Hardy v. Wilcox
Hardy v. Wilcox
Opinion of the Court
delivered tlie opinion of tlie Court.
.Tlie determination of this appeal depends upon the •construction to be given two clauses in tlie will of Frederick Ellender, Sr. The testator gives and bequeaths in nine clauses of his said will to his nine children respectively, certain houses and lots in Baltimore City, subject to certain ground rents therein reserved. In the sixth of these clauses, he gives and bequeaths to his son Frederick Ellender, Jr., “and his heirs forever,” a brick house and lot on Friendship street, which is leasehold property. In all nine of the bequests the form is the same, the bequest being to the legatee, “and his [or her] heirs forever.” Immediately succeeding these clauses, is the following, which, with the sixth, just referred to, form the subject of this controversy—namely: “Item. If it should so happen that any of my children should die without heirs, their portion shall be equally divided between those living.”
After tlie death of the testator, his said son Frederick took possession of the said leasehold house and lot, and continued dispossession thereof until his death, which occurred in February, 1814. He died intestate, leaving a widow, Sarah Ellender, but no child or descendant of any child. After his decease, the said Sarah married one Hardy, and was again left a widow. As the widow of said Frederick Ellender, Jr., and as his administratrix, her contention as appellant in this case is, that the limitation over of the property mentioned in the will, upon the first takers dying without heirs, is after an indefinite failure of heirs, and therefore void; and that the estate therefore in each devise vests in the first taker.
We concur with the learned Judge below in regarding this construction of the appellant, as in conflict with the recent decision of this Court, in the case of Gable vs. Ellender, 53 Md., 311. In that case, certain leasehold property was devised by Charity Ellender, as follows: “I give and
The surviving children of the testator, Frederick Ellen-7 der, Sr., being in our opinion entitled to the property in question, the decree of the Circuit Court is affirmed, and the cause remanded for further proceedings thereunder.
Decree affirmed, and cause remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Sarah Hardy and Sarah Hardy, Adm'x v. Julia A. Wilcox
- Status
- Published