Shugart v. Shugart

248 S.W. 328
CourtTexas Commission of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 21, 1923
DocketNo. 329-3685
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 248 S.W. 328 (Shugart v. Shugart) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Commission of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shugart v. Shugart, 248 S.W. 328 (Tex. Super. Ct. 1923).

Opinion

HAMILTON, J.

We adopt the statement of the case as made by the Court of Civil Appeals, which follows:

“On the 19th day of July, 1S77, Stokely S. Shugart executed a deed, conveying to his wife, Nancy, a life estate in 178 acres of land, with remainder to their two daughters, Artitia and Louisa (the lower half to Artitia and the upper half to Louisa), upon conditional limitation expressed in the following clauses contained in the deed, to wit: ‘And in ease that either or both Artitia and Louisa Shugart should die without heirs of their body, the above and within described land shall revert to and be divided between L. C. Shugart, and his heirs; and if only one should die without heirs, her half shall be divided between the other and L. C. Shugart’s heirs.’
“Louisa survived her father, the grantor, and the mother, Nancy, the life tenant, and died in 1915, seized of the upper half of the land. No children were born to her, but she left surviving her the above-named Artitia, a full sis5 ter, and L. C. (Shugart), a half-brother, besides other legal heirs. On May 19, 1917, L. C. (Shugart) ■ executed a deed purporting to convey to appellant, his second wife and the stepgrandmother of appellees, an undivided one-half interest in the upper half of the land con[329]*329veyed to Louisa by the Stokely S. Shugart deed above referred to. Appellees, as the children and descendants of a deceased child of L. C. (Shugart), brought suit against appellant for an undivided one-half of said upper half of the land, making Mrs. Artitia Hill and husband defendants, and asking for partition.
“The case was tried before the court without a jury, who, after hearing the evidence, rendered judgment for appellees, granting the relief prayed for, from which appellant alone appeals. The court made and filed his findings of fact and conclusions of law, as follows:
“Findings of Fact.
“N. B. Shugart, R. ID. Shugart, and R. L. Hudnall, children, and Alvey, Fred, Lula May, and Griffin H. Dossey, minors, grandchildren of L. G. Shugart, deceased, by their next friend, N. B. Shugart, brought this suit in action of trespass to try title, and for damages, against M. L. Shugart, Artitia Hill and her husband, W. B. Hill, and T. H. Freeman, for title, possession, and rents for an undivided one-half interest in a tract of 89 acres of land on the Levi Taylor league in Milam county. Freeman filed a disclaimer as to title, being only a tenant. The Hills made no appearance, and M. L. Shugart filed a general demurrer and general denial.
“Plaintiffs in their petition allege that ,they and the defendant Artitia Hill are the joint owners of the land, and sot forth their respective interests. Defendant M. L. Shugart claims under a deed to her from L. O. Shugart. The contest is between plaintiffs and defendant Hill on the one side and M. L. Shugart on the other. M. L. Shugart is the second wife of L. O. Shu-gart, deceased, but is not the mother or grandmother of plaintiffs. Stokely S. Shugart, father of L. C. Shugart, is the common source, and the controversy arises over the construction of the following deed from Stokely S. Shugart to his wife, Nancy, and daughters, Artitia and Louisa, and is as follows, to wit:
“ ‘The State of Texas,' County of Milam: Know all men by this public instrument made and entered into by and between Stokely S. Shugart of the county of Milam, state of Texas, of the first part, and Nancy Shugart and Artitia Shugart and Louisa Shugart, of the county of Milam in the state of Texas, second .party, witnesseth: That for and in consideration of the natural love and affection of the party of the first part, for the party of the second part, as his wife and children, and also divers other good causes and considerations to the party of the first part, has given, granted, bargained, sold and conveyed and do hereby give, grant, bargain, sell and release first to his wife, Nancy Shugart, during her natural life, she having relinquished all claims to title in and of the estate of said Stokely S. Shugart, the following described land and premises lying and being situated in the county of Milam, state of Texas, and being a part of the Levi Taylor league on the Brazos river, to wit (field notes omitted herein) to the beginning, containing 178%acres. After the death of said Nancy Shugart to Artitia the lower half of the above survey upon which the family residence now stands * * * is hereby and herein deeded to said Artitia Shugart and her heirs after her, and to Louisa Shugart and her heirs after her is hereby and herein deeded the upper half of the above-described land (89% acres) and in case that either or both Artitia and Louisa Shu-gart should die without heirs of their body, the above and within described land shall revert to and be divided between L. .0. Shugart and his heirs, and if only one should die without heirs, her half shall be divided between the other and L. O. Shugart’s heirs. * * * To have and to hold all and singular the premises and hereditaments above mentioned, and hereby and herein granted, with the appurtenances thereto belonging to the said party of the second part and heirs after them, as above directed, to the only proper use and benefit of the said (party) of the second part and heirs after. them, as above directed, forever, and said party of the first part by this act binds himself, his heirs and administrators to warrant and forever defend all and singular the herein-before described premises unto the said party of the second part and their heirs after them, as above directed, against every person or persons whomsoever lawfully claiming or to claim the same or -any part thereof. * * * (The record discloses said deed to have been properly signed and acknowledged by the grantor on the 19th day of July A. D. 1877, and placed of record.)’
“The deed was made a short time prior to the death of Stokely S. Shugart, and was filed for record by him on the 18th day of February, 1878. Nancy was the second wife of Stokely S. Shugart, and Artitia and Louisa were his children by her. By his first wife Stokely S. Shugart had five children, viz: L. O. Shugart, Annie Lou Brown, Texana Green, Dorothy Jackson, and William Shugart. William died before his father, and prior to the execution of the. above deed. His wife also died, and they left one child, Fred, who is now living. Mrs. Brown was- reported dead, and so were her children. They have not been heard from for 25 or 30 years. Texana Green and Dorothy Jackson have not been heard of in 25 y'ears. L. C. Shugart died the 27th of January, 1918. He had four children, N. B. Shugart, R. E. Shugart (Hudnall), R. L. Shugart, and one child, Alice Shugart, mother of the minors, Harvey, Fred, Lula May, and Griffin Dossey. Alice was the only one of L. O. Shugart’s children that died and left children. It was agreed by counsel for plaintiffs and defendants that the minor plaintiffs have no guardian.
“Stokely S. Shugart, died in possession of the land in controversy, and his wife, Nancy, and daughters,1 Artitia and Louisa, occupied the land after his death. After the death of Stokely S. Shugart, his wife marrie.d a man by the name of Oglesman. She died about 2-1 years ago. After her death, Artitia and Louisa took their respective tracts of land. Artitia is living, a party defendant, and has four children. Louisa married James Simms. He lived only about 8 years after their marriage, and she remained a widow and died without having child or children and never had any children.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
248 S.W. 328, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shugart-v-shugart-texcommnapp-1923.