Stephens County Museum, Inc. v. Swenson

499 S.W.2d 676, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2766
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 21, 1973
DocketNo. 4574
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 499 S.W.2d 676 (Stephens County Museum, Inc. v. Swenson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stephens County Museum, Inc. v. Swenson, 499 S.W.2d 676, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2766 (Tex. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinions

WALTER, Justice.

Appellees have correctly stated the nature of this case as follows:

“This suit was filed by the Appellees, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, to set aside cash contributions of approximately $100,000.00 to Stephens County Museum, Inc.; the conveyance of 1761 acres of land to the Appellant Museum; the conveyance of 5777 acres of land and all of their mineral interests to S. T. Swenson, H. C. Logan, President of Citizens National Bank of Breckenridge, Texas, and First State Bank in Abilene, Texas, Trustees; and a certain Declaration of Trust pertaining to said land. After a trial by jury and based upon the verdict of the jury, the trial court entered judgment denying recovery of the first $50,000.00 contributed by Appellees to the Appellate Museum, but setting aside the second contribution of approximately $50,000.00, the conveyances and the Declaration of Trust [678]*678awarding Appellees title to the land and mineral rights described in such conveyances and removing the clouds cast on the title thereto by such conveyances, the Declaration of Trust and a Deed of Trust executed by the Appellant Trustees in favor of Farmers & Merchants Bank of DeLeon, Texas. From the judgment of the trial court, the Defendants, now the Appellants, have appealed. By cross-point, Appellees complain of the action of the trial court denying Ap-pellees’ recovery of the first $50,000.00 contributed to Appellant Museum.”

The first eight special issues and the jury’s answers are as follows:

“Special Issue No. 1-A

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of making the first $50,000.00 contribution to Stephens County Museum, Inc., the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, were acting under undue influence as that term has been defined ?
Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
Answer:_No_

Special Issue No. 1-B

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of making the first $50,000.00 contribution to Stephens County Museum, Inc., the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, did not understand the nature and subject matter of the transaction and the consequences of their act in making such contribution?
Answer ‘They did not understand,’ or ‘They did understand.’
Answer: They did understand_

Special Issue No. 2-A

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of making the second contribution of approximately $50,000.00 to Stephens County Museum, Inc., the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, were acting under undue influence as that term has been defined?
Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
Answer:_Yes

Special Issue No. 2-B

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of making the second contribution of approximately $50,000.00 to Stephens County Museum, Inc., the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, did not understand the nature and subject matter of the transaction and the consequences of their act in making such contribution?
Answer ‘They did not understand,’ or ‘They did understand.’
Answer: They did not understand

Special Issue No. 3-A

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of executing the deed dated July 14, 1970, conveying 1761 acres of land to Stephens County Museum, Inc., the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swen-son, were acting under undue influence, as that term has been defined?
Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
Answer:_Yes

Special Issue No. 3-B

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of executing the deed dated July 14, 1970, conveying 1761 acres of land to Stephens County Museum, Inc., the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swen-son, did not understand the nature and subject matter of the deed and the consequences of their act in signing such deed?
Answer ‘They did not understand,’ or ‘They did understand.’
Answer: They did not understand

[679]*679Special Issue No. 4 — A

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of executing the deed dated November 5, 1970, conveying approximately 5777 acres of land and all other mineral rights owned by the plaintiffs in Stephens County, Texas, to the defendant Trustees, the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, were acting under undue influence, as that terms has been defined ?
Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
Answer:_Yes

Special Issue No. 4-B

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of executing the deed dated November 5, 1970, conveying approximately 5777 acres of land and all other mineral rights owned by the plaintiffs in Stephens County, Texas, to the defendant Trustees, the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, did not understand the nature and subject matter of the deed and the consequences of their act in signing such deed?
Answer ‘They did not understand,’ or ‘They did understand.’
Answer: They did not understand

Special Issue No. 5-A

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of executing the Declaration of Trust dated November 19, 1970, the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, were acting under undue influence, as that term has been defined?
Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
Answer:_Yes

Special Issue No. 5-B

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that at the time of executing the Declaration of Trust dated November 19, 1970, the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, did not understand the nature and subject matter of the Declaration of Trust and the consequences of their act in signing such Declaration of Trust?
Answer ‘They did not understand,’ or ‘They did understand.’
Answer: They did not understand

Special Issue No. 6

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B. Swenson, did not place the deed dated July 14, 1970, conveying 1761 acres of land to Shephens County Museum, Inc., in the control of Stephens County Museum, Inc., with the intention that it should become operative as a conveyance of the land therein described?
Answer ‘They did not,’ or ‘They did.’
Answer: They did not_

Special Issue No. 7

Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the plaintiffs, Clara J. Swenson and Alma B.

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Related

Stephens County Museum, Inc. v. Swenson
517 S.W.2d 257 (Texas Supreme Court, 1974)

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Bluebook (online)
499 S.W.2d 676, 1973 Tex. App. LEXIS 2766, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stephens-county-museum-inc-v-swenson-texapp-1973.