McCasland v. Martin
McCasland v. Martin
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion oe the court:
James McCasland, who died teslate in the county of Henry in 1849, after providing in the second clause of his will for the payment of his debts, with the interest thereon at the rates he contracted to pay, in the third and fourth clauses made the following disposition of the residue of his estate :
*199 “Third. I give to wife, Mary McCasland, as much of the remainder of my estate, after my debts ‘is’ paid, and such articles as she may choose, as will be sufficient for her support during her life; and the balance of my estate, both real and personal and mixed, I will to my daughter, Nancy Martin, and her children, so that none of it, nor the proceeds thereof, shall be liable or in anywise subject to the payment of any of my son-in-law, John Martin’s-debts' or contracts, but be placed in the hands of--, trustee, for the benefit of said Nancy and her children.
“ Fourth. I appoint my wife, Mary McCasland, executrix, and empower her to choose some suitable man to act with her; and I authorize and empower my executrix and executor to sell and convey whatever property, either real or mixed, they may think best to pay my debts, except my interest in my brother John P. McCasland’s estate, deceased; that I wish to stand undisposed of for the benefit of my daughter, Nancy Martin, and her children; and, at the death of my wife, whatever property she may choose to keep, is to return to my grandchildren, as before described. But in case of the death of Nancy Martin and her children, so that she or they leave no issue whatever, the remains of my estate is to return to my legal-heirs, as though I had died without will or issue.”
The will was probated, and the widow having selected-her brother, Isaac Whittington, to qualify with her, they undertook the execution of the will.
In August, 1858, this suit in equity was brought in the Plenry circuit court, afterwards removed by change of venue to the Oldham circuit court, by the widow against Mrs. Martin, her husband, children, and trustee, alleging that testator was greatly indebted at his death; that it required the whole of his property to pay them, all of which was sold and the proceeds applied to that purpose,
On final hearing her petition was dismissed, and she has appealed to this court.
That the estate of testatoj’, except the lot in Louisville, and about two hundred and twenty-five dollars or two hundred and fifty dollars, which appellant got, was exhausted in the payment of his debts, is conclusively shown by the county court settlements of the executor, which are neither surcharged nor seriously contested; and the advanced age, afflicted condition, and extreme destitution of appellant, are all fully’ established by the proof. And the only question to be solved is, whether, under the will of her husband, she is entitled to a support out of the lot in Louisville, which is the estate he got by the death of his brother, John McCasland, and referred to in the will, as appears from the agreement of the parties, and is all that is left of the estate of testator after the payment of his debts?
The lot has been improved, and rendered much more valuable and productive than it was when testator died; but it does not appear that it is the result of any peculiar
This court cannot resist the conclusion that appellant has a clear right, under the will of her late husband, having surrendered all the residue of the estate to pay his debts, to a reasonable sum for her support, out of the annual rents of said lot, which, as the proof shows, were six hundred and eighty-nine dollars per annum from the 1st cf April, 1853, to 1st of same month, 18C6; and for the year ending 1st of January, 1867,' the rent was at least two thousand dollars; and for the year 1867, about four thousand dollars, after deducting taxes, &c. This sum was appellee’s part of the rent; and the property unimproved, according to the evidence, is worth over thirty thousand dollars. These large rents are produced without any outlay on the part of appellees; but from improvements put on it by tenants, who have made them with their own means for the purpose of participating in the rents, and appellant and her co-executor could and probably would have made as advantageous a disposition of the lot, if they had retained it, as appellees have made.
Wherefore, the judgment of the court below is reversed, and the cause remanded, with directions to render judgment in favor of appellant against appellees for two hundred and fifty dollars per annum, from the 16th of August, 1858, this being the day when the original petition was filed, to the 16th of April, 1863, and interest on the aggregate sum from that period, till paid; and for three hundred dollars per annum from the 16th of April, 1863, that being the time when the amended petition was filed, to the 16th of April, 1868, with interest on the aggregate sum from the last named date till paid; and he will
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.