Stewart v. Stewart

47 A. 633, 61 N.J. Eq. 25, 16 Dickinson 25, 1900 N.J. Ch. LEXIS 19
CourtNew Jersey Court of Chancery
DecidedDecember 6, 1900
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 47 A. 633 (Stewart v. Stewart) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Court of Chancery primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stewart v. Stewart, 47 A. 633, 61 N.J. Eq. 25, 16 Dickinson 25, 1900 N.J. Ch. LEXIS 19 (N.J. Ct. App. 1900).

Opinion

Magie, Chancellor.

The bill in this cause was filed by Cornelia Gertrude Stewart, executrix and trustee under the will of Thomas Congdon Stewart, and Harry Meyers as executor and trustee of the estate of Thomas Congdon Stewart.

Its prayer is for a construction of the will of Thomas Congdon Stewart and for instructions in respect to the complainants duty thereunder.

The defendants are Thomas Harrington Stewart, a son of testator, and Rebecca H. Stewart, his wife; Mary Stewart, their daughter, and William W. Scott, Matilda T. Scott, William Hayes, Thomas F. Noonan, Jr., Thomas Fallon, Thomas Harrington and William H. Rees.

An answer has been filed by Thomas Harrington Stewart and Rebecca H., his wife, and Thomas Harrington; and another by William W. Scott, and a formal answer has been filed by the guardian of Mary Stewart, who is an infant.

A decree pro confesso has been taken against Matilda T. Scott, William Hayes, Thomas F. Noonan, Jr., Thomas Fallon and William II. Rees.

The cause has been -brought to hearing upon the pleadings' and a statement of facts agreed on by the solicitors of the-complainants and of the answering defendants, other than the guardian of the infant defendant.

It appears thereby that Thomas Congdon Stewart died May 15th, 1897, having made and published his last will which was duly probated in the orphans court by Cornelia Gertrude Stewart and Charles Fanning Stewart, who were the executors and trustees named-therein; that Charles died May 10th, 1899, and by his will gave all his estate to Cornelia; that Cornelia,as surviving executor and trustee of Thomas Congdon Stewart,stated and settled an account- in the orphans court, exhibiting the condition of the estate at the expiration of two years after [27]*27testator’s death, and showing a balance of personal estate of over $40,000; that Cornelia thereafter, under the power conferred upon her by the will, nominated Harry Meyers as a successor to the deceased Charles; that the testator died seized of a house and lot, which the will calls his homestead, and of two other tracts of land, which three tracts comprised all the real estate of which he died seized; and that the personal estate exhibited by the account of the executrix comprised all the personal estate of the deceased.

Upon a bill of this sort, the court is not merely to counsel and advise, but it must decide and direct. Its action is to be confined to direction respecting present duty, and limited to interests immediately involved, and which must be properly and fully represented. Bonnell v. Bonnell, 2 Dick. Ch. Rep. 540; Griggs v. Veghte, 2 Dick. Ch. Rep. 179; House v. Ewen, 10 Stew. Eq. 368.

A construction is first sought of the first paragraph of the will, which reads thus:

“First. After payment of my just debts and expenses of funeral, in the discretion of my executors, I will and direct that my estate shall remain intact for two years after my decease, except as above provided and also for the support and maintenance of my wife and household as at present constituted, which I permit to be done from any income from my estate.”

As to the intent of testator expressed in this paragraph, I find no difficulty. He evidently intended thereby, first, that his executors, at their discretion, should pay his debts and funeral expenses; second, that except so far as the same was required for such payment, his executors were not to proceed to devote any part of his estate to the purposes afterwards declared in his will for a period of two years after his death,, but, third, during that period they might devote the income thereof to the support and maintenance of his wife and household as they were constituted at his death.

A construction is next sought of a part of paragraph 2 of the will, and instructions as to the effect thereon of the provisions of paragraph 3. The part of paragraph 2 in question and paragraph 3, read as follows:

[28]*28“I also give to my said wife the house and grounds attached where J now reside, for life, or during her widowhood, provided, always, it be used as a homestead for her and my son Charles. Upon the death .or re-marriage of my said' wife, I give the said homestead to my son, Charles Fanning Stewart, in fee.
“Third. I desire that at such time as may be agreeable and mutually •consent to by my wife and my son, Charles, the homestead be sold and •one purchased in lieu thereof by them, at a cost not exceeding eight thousand dollars ($8,000), and any excess in price gained be invested and added to my estate, the use of the said household as before stipulated.”

The part of paragraph 3 above given, standing alone, presents no difficulty. The testator’s devise to his wife was an estate, for life or during widowhood, in the house and lot therein specified to be used as a “homestead” for herself and his son Charles. The latter having died, his interest during the pen•dency of the wife’s estate, whatever it was, has ceased, but his •death can have no effect to defeat or diminish the estate expressly devised to her, which by both answers of the adult •defendants is admitted to be a life estate.

Nor does it admit of doubt’that, by the devise to Charles, an estate in fee was vested in him, which was transmissible by him by deed or will. 2 Washb. Real Prop. 228; Price v. Sisson, 2 Beas. 176; Weehawken Ferry Co. v. Sisson, 2 C. E. Gr. 475.

G-rave difficulty, however, arises when the intention of the testator, in paragraph 3, is sought.

The testator commences this paragraph “I desire.” On the part of the complainants it is contended that this expression ■“desire” is hortatory, or precatory, and not obligatory. That it is used in this sense is claimed to be indicated by the subsequent provision that the act desired is not to be done at •once, but only at such time as shall be agreeable and mutually •consented to by the persons to which the devises in paragraph ■3 had been made. On the part of the defendants, it is contended that even if the word “desire” be merely precatory it is so used as to create a trust of the homestead by implication.

It is unnecessary to discuss these diverse contentions, for I judge it clear that the word “desire” was used in paragraph 3 [29]*29in the same sense in which it was used in two other paragraphs of this will. Thus in paragraph 4, which is hereafter set out in full, testator says, “I desire the sum of $25,000 * * * set apart and invested * * * the revenue from which I give to my said wife for life,” &c. So in paragraph 7, also hereafter set out in full, he says, “all the rest and remainder * * * I desire invested * * * . the income from which shall be shared equally by my two sons and paid to them,” &c.

It does not admit of doubt, that in each of these examples the word “desire” did not bear a sense merely hortatory or precatory, but was equivalent to a positive direction.

The rule that words occurring more than once in a will shall be presumed to be used always in the same sense unless a contrary intention appear by the context, or unless the words be applied to a different subject, laid down by Mr. Jarman (S Jarm. Wills (B. & T. ed.) 707), is founded on reason, and is in accord with the fundamental rule which requires us to seek from the language of a will the intent of the testator.

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Bluebook (online)
47 A. 633, 61 N.J. Eq. 25, 16 Dickinson 25, 1900 N.J. Ch. LEXIS 19, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stewart-v-stewart-njch-1900.