Whitney v. Combe

37 N.W.2d 613, 151 Neb. 401, 1949 Neb. LEXIS 101
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedMay 19, 1949
DocketNo. 32602
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 37 N.W.2d 613 (Whitney v. Combe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Whitney v. Combe, 37 N.W.2d 613, 151 Neb. 401, 1949 Neb. LEXIS 101 (Neb. 1949).

Opinion

Wenke, J.

Mary Whitney, George Donaldson, and Dorothy Donaldson brought this action in the district court for Dundy County against Maria Combe, Otto Combe, Mabel Combe, George Combe, and Esther Combe. The purpose of the action is to have the court quiet in them the title to Lot 11 in Block 40 in the Second Addition to Benkelman, Nebraska. The trial court found generally for the defendants and dismissed the plaintiffs’ petition. Their motion for new trial having been overruled, the plaintiffs appealed.

The record discloses the following factual situation: Maria Combe, a widow whose husband Charles had died about 1909, was, during the time here material, the owner of Lot 11 in Block 40 in the Second Addition to Benkelman and occupied it as her home. The property is a [403]*403small residence property and apparently of no great value, although no evidence was offered as to its actual worth. It appears that it was in a poor state of repair.

At the time of her husband’s death the family lived on a farm near Benkelman. In addition to the parents the family consisted of three children. They were Johanna, a daughter, then the age of 20 or 21 years; Otto, a son, then the age of 16 years; and George, a son, then the age of 11 years.

About 1911 Johanna moved to Denver. She subsequently married and her name became Johanna Donaldson. To this marriage three children were born who are the appellants here. They constitute all her heirs as Johanna’s husband had previously departed this life.

After the father’s death the widow, with her two sons, stayed on the farm. She continued to operate it until 1929. In 1930 the mother moved to Benkelman. Thereafter each of the sons occupied a separate part of the farm and paid the mother rent for the use thereof. This continued until 1942. In that year the mother deeded to each of the sons the farm he was then occupying. This was done pursuant to an oral agreement she had with each of them and was their compensation for the services they had rendered her by staying home and helping farm the land. Subsequently the sons sold these farms and each received about $5,000 from the sale thereof.

Otto is married and the appellee Mabel Combe is his wife. George is also married and the appellee Esther Combe is his wife.

In 1945 Maria Combe, then being of advanced years and in poor health, induced her daughter to come to Benkelman from Denver to take care of her. The daughter had lived in Denver ever since going there in 1911. On August 2, 1945, the mother and daughter entered into an agreement with reference to the property herein involved. It is as follows:

“THIS AGREEMENT Made and entered into this 2nd. day of August, A. D. 1945, by and between Maria Combe, [404]*404party of the first part and Johanna Donaldson, party of the second part:

“WITNESSETH That whereas party of the first part is not in good health, and is in need of someone to stay with her, and party of the second part has agreed to take care of and stay with said party of the first part, in consideration of the covenants and agreements of the party of the second part hereinafter set forth, party of the first part hereby agrees to and hereby does convey to party of the second part the dwelling and household goods located therein and all of Lot Numbered Eleven (11), in Block Numbered Forty (40), in the Second Addition to Benkelman, Dundy county, Nebraska, said deed of conveyance and bill of sale being delivered this date.

“IN CONSIDERATION of the covenants and agreements of the party of the first part hereinbefore set forth party of the second part agrees to give party of the first part physicial care and stay with her as long as she lives, and agrees not to sell or mortgage any of said property during the lifetime of said party of the first part.

“THIS AGREEMENT shall be binding upon the heirs, executors administrators and assigns of the parties hereto.”

On the same day and as part of the same transaction the deed and bill of sale referred to in the agreement were made and executed. The bill of sale covered the household goods in the home. All these instruments were then placed in the safety deposit box of Maria Combe which was in the State Bank which -is located in Benkelman. It should here be stated that Johanna 'Donaldson, by permission and direction of her mother, had, on various occasions while she lived with and was taking care of her mother, had access to and possession of this safety deposit box.

On the same day this agreement was made the daughter came into the home of her mother to stay and care for her. This she continued to do until in November 1946 when, due to illness, she was taken to a hospital in [405]*405Denver. She remained there until in January 1947. During her absence Dorothy Donaldson, one of the appellants and Johanna’s daughter, took care of her grandmother and the home. Upon Johanna’s return in January 1947, she again took up the care of her mother and continued to care for her until shortly before she, Johanna, died. Johanna died on July 17, 1947.

After her mother died Dorothy stayed in the home for a few weeks and offered to stay and take care of her grandmother. She was at that time employed by an implement company in Benkelman. Her offer was not accepted because it was thought an older person would be more desirable. As a consequence Alda Bennett was employed. She took care of Maria Combe and the home and was paid therefor by Maria Combe at the rate of $20 a week.

On September 4, 1947, the mother asked her two sons, Otto and George, to get the three papers, that is, the deed, the bill of sale, and the agreement, out of her safety deposit box in the bank and take them to her attorney, R. D. Druliner, to have them canceled. Otto and George got the papers out of the safety deposit box and took them to the office of Druliner, her attorney. Druliner wrote across these papers the following: “Cancelled on account of the death of Johanna Donaldson July 17th, 1947 Maria Combe by R. D. Druliner.” At the same time and pursuant to the direction of their mother the sons had Druliner prepare a deed. This deed covered this property and was to the two sons. They, the two sons and Druliner, then went to the mother’s home. There she executed the deed before Druliner, who appears to have been a notary, and gave the deed to her sons with directions that they have it recorded. This they did on the same day. There was an agreement between the sons and their mother relating to the consideration for this deed but evidence relating thereto was excluded.

In November 1947 the mother was taken to the hospital. She remained there until her death on April [406]*40625, 1948. In the meantime appellants had started this action on December 26, 1947. An amended petition, on which the case was heard, was filed on August 21, 1948.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
37 N.W.2d 613, 151 Neb. 401, 1949 Neb. LEXIS 101, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/whitney-v-combe-neb-1949.