Rowland v. Ralston

25 N.W.2d 526, 147 Neb. 886, 1947 Neb. LEXIS 124
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 3, 1947
DocketNo. 32103
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 25 N.W.2d 526 (Rowland v. Ralston) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rowland v. Ralston, 25 N.W.2d 526, 147 Neb. 886, 1947 Neb. LEXIS 124 (Neb. 1947).

Opinion

Wenke, J.

This action arises by reason of Jessie D. Ralston objecting to the probate of the will of Dora Frances Johnston, deceased, when offered for probate by John A. Rowland who is named executor therein.

From an order of the district court for Dawson County sustaining a motion for a directed verdict and admitting the will of the deceased to probate, her motion for new trial having been overruled, the contestant appeals.

The parties agree that the appeal presents the following propositions: Was there evidence requiring the issue of undue influence to be submitted to the jury; and did the court erroneously exclude any competent, relevant, and material evidence on the issue of undue influence ?

The burden of proof to establish undue influence is on the party so alleging. In re Estate of Hagan, 143 Neb. 459, 9 N. W. 2d 794; In re Estate of George, 144 Neb. 887, 15 N. W. 2d 80.

“In making proof, a contestant is not limited to the bare facts that he may be able to adduce, but he is entitled to the benefit of all inferences which may be legitimately derived from established facts.” In re Estate of Bowman, 143 Neb. 440, 9 N. W. 2d 801.

“Undue influence, in order to invalidate a will, must be of such character as to destroy the free agency of the testator and substitute another person’s will for his own.” In re Estate of Bowman, supra. See, also, In re Estate of George, supra.

“The elements necessary to be established to warrant the rejection of a will on the ground of undue influence are: (1) That the testator was subject to such influence; (2) that the opportunity to exercise it existed; (3) That there [888]*888was a disposition to exercise it; (4) that the result appears to be the effect of such influence.” In re Estate of George, supra.

Dora Frances Johnston died on June 25, 1945, a resident of Farnam, Dawson County, Nebraska. She was a widow at the time of her death and left as her immediate family and other relatives, all of whom are named in her will as either devisees or legatees, the following: Jessie D. Ralston, a daughter; John Ralston, a grandson; Jean Ralston, a granddaughter; the grandchildren being children of Jessie D. and Pree Ralston; Minnie T. Parker, a sister; Samuel F. Parker, a brother-in-law; Sarah J. Parker, a niece; Mar-gar ette Rowland,.a niece; and Louise Lindvall, a niece; the nieces all being children of Minnie T. and Samuel F. Parker.

There are others referred to in the evidence who are related to the deceased by marriage but such relationship will be shown if it becomes necessary to refer to such testimony.

The will here involved was executed on September 9, 1941, and, insofar as it provides for the distribution of the assets of the deceased, is a duplicate of a previous will executed on November 24, 1934. This new will was drawn solely because of the death of the executors named in the previous will of 1934 and a codicil thereto, executed on December 15, 1939.

The will offered for probate provides as follows: To her daughter, Jessie D. Ralston, the life use of the east half of Section 29, Township 9 north, Range 25, west of the 6th P. M., in Dawson County, and at her death to the heirs of her body; to the grandson, John Ralston, Lots 14 and 15 in Block 10 in the original town of Farnam; to the granddaughter, Jean Ralston, Lots 13 and 14 in Block 3 in the original town of Farnam, Lots 7, 8, 9, and 10 in Block 10 in the original town of Farnam, Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 in Block 1 in the third addition to Farnam, and Lot 1 in Block 1 in the second addition to Farnam; to her sister, Minnie T. Parker, all stock in the Farnam Bank (59% shares) and a one-half interest in Lots 15, 16, 17, and 18 in Block 7 in the original town of Farnam and a one-half in[889]*889terest in Lot 1 in the southwest addition to the town of Farnam; to her brother-in-law, Samuel F. Parker, all of the real estate owned in Frontier County which property is situated in the town of Curtis and adjacent thereto, being the property acquired in the Roth foreclosure; to each of the three nieces, Margarette Rowland, Louise Lindvall, and Sara J. Parker, the sum of $1,000; all the rest, residue, and remainder of the property, either real or personal, after payment of all debts and funeral expenses as in said will provided, to her sister and brother-in-law, Minnie T. Parker and Samuel F. Parker, share and share alike.

The residue of the estate, both real and personal, not in the will specifically bequested or devised is, according to the inventory filed by the special administrator, of the approximate value of $20,238.75. This would be subject to the three bequests of $1,000 each and the debts, funeral expenses, and costs of administration, the amount of which is not shown but which is estimated at about $2,500.

This will contains this further provision': “My object in dividing my property in the foregoing manner is to give my daughter and grandchildren the property I have heretofore received.from my husband; the property I received from my father to my sister, and the residue as designated, to the Parker family for S. F. Parker’s success in handling my affairs all these years.”

“A testator may dispose of his property as he pleases. The law does not require that he recognize his relatives therein, nor does it put any obstacle in the way of the aged or infirm in making disposition of their property by will; provided, only, that their mentality conforms to the accepted tests at the time of the execution of such testamentary instrument.” In re Estate of Goist, 146 Neb. 1, 18 N. W. 2d 513.

Dora Frances Johnston was born on December 22, 1858. She was a daughter of Mason J. and Isabelle Tufts. She came to Dawson County with her parents in 1883. The only other member of the family is her sister Minnie T. Parker, nee Tufts. On May 28, 1884, Dora married William John[890]*890ston. Thereafter they made their home on a farm near Farnam in Dawson County until he died on October 6, 1915.

To this marriage one child was born, Jessie D. Ralston, the contestant here. The daughter married Pree Ralston in 1907. He was a banker by profession and immediately after the marriage they made their home in Wellfleet. They lived there until 1911 when they moved to Brady. They then lived in Brady until 1917 when they moved to Cozad where they resided until 1941. However, after the bank holiday of 1933 her husband was no longer connected with a bank but only engaged in such odd jobs as he could find. In this loss of his employment he also lost all of their property except their home and at the time of the mother’s death they had accumulated very little in addition thereto.

Three children were born to the daughter. One died in infancy and the other two are the grandchildren named in the will, to wit: John Ralston and Jean Ralston.

Deceased’s sister married Samuel F. Parker in 1893 and, until 1898, they made their home on a farm near Farnam. In 1898, they moved to Farnam and he there engaged in the profession of banking and was so engaged at the time of the trial, being connected with the Farnam Bank. Three daughters were born to this marriage and are the nieces named in the will and to each of whom is bequeathed the sum of $1,000. They are Sara J. Parker, Margarette Rowland, and Louise Lindvall.

All of these people are of age. In fact the principal parties have or had reached rather mature years.

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Related

In Re Maruska's Estate
64 N.W.2d 734 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1954)
Allen v. Farr
33 N.W.2d 454 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1948)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
25 N.W.2d 526, 147 Neb. 886, 1947 Neb. LEXIS 124, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rowland-v-ralston-neb-1947.