Francis Gowdy Distilling Co. v. Grant
Francis Gowdy Distilling Co. v. Grant
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff’s right to use the pass-way in question rested upon a mere license, not executed or acknowledged in the manner required for conveyance of land. By its express terms it was to cease and determine if Gowdy should sell or dispose of the' farm. The answer alleges that he did dispose of it by conveying it to William C. Messinger, who on the same day conveyed it to Helen J. Gowdy, who now owns it; and the issue, upon a traverse of these averments, was found for the defendant by the Superior Court.
The plaintiff claims that it is apparent that the deed to Messinger was given merely as a step in the process of transferring the farm to Mrs. Gowdy; and that as, upon her acquiring title, her husband became a tenant by the curtesy, and it is found that both conveyances were made on May 3d and recorded on May 4th, the whole proceeding was plainly a device of Mr. Gowdy to terminate the license, while virtually retaining the land.
As between him and Messinger, the recital of a valuable consideration and the habendum clause, prevented any resulting trust in his favor, whether in fact the conveyance was voluntary or not. Belden v. Seymour, 8 Conn., 304. Whether Messinger was under an obligation, enforceable in equity, to convey the land to Mrs. Gowdy, was a question with which the plaintiff has no concern. Elston v. Schilling, 42 N. Y., 79. He could only convey to her what he owned, and what he owned his grantor could not own.
The notice to the plaintiff that the license was determined was given by the defendant and Mrs. Gowdy, during the life of her husband, and at a time when he was tenant by the curtesy of the farm. If any notice by the owners of the land was requisite for the termination of the license, that given was insufficient, because he did not join in it, although he was at the time the holder of a freehold estate in his own right, which gave him the power to manage or dispose of the farm for the term of his life. But by its express terms, if at
There is no error in the judgment appealed from.
In this opinion the other judges concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The Francis Gowdy Distilling Company v. George M. Grant
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published