Schuyler v. Wheelon

115 N.W. 259, 17 N.D. 161, 1908 N.D. LEXIS 21
North Dakota Supreme Court·Decided February 21, 1908·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

Fisk, J.

This is an appeal from a judgment in defendants’ favor rendered by the district court of Benson county, and comes ■here for trial de novo of the entire case.

Briefly stated the facts are that appellant, the owner of the S. Wj4> section 30, township 152, range 68, entered into a contract with respondent, F. E. Wheelon, on May 6, 1901, as follows:

“This agreement made this 6th day of May, 1901, by and between W. H. Schuyler, party of the first part, and F. E. Wheelon, party of the second part: That whereas, the Northern Pacific Railway Co. has located and is about to construct a railroad over and across the following described land situate in the county of Benson, state of North Dakota, of which the said party of the first part is the owner, to-wit: The S. W. of Sec. No. 30, Town 152, Range 68. Now, therefore, in consideration of the payment by said second party of one dollar in hand, paid to said first party, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, the party of the first part agrees that upon the location of townsite upon said land and upon the further consideration of the said party of the second part platting or causing to be platted, and advertising, etc., the above mentioned townsite, that he will convey to said second party by good and sufficient warranty deed, the undivided of all lots contained in above mentioned plat at any time said lots may be sold. Said plat to contain thirty acres of any part of above mentioned % section that second party may choose and shall be in close proximity to sidetrack. The party of the first part further agrees that he will not offer for sale any portion of above Rj section for town-[163] site purposes except the above mentioned lots in above mentioned plat until such time as 75% of said lots have been sold. The party of the first part reserves the right to till said lots until such time as they shall be sold.
“In witness whereof, both parties have hereunto set their hands the day and year first above written.
“W. H. Schuyler.
“F. E. Wheelon.
“Signed and delivered in presence of
“T. H. Deshane.
“Francis E. Kain.”

The execution of said contract was not acknowledged so as to entitle it -to be recorded. Two days later, at the solicitation of said respondent and his attorney, another agreement was entered into between said parties as of the same date as the prior contract. This latter agreement is as follows:

“This agreement made this 6th day of May, 1901, by and between W. H. Schuyler, party of the first part, and F. E. Wheelon, party of the second part: Witnesseth, that whereas the Northern Pacific Railway Company has located a railroad over and across the following described lands, situated in the county of Benson, state of North Dakota, which land is now the property of first party and described as follows, to wit: The southwest quarter of section thirty in township number one hundred and fifty-two north, of range number sixty-eight west of the Fifth P. M. That in consideration of the sum of one dollar in hand paid -by the said second party unto the party of the first part, the receipt whereof is hereby acko-wledged, and services to be performed as hereinafter described, the said party of the first part hereby agrees to convey by good and sufficient warranty deed an undivided one-half' interest of such portion of said southwest quarter of section thirty as second party may deem advisable to lay out and plat into blocks and town lots, which land shall be included in the townsite as located by the Northern Pacific Railway Co., and so much land in addition as second party may conclude to lay out and plat into blocks and town lots, however, not to exceed thirty (30) acres. Said conveyance shall be made by first party as soon as the said land is properly surveyed and platted. Second party agrees in consideration of the covenant of this contract, to.properly survey, plat and lay out into [164] blocks and town lots said land. First party further agrees in consideration of the covenants of this contract, not to sell or offer for sale, any portion of said land or the aforesaid southwest quarter of section) thirty, town and range aforesaid, . except as herein provided, until at least seventy-five per cent of the lots which shall be platted and is to be platted under the terms of this contract by said second party, shall have been sold. It is further agreed by and between the parties hereto, that after said land is platted they shall be owners of all of such lots as shall be platted under the terms of this agreement, share and share alike. First party reserves the right to cultivate all of said lots.
“In witness whereof, the said parties have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and date first above written, in duplicate..
“W. H. Schuyler.
“F. E. Wheelon.
“By S. W. Wheelon, Atty. in Fact.
“[Acknowledgment.] ”

It is appellant’s -contention that the latter contract was intended to supersede the former, and that the same is void because it iff too vague and indefinite as to the description of the property affected thereby. The object of the action is to have the latter contract adjudged null and void and canceled of record, and to perpetually enjoin defendants from asserting any rights thereunder. T!he trial court dismissed the action for want of equity, holding said latter contract valid, and the description of the property sufficiently definite and certain.

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Schuyler v. Wheelon, 115 N.W. 259, 17 N.D. 161, 1908 N.D. LEXIS 21 (N.D. 1908).

115 N.W. 259 (Schuyler v. Wheelon) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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