Steel Estate

49 Pa. D. & C.2d 20, 1970 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 362
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
DecidedFebruary 27, 1970
Docketno. 255 of 1912
StatusPublished

This text of 49 Pa. D. & C.2d 20 (Steel Estate) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Steel Estate, 49 Pa. D. & C.2d 20, 1970 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 362 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1970).

Opinion

LEFEVER, J.,

Henry M. Steel died on February 1, 1911, survived by his wife, Mary, and his four children, Warner, Marianna, Edith and Marjorie; one granddaughter, Marjorie S. Bradley (born March 17, 1908), child of his daughter, Marjorie Steel Bradley; also a grandson (en ventre sa mere) Robert W. Swift, Jr., child of his daughter, Edith Steel Swift.

[22]*22By his will, dated March 19, 1906, he gave his residuary estate to his executors in trust, and after making provisions for the maintenance of his residence, which long since has been sold, and the payment of certain annuities, which long since have terminated by death of the annuitants, he provided in respect of the distribution of the income and principal as follows:

“(I) ... I direct my executors, or the survivors or survivor of them, from the remaining income to pay unto my wife, during her life, fifty per centum thereof, and to each of my children twelve and one half per centum thereof, and in the event of the decease of any of my said children, leaving issue to survive such deceased child, said issue shall receive the portion or share of income to which the parent would have been entitled, if living. . . .If, however, any of my children shall die without issue, then the share of income of such deceased child or children shall be divided among my living children and the issue of any deceased child or children, the latter to take the portion or share as the parent or parents would have taken, if living.”
“(L) Upon the decease of my wife and all of my children, the principal of my estate shall be divided among the issue of my deceased children they to take by representation, and not per capita, but the portion of the principal of my said estate shall be paid unto such issue when each one shall arrive at the age of twenty-five years, and until such time the principal to which such issue is entitled shall be held in trust by my executors, or the survivors or survivor of them, and if said issue shall die before arriving at said age, the share or portion of the principal of my estate which such issue would have received shall be di[23]*23vided among the remaining issue of the deceased parent.
“My intention being that one fourth of the principal of the estate shall be paid to the issue of my deceased children, provided all of my deceased children shall leave issue to survive them; in the event that one or more of my children shall be deceased without leaving issue, then the principal of the estate shall be divided by representation into as many shares as there are issue living of the deceased child or children.
“In the event of the death of all of my children, should there be issue surviving any of them, it is my wish that the income of my estate shall be applied by my executors or the survivors or survivor of them, as they in their judgment shall deem proper and best, to the support, education and maintenance of any of such issue until such issue shall arrive at the age of twenty-five years when the principal shall vest in manner as aforesaid.”

In paragraph (M) of his will testator provided that in the event all of his children should die without leaving issue, the principal should be distributed, three-fourths to the surviving issue of his brothers, Edward T. Steel, William G. Steel and Charles F. Steel, by representation and the remaining one-fourth among certain named charities.

By codicil C, dated June 14, 1909, testator modified paragraph (L) of his will as follows:

“In regard to clause ‘If making final devise of the principal of my estate, instead paying proportionate amounts to each grandchild when arriving at the age of twenty-five (25) years there is to be no division of the principal of my estate to any beneficiary until the youngest grandchild now living or subsequently born arrive at the age of twenty-five (25) years, each in the meanwhile however enjoying the income as provided in clause L.”

[24]*24Testator s wife, Mary, died on March 25,1914. After her death, the share of income formerly paid to her was added proportionately to the shares paid to testator’s four children, Marjorie Steel Bradley, who survives, Warner J. Steel, who died May 22, 1934, Marianna J. Steel, who died April 25, 1941, and Edith Steel Swift, who died February 17, 1951. Upon the deaths of Marianna and Warner, without issue surviving, their respective shares of income were added proportionately to the remaining shares.

Upon the death of Edith Steel Swift, her share was paid equally to her four children until the death on July 4, 1968, of her son, Robert W. Swift, Jr., survived by four children, Robert W. Swift, 3rd, Rosamond Swift Emery, Madelaine B. Swift and Joan Swift. The latter two, Madelaine and Joan, were minors, and James J. Convery, Esq., was appointed guardian ad litem for them by decree dated December 27, 1968. The aforesaid Madelaine B. Swift has since attained her majority.

The pending fourth account of the corporate trustee has been filed because of the death of said grandson, Robert W. Swift, Jr. The questions posed by his death are, inter alia: (1) who is now entitled to receive the income formerly paid to Robert; and (2) who will receive the principal of the trust to which he would have been eventually entitled, if he had lived.

The accountant takes the position (1) that Robert’s four children, great-grandchildren of testator, are presently entitled to receive his share of the income; and (2) his share of the principal will not be vested and determinable until the class closes upon the death of Marjorie Steel Bradley, testator’s last surviving child, but, in any event, his estate or heirs are not entitled to it as such. Notice of the audit, as well as the questions presented and accountant’s position covering same, has been given to all interested par[25]*25ties, including collaterals and charities who would take if testator’s presently-living 35 descendants predecease Marjorie Steel Bradley, a most unlikely possibility.

The executors of Robert’s Estate take the position that Robert’s share of the income is now payable to his estate, contending that Robert, at the death of his mother, acquired an indefeasible vested interest in his grandfather’s estate.

Waivers of income have been filed by all interested parties.

Where a testator provides distribution of income from a testamentary trust along family lines, but uses the designation of “child or children” of a deceased child, the courts have refused to adopt a narrow interpretation and have held that the words “child or children” mean “issue” so as to give effect to testator’s intent. Thus, it was stated in Clark Estate, 359 Pa. 411, 422(1948):

“No court will adopt a testamentary construction which will bring about such an unnatural and inequitable distribution of testator s property unless the language of the will unequivocally requires it. The language of this will makes no such requirement. When the testator provided for the distribution of his trust estate among ‘the living children of his deceased children ‘per stirpes’ — that is, . . . by representation of their parents respectively . . .’ , he obviously intended to include in the term ‘their living children’ not only the second generation of children after him but also the third generation.” (Italics supplied.)

And in Carnegie Estate, 18 D. & C.

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Bluebook (online)
49 Pa. D. & C.2d 20, 1970 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 362, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/steel-estate-pactcomplphilad-1970.