McAvoy v. Saunders
McAvoy v. Saunders
Opinion of the Court
The plaintiff owns the N. W. % of the N. W. % o£ section 7, and the defendant Saunders the S. W. % of the S. W. % °f section 6. There is a highway along the west line of the forty’s, but none between them. According to the plaintiff’s testimony, he erected a rail fence in 1851 from the mound and pit, marking the government comer at the northwest comer of section 7 along the section line to the east about one-half way and his father who had preempted the land from the government constructed a sod fence from the end of the rail fence to the northeast corner of the forty acres. This sod fence was dug up about forty years
In January, 1896, at plaintiff’s instance, the township trustees as fence viewers, viewed the premises and made a finding “that Millard F. Saunders shall pay to L. C. McAvoy, the sum of $15 and shall receive therefor one-half of said hedge fence, and said L. C. McAvoy shall receive the east half of said hedge fence, and each party shall maintain a good and lawful fence according to the division. ’ ’ The costs, amounting to $10, were assessed against Saunders, who paid same with the price of one-half of the hedge. After the trustees had reached the fence, one of them, Frank Martin, inquired of the plaintiff what was the trouble, and what he wanted. The plaintiff answered that he wished “the dispute settled in regard to that partition fence. ITe wanted pay for one-half the fence, and he claimed the fence was on him. He said, in substance, he wanted it all settled at the same time.” He then inquired of Saunders what he wanted, and the response was that “he wanted the same; he wanted the thing settled, and both said that whatever we did, they expected to be a settlement.” Martin testified further that “after it was all over, Mr. L. C. McAvoy said he was satisfied,” as also did Saunders. About six months later, plaintiff complained to Martin that Saunders was not keeping up the fence. Thereupon Martin examined the fence, but found it in repair.
It should be added that Thomas Duffield surveyed the line between these forties more than twenty years prior to the trial, and recollected that the hedge was in his way, and a witness who had assisted him thought the hedge extended across the line established. As a result of this survey, the owners of the forties to the east of these removed their division fence so that its west end was east of the hedge instead of on the supposed line of the old rail fence. Such is the record, though many of the details necessarily have been omitted, and we are of opinion that a case was presented thereby for the application of the doctrine of acquiescence. Even though there was a rail and sod fence, as claimed by plaintiff, he planted the hedge for use as a partition fence, and from 1880 until 1896 it was used as such. Plaintiff may have cultivated the north side of the hedge for a few years, but not during the time mentioned when the north forty was used much for pasture. If cultivated, this was not done close to the line for the hedge was not trimmed. As said, the evidence was in dispute whether plaintiff kept up the fence immediately north of the hedge at each end. Presumably, the trial court found for defendant on this issue; and, as neither party is much corroborated, we are not inclined to disagree with such conclusion. For sixteen years both parties treated this hedge as marking the boundary between them, and if either thought otherwise.
That Saunders put in a wire fence north of the hedge at the suggestion of Martin, and in part to protect the hedge when pinned down, cannot obviate this deduction, for he was in undisputed possession of the land up to the hedge, and trimmed or cut that as seemed necessary. The adjoining owners having acquiesced in and occupied up to this hedge fence as defining the boundary line for more than ten years, both are concluded from questioning its correctness. See Miller v. Mills County, 111 Iowa, 654, and cases following it. — Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- L. C. McAvoy v. Millard F. Saunders, Frank Fenton, The Board of Township Trustees of Cleveland Township, Davis County, Iowa, C. H. Horn, E. D. Martin, and Edward Wilson, as composing said Board of Township Trustees
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published