of the bill being to determine whether the remainder of the trust estate should go to the remainderman, Mrs. Willie Lane Brown, or to the administrators of the estates of Lena Hale and her husband, Garner Hale.

*214 J. F. Murff, administrator with the will annexed of Lena Hale, deceased, filed a cross-bill against I. F. R/obertson, executor, and all the heirs and devisees of M. L. Moore, asking for a full construction of said will and all of its parts, and for an accounting from said executor.

Defendant, Willie Lane Brown, filed her answer and cross-bill, seeking to recover the trust fund as remainderman of her mother, Mrs. Hale.

The heirs and creditors of Garner Hale and Mrs. Lena Hale also filed an answer.

The Chancellor held:

(1) That Lena Hale took a life estate in the Miller place, free from the control of her husband, with remainder in fee to her daughter, Willie Lane Brown.
(2) . That Sidney Moore took a general legacy of $1500, payable out of the estate after payment of specific legacies, devises and expenses of administration.
(3) That “what cash that may be on hand” consisted of the $7,414 in the lock box; the $337.99 on deposit in the Ilarpeth Yalley iBank, the $1567.67 and the $2000 in the Kingston Springs Bank; and that one-fifth of the total sum of these items was given as a specific legacy to each of the five named, Nannie C. Moore, Willie Lane Brown, Mollie Riggan, Lena Hale and Minnie King.
(4) That Lena Hale was given as a specific legacy a one-fifth interest of the proceeds of the Deal house and the King house, which were directed to be sold.
(5) That the wdll did not raise, create or impose a trust on the legacies given therein to Lena Hale but that she took the same absolutely and unencumbered.
(6) That the testator died intestate as to certain personal property consisting of stocks, bonds, notes and the remainder interest in his household goods.
(7) And that the cause be referred to the master for an accounting and settlement in accordance with these holdings.

Both Willie Lane Brown and I. F. Robertson, executor, appealed from said decree to this court and assigned errors, which are, in substance, that the Chancellor erred:

(1) In holding and decreeing that the bequest of “what cash that may be on hand, ’ ’ contained in the seventh paragraph of the will, was a specific and not a general legacy.
(2) In holding and decreeing that the bequest of “the sum of fifteen hundred ($1500) dollars in cash” to Sidney Moore, in the sixth paragraph of the will, was a general and not a specific legacy.
*215 (3) In holding and decreeing that testator died intestate as to certain personal property, consisting of stock, bonds, notes and the remainder interest in the proceeds of the sale of the household goods.
(4) In holding and decreeing that no trust was created by the will for Lena Piale.
(5) In not holding and decreeing that Lena Hale’s only interest under said trust was merely a right or privilege to receive an allowance for expenses or for her personal maintenance out of the income of said trust fund and that she had no interest in the corpus of said fund.

M. L. Moore, of Cheatham County, made and published his last will and testament on March 16, 1925, which will is as follows:

“Know all men by these present that I M. L. Moore, now make my last will, I desire and give to my wife, Nannie 6. Moore, my home place, also lot commencing North at G. W. Anderson’s southeast corner, running east with front street, thence south between parallel line to Hilma St., for the use and benefit of Nannie G. Moore during her life, at death of Nannie G. Moore, the two lots go to my three daughters, Mrs. Mollie Riggan, Mrs. Minnie King, and Mrs. Lena Hale, in case of death of either one of my daughters, then to their children. The two above lots to be sold after the death of Mrs. Nannie G. Moore.
“I give to my granddaughter, Willie Lane Brown, after her death, to her son Edgar Moore Brown, lot lying west of home place and known as Hale place. I give Bettie Adams use of house now living in until her death or as long as she uses it as her home, after her death this goes back to Willie Lane Brown.
“I give to Mollie Riggan lot on north side of railroad known as Garton place fronting on County road, running north between parallel lines to William Thompson’s. This lot for benefit of Mollie Riggan during her lifetime, at her death to go to her children.
“I give to Minnie King the Moss place fronting on R. R. Street and running between parallel lines to Hilma St. Also the Webb lot commencing at my corner in Richardson’s southeast corner, fronting 90 feet on Hilma St., thence south between parallel lines to Walker line. These two lots are for the use and benefit of Minnie P. King during her lifetime and at her death to go to her children.
“I give to my daughter Lena Hale lot on north side of railroad fronting County road, thence north between parallel lines to William Thompson line known as Miller place, same to be *216 free from control o'f her husband and at her death this is to go to her daughter, Willie Lane Brown.
“I give and bequeath to my brother, Sidney Moore, the sum of fifteen hundred ($1500) dollars in cash.
“I give and bequeath what cash that may be on hand to my wife, Nannie Gr. Moore, my granddaughter, Willie Lane Brown, and my three daughters, Mrs. Mollie Riggan, Mrs. Lena Hale and Mrs. Minnie King, same to be divided equally among all five named above.
"It is requested that after estate is administered on that all cash going to Mrs.

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Bluebook (online)
13 Tenn. App. 211, 1931 Tenn. App. LEXIS 65, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robertson-v-brown-tennctapp-1931.