Preston v. Woolly
Preston v. Woolly
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
We are of the opinion that such interest as was owned in the Big Field or Wells’ land by the testator, Robert Wickliffe, deceased, passed under his will to the appellee, Mrs. Sally Howard Woolly. After devising to his two daughters, Mrs. Mary Preston and Mrs. Margaret W. Preston, certain named land in the county of Bath, he continues: “All the rest and residue of my lands in said county of Bath I give and bequeath to my daughter, Sally Woolly. She is to take Fears farm, consisting of about four hundred or five hundred acres, at twelve thousand dollars ($12,000), and the balance of the lands I hold in the counties of Bath and Morgan I will to my daughter Sally at seventy-five cents per acre.” It is difficult to conceive what language could have been used which would more clearly have evinced the intention of the testator that Mrs. Woolly should take under his will all the real estate owned by him in these two counties except such as was in terms set apart to the two Mrs. Prestons. The fact that in the latter part ’of the devise, in fixing the amount with which Mrs. Woolly was to be charged in the settlement of his estate, the testator used the term “hold,” does not confine its operation to such lands as were then in his actual possession. ’In the second codicil to his will any ambiguity upon this point is fully explained. It is therein directed that there shall be no valuation of the lands devised to his three daughters, and in confirmation of the original devise of the Bath and Morgan lands to Mrs. Woolly, this language is used: “Sixth. . I do hereby devise to my daughter, Sally Howard Woolly, my farm known as the Maria Forge farm, containing
Nor are we prepared to decide that the devise to Mrs. Woolly is not specific enough to embrace the Big Field farm because it was, at time of the publication of the two codicils to the testator’s will, in the adverse possession of Wells. The testator was all the while prosecuting a suit for its recovery,_ and if that land failed to pass because not specifically named, the same reason would prevent the appellee from taking the outlands, because they are not described and designated in any manner whatever.
Under the laws of this state lands in adverse possession may be disposed of by will. It is insisted, however, that such lands will not pass unless it is manifest from the will that such was the intention of the testator.
By the common law a mere “right' of entry” could not be devised, but by our statute any right or interest in real estate that the testator may be entitled to at the time of his death which would otherwise descend to his heirs, may be disposed of by will.
Sec. 2, Chap. 106, R. Statutes. Whether or not the right to the possession of lands.adversely held and claimed is an interest in, or right to real estate so peculiar in its character, that a different and more rigid rule of construction should be adhered to in ascertaining the intention of the testator with relation thereto, than his intention as to other interests in realty, we do not deem it essential to determine.
That the testator intended that his three daughters should take under his will all his real estate in the counties of Bath and Morgan cannot be doubted, “All the rest and residue of my land in the said county of Bath,” and “the balance of the lands I hold in the counties of Bath and Morgan,” and “my other Bath and Morgan county out-lands, * * * for more partic
From that time forward, he had notice of her claim and held it to her prejudice and without right.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.