Cavenaugh v. Ainchbacker
Cavenaugh v. Ainchbacker
Opinion of the Court
The main question presented for the judgment of the Court in this case is, the right of Mrs. Uaigley, a married woman, to devise by will the property specified in the record, under the state of facts presented therein. A married woman may make a will in this State, when having a separate estate absolutely, or an estate in expectancy her husband consents to her disposing of the same. Revised Code, Section 2375. The husband’s consent is not necessary except to dispose of an estate in expectancy. In Liptrot vs. Holmes (1st Kelly’s Rep. 389) this Court recognized the principle, that a feme covert might dispose of her separate property, that the moment property can be enjoyed, it must be enjoyed with all its incidents. The property in controversy in that case, was personal property, but we think there is no sound distinction between the right of a feme covert to dispose of her separate personal estate and her separate real estate by will, inasmuch as both estates under our law are placed on the same footing as to distribution : the more especially in this caso, as the personal earnings of the wife were received by her in money, and invested in real estate by the consent of her husband. The errors assigned are, to the charge of the Court as given to the jury, and the refusal of the Court to charge the jury as requested by. the counsel for the caveators. The Court below charged the jury “ that if the property disposed of by the will was the separate estate of Mrs. Naigley, purchased with her own earnings as a midwife, with the consent of her husband, then she had the right, although a feme covert, to dispose of the sainé by will without the assent of her husband. If) therefore, the jury should believe from the evidence that Mrs. Haigley had earnings separate from that of her husband and with his consent, and that she purchased the property in controversy and paid for it with her own money, and took the sheriff’s deed therefor to herself, and all this with the assent of her husband, then the property became her separate estate, and she had the right to devise the same by will without her husband’s consent, and in such event,
The second request to charge the jury was also properly refused, in view of the issue then before, the Court for trial. Whatever rights the Columbus Iron Works may have to the property as purchasers from Jacob Naigley, the husband, may be hereafter asserted in a proper case made before the Court.
Let the judgment of the Court below be affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Mary A. Cavenaugh and the Columbus Iron Works Company, in error v. Gotlief Ainchbacker, propounder of Susan Harriet Naigley's Will, in error
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published