Wilkerson v. Thompson

82 Mo. 317
CourtSupreme Court of Missouri
DecidedApril 15, 1884
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 82 Mo. 317 (Wilkerson v. Thompson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wilkerson v. Thompson, 82 Mo. 317 (Mo. 1884).

Opinion

Ray, J.

This is an action of ejectment for the northeast quai’ter of sectioxx 14, township 58, range 21, in Linn comxty, Missouri. Suit was commexxced ixx the Linn circuit coux’t oxx May 12, 1871. The petitioxx is in the usual form. The answer a general dexxial. A change of vexiue was afterward awarded to the Putnam circuit court, where the cause was tx’ied by a jury, resulting in a verdict for the defexxdaxxt, and judgment accordingly, from which the plaixxtiff has appealed to this coux't.

Oix the trial neither pxlaintiff nor defexidant offered axxy pxaper title to the land in controversy. The plaintiff, however, in suppxort of the issues on his side, offered evidexice tcixding to show, that, oxx the 19th of March, 1869, the defondant and his son, Silas E. Tlxomp>soxx, wex’e livixxg together ixx a cabixx, sitxxated on the land in controvex’sy, axxd surrounded by a field or enclosure of some ten acres, or xxxore, which the son claimed to owxx. A part of the ixxclosure seems to have been on the noi’thwest quarter of said sectioxx, and the balance with the house oix the land ixx coxxtrovex’sy. The plaixxtiff’s evidence further texxcled to show that the house was first built on the uox’tlxwest quarter of [319]*319said section, in 1864 and afterwards, in about 1865 or 1866, moved upon the northeast quarter, or the land in suit; that the defendant thought and claimed, that the house and improvements were situated on the northwest quarter, and some of the witnesses said that neither the defendant or his son Silas ever claimed to own, or possess the northeast quarter, until after this fuss or controversy sprang up. It appears that the wife of defendant died, about 1865, and that the son married about that time and brought his wife there, and that after that they both lived in and occupied the house, and worked upon and cultivated the farm together. It, also, appeared that -when the house and inclosure were first built, the line between the northeast quarter and northwest quarter had not been run, and that when the line was afterwards run, it then appeared that the house was near the dividing line but on the northeast quarter with a jiart of the inclosure, and that the defendant claimed that the surveyor was running the line too far west on him.

On the part of the defendant the evidence tended to show, that the first improvement on the land in controversy was made by the defendant, James N. Thompson, in 1861; that the improvements consisted of a small house, a cabin, with fencing around it, and was claimed and occupied by the defendant; that, some five or six acres were fenced in 1865, 1866 or 1867 ; that the old man built the fence ; that he made the rails and has lived there most, if not all, the time since; that the old man first commenced on the land in 1861; that Silas, his son, was a boy and came with his father; that they settled on the northeast quarter first; that he built the house first on his land, and then moved it out; that the old man claimed to own and to be upon the northwest quarter and did not claim to own the northeast quarter; that the old man and Silas cultivated the field in 1869, and planted a crop in the spring of 1870 1 that Silas married some time about 1862 or 1863 ; that Silas lived sometimes at home, and sometimes at other places ; [320]*320that the old man kept house for himself, while Silas and his wife were not living with him, and continued to reside at the same place, while Silas and his wife -were residing elsewhere; while Silas lived there his wife did the house work and Silas worked on the farm, etc.

The plaintiff was also sworn as a witness in his own behalf and testified as follows: “About the 19th of March, 1869, the day before the lease was made, I went to where this land was and saw Silas E. Thompson, and the defendant here, chopping close to this land, but on the northwest quarter. I asked Silas who the improvements’ on the northeast quarter belonged to and he said they belonged to him; I then asked him what he would take for the possession and improvements, and he said $200, if I would let him move the cabin off; Silas then said he would see the old man; if he concluded to take the $200, would come to town next day. Silas and I then agreed that I would consult Judge Brownlee, and that he should come to Linneus next day and I would tell him what I would do ; Silas came to town next day, and when I saw him he asked me what I had concluded to do, and I told him that we could trade ; I gave him my note for $200, due the next Christmas, and he made the first lease ; old man Thompson, the defendant, was present during all the talk Silas and I had down where t-Key were chopaping ; he did not inform, or intimate to me that he held or claimed either the possession or improvements; the only thing he said was to-Silas, that he had better not trade ; he heard all that passed between Silas and me about the matter there. After the note was due and I had paid it, Silas told me that the old man was setting upa some claim. I did not know that the defendant made any claim to the possession or improvements. I had bought stock from the place several times, and always traded with Silas, and never heard any objection from the defendant. I never had any conversation with tire defendant about it; he was not present when the note was executed or lease taken by Silas.

[321]*321The plaintiff next offered and read in evidence the following leases, to-wit:

“Know all men by these presents that I, .JoelIT. Wilkerson, have rented and leased to Silas E. Thompson, the northeast quarter of section fourteen (14), township fifty-eight (58), range twenty-one (21), from this date until the 25th day of December, 1870; said Thompson is to continue in the possession from this date, and is to pay rent at the rate of $5 per annum, and to hold possession of said land to said Wilkerson, to preserve the timber on the land, to cut no timber nor take any off the land, and agrees to give up the possession to said Wilkerson at any time he may demand the same, during the said time herein described, reserving the part on -which any crop may be growing until the end of the term and to give possession of all the land at the end of his time without notice. Signed this 21st day of April, 1870.
Silas E. Thompson, [seal.]
“Know all men by these presents that I, Joel TI. Wilkerson, have rented and leased to Silas Thompson the northeast quarter of section fourteen (14),in township fifty-eight (58), in range twenty-one (21), for the term of one year from the date of this lease; said Thompson is to have possession immediately, and is to pay rent for the use of the same at the rate of $5 per annum; said Thompson agrees to hold possession of said land to said Wilkerson, to preserve the timber on the land, to cut no timber nor take any off the land, agrees to give up the possession to said Wilkerson at any time he may demand the same during the said time herein leased, reserving the part on which any crop may be growing until the end of the year, and to give full possession of all the land at the end of the year without notice. Signed this 20th of March, 1869.
Silas E. Thompson.”

By agreement between the undersigned the within [322]*322lease is hereby extended for the term of thirty (30) days, March 21st, 1870.

J. EL. Wilkerson,

Silas F. Thompson.

The plaintiff’ also introduced A. D. Christy, who testified as follows, to-wit:

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Bluebook (online)
82 Mo. 317, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wilkerson-v-thompson-mo-1884.