Wampler v. Bolen

28 Ohio Law. Abs. 22, 1938 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1057
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 14, 1938
DocketNo 534
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 28 Ohio Law. Abs. 22 (Wampler v. Bolen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wampler v. Bolen, 28 Ohio Law. Abs. 22, 1938 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1057 (Ohio Ct. App. 1938).

Opinion

OPINION

By BARNES, PJ.

The above entitled cause is now being determined as an error proceeding by reason of plaintiff’s appeal on questions of law from the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Darke County, Ohio.

The issues between the parties are presented through plaintiff’s petition, defendant’s second amended answer and plaintiff’s reply.

The cause was submitted to the trial court and a jury, the court finally withdrawing the evidence from the jury’s consideration and making a -finding in favor of plaintiff in the sum of $60.00 on defendant’s proffer, in open court, to permit a recovery in that amount.

The issues between the parties are within very narrow bounds and rather than quote from the pleadings at leng-th, we state the issues in our own language.

The plaintiff, Robert C. Wampler, was the son of Rachel Wampler, the latter having departed this life on the 31st day of July, 1936, at an advanced age, leaving surviving her, three sons, her only heirs and next of kin. she left property of the inventory value of approximately $5,000.00. Prior to her death, her home was on a 19 acre farm near Union City. The plaintiff was unmarried and was a part of his mother’s household for many years prior to her death. During the last few years of Mrs. Wampler’s life, she had more or less sickness, on one occasion suffering a broken hip. Thereafter, pending her recovery, she moved around in a wheel chair and at times, required considerable attention. The plaintiff, Robert C. Wampler, gave to his mother much of his time in attending to her personal wants in addition to farming her small tract together with other contiguous farm land, which he rented from neighbors. The evidence presented supported his claim that during the lifetime of his mother he, at all times, gave her assistance in her household duties and during her later years, did the greater portion of the housework. This included doing the family washing, cooking, assisting his mother in her bath and other work ordinarily done by a woman in the care of a home.

Following the death of Mrs. Wampler, the plaintiff, Robert C. Wampler, presented [24]*24to her executor a claim for services set out at follows:

From January X, 1922 to January, 1928, 312 weeks at $2 $ 624.00

From January 1, 1928 to January 1, 1930, 104 weeks at $3 312.00

From January 1, 1930 to April 24, 1935, 286 weeks at $4 1144.00

From April 24, 1935 to July 12, 1936, 64 weeks at $10 640.00

Total amount due $2720.00

The executor rejected the account and within statutory time, plaintiff filed his action.

The petition, among other things, alleged that plaintiff rendered the services to his mother, Rachel Wampler, under an express agreement that plaintiff should be paid the reasonable value of such services out of her estate at her death -and that the services were reasonably'worth the amount detailed.

The defendant, executor, in his second amended answer as a first defense, admitted the allegations of the petition as to defendant’s appointment and qualification as executor of the estate of Rachel Wampler. The answer further admitted the presentation and rejection of the claim and thereafter denied each and every other allegation contained in the petition.

The second defense, among other things, averred that plaintiff was a son of the decedent; that during the period of time covered by the bill for services, he resided with his mother in a home owned by her; that the decedent, Rachel Wampler, left a will, the contents of which was known to the plaintiff; that the will was duly probated and no action brought to contest the will and that the will contained provisions .directing her executor to refuse payment of any accounts from any of her sons for care during her last illness, etc. The second defense also contained the averments, that under the terms of the will the plaintiff,.Robert C. Wampler, was named as one of the beneficiaries and under the provisions of the will would receive one-half of the distributive portion of said estate. Further, that said Robert C. Wampler had accepted the provisions of said will.

It is further averred that by reason of the facts stated in the second defense, Robert Wampler should be estopped from prosecuting the action.

Plaintiff’s reply traverses certain allegations of the answer and thereafter contains a general denial of all such matters as are not admitted in the petition.

The will of the decedent was presented in evidence and reads as follows:

“WILL
“I, Rachel Wampler, of Jackson Township, Darke County, Ohio, do hereby make, publish, and declare, this to be my last will and testament.
“I older and direct, that - my executor hereinafter named pay all my just debts and funeral expenses as soon after my decease: as conveniently may be, and I request that he purchase a lot in the Greenville cemetery, and expend only a reasonable sum for funeral expenses and a marker.
“After the payment of such funeral expenses and debts, I give, devise and bequeath unto my son Arthur Wampler, the sum of one dollar, .($1.00), he having received his share of my estate, by reason of debts I have paid for him in the purchase of threshing machines, and having mortgaged my farm for the payment -of debts secured to him.
“After the payment of this bequest, I give, devise and requeath all the residue of my estate, both real and personal, wherever situated, to my two sons, Joseph Wampler, and Robert Wampler, share and share alike.
“And I further request that my executor, hereinafter named, refuse the payment of any accounts from any of my sons, for care during my last sickness, as payment has been made, and will be made, during my life, of all such claims and debts.
“I make, constitute and appoint R. A, Bolen to' be executor of this, my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me' made.
“In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 1st day of June, A.D., 1936.
“(Signed) Rachel Wampler."

Then' follows the signatures of the witnesses.

During the trial, at the close of plaintiff’s testimony, there was dictated into the record and presented to the trial court the following motion:

“At this time we demur to the evidence' and move for an instructed verdict for the reason that there is no clear and convincing evidence of an express contract existing between the mother and son; for the further reason that the will how offered by the plaintiff is a defense, at least, to all items prior to June 1, 1936.”

[25]*25The trial court overruled the motion for directed verdict with the following comment:

“The motion for a directed verdict is overruled on the first ground that there is no express contract shown as the law requires, the court believing that this is a matter that should go to the jury under proper instructions.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
28 Ohio Law. Abs. 22, 1938 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1057, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wampler-v-bolen-ohioctapp-1938.