Brew v. Clement
Brew v. Clement
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
On the 23d day of December, 1878, William Clement became a member of the Natioual Temperance Relief Union, a mutual insurance company, organized under the laws of Missouri. In his certificate of membership therein, his wife, Joanna Clement, was named as beneficiary. On the 29th day of September, 1884, Joanna Clement made a will, by which she gave the use of all her property to her husband, William Clement, during his lifetime, after which her daughter, Frances August Clement, was to have the use of the same during her life, when it was to be divided between the other children of said Joanna Clement according to further provisions of her said will. On the date of said will, William Clement consented, in writing, to the provisions thereof; and on April 24, 1885, the said William
The question in this case is, who is entitled to the proceeds of the benefit certificate issued by the National Temperance Union on the life of William Clement? Is Frances August tllement, or her guardian, John Schilling, for her, entitled to the whole of the proceeds of said certificate, or are the other heirs of William and Joanna Clement, named as plaintiffs in this case, entitled to equal shares therein with said Frances August Clement? The solution of this question depends upon the effect to be given to the wills of Joanna and William Clement. The benefit certificate named Joanna Clement as beneficiary therein; that is, by the terms of said certificate, the amount of insurance therein covenanted to be paid upon the death of William Clement was to be paid to his wife,
There is no question of the enforcement of a contract between the insurance company and anyone here. The insurance company is not a party to this suit. There is no question in the case as to the right of the assured, or the beneficiary named in the certificate, to change the beneficiary named in the certificate, or control the disposition of the proceeds of ■said certificate, as against the insurance company, or in contravention of any of its rights under the certificate or its ■by-laws. The insurance upon the life of William Clement •guaranteed by the company under its certificate was paid by the company, and thereafter became a part of the estate of either Joanna Clement or William Clement. The certificate was payable to Joanna Clement, not to her and her heirs. If she had survived her husband, the proceeds thereof would have been her property, to be disposed of by her as she should ■wish. Though she did not survive her husband, she did,* ■during her lifetime, by will, point out and direct the disposition to be made of her property after her decease. Said will we think is broad enough to cover and include any interest she may have had in said benefit certificate at the time of her ■death; and, by the terms thereof, all her property went to her husband, William Clement, during his lifetime, and afterward to Frances August Clement. If, however, as probably was the case, upon the decease of his wife before him, the proceeds of the policy on his life became, at his death, a part
By the Court: It is so ordered.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.