Numsen v. Lyon
Numsen v. Lyon
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
Nathaniel and William Numsen, trustees under a will, sold to Samuel H. Lyon a tract of land in the city of Baltimore. It was agreed as a condition of the sale that the title to the property should be in fee-simple and clear of all incumbrances. The purchaser by appropriate proceedings excepted in a Court of Equity to the ratification of the sale. His exceptions were sustained and the sale set aside and annulled. The trustees appealed.
The title to a portion of the land was derived from a sale under the decree of a Court of Equity in the case of Busk and others v. King, passed in April, eighteen hundred and sixty-five. The exceptions to the ratification of the sale allege that this title is defective. John King died seized in fee of this portion of the land, and it descended to his heirs subject to the dower of his widow. His children were four in number. After his death the widow intermarried
By the terms of the deed to Randolph, Caroline^ Taylor had an equitable life-estate, with a contingent remainder to such descendants as might be living at the time of her death, and if none snch should then be living a remainder was
It is admitted in the case that at the time of the institution of the equity suit Caroline had two children living and that she has several children living at the present time. Randolph was not made a party to the suit in his capacity as trustee under the deed by Caroline Taylor and her husband. It was not alleged or intimated in any way in the bill of complaint that he held any title for her benefit. The only trust alleged in the bill was distinctly stated to be for the benefit of Caroline Busk under the deed executed by her and her husband. This trust had no connection whatever with the Taylor trust; no more than if a different person had been trustee. There could be no possibility of affecting the Taylor trust by proceedings against the trustee for anything done or intended to be done under the Busk trust. What Randolph might do by virtue of one of these deeds could have no effect on any rights existing under the other deed. But even if Randolph had been made a party as trustee under the Taylor deed, the interests of the remaindermen would not have been bound by the decree. There w’ere two living children of Caroline Taylor who ought to have been made parties. The decree cannot bind persons who were not made parties either personally or by representation. If all the interests in remainder had been represented the decree would have bound them, and it would have been the duty of the Court to order the portion
It will be seen that the sale under the decree did not pass a complete title to the land sold under it. We must affirm the order setting aside the sale by the Numsen trustees to Lyon.
Order affirmed with costs.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- N. GIDEON NUMSEN, Trustees v. SAMUEL H. LYON
- Cited By
- 10 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Bill for Partition or Sale—Necessary Parties— Title of Purchaser— Deed of Trust Creating Equitable Life Estate with Contingent Remainders— Termination of Trust Estate. When a person seized of an undivided interest in land conveys his property to a trustee for the use of the grantor for life with a power of disposition by will or deed annexed, and there are contingent legal remainders to his descendants or right heirs, the grantor has merely an equitable life estate. In such case when a bill for the sale of the property for the purpose of partition is filed by the other owners, it is necessary that the trustee under the deed of trust and the descendants of the grantor then living be made parties in order to divest their interest. When property is conveyed to a trustee to permit the grantor to take the profits during life and at her death for the use of her descendants then living, or in default thereof, for the use of her right heirs, then, upon the death of the grantor, the trust is at an end and the egal estate is vested in the remaindermen. The owner of a tract of land died intestate, leaving a widow and four children who became seized of undivided interests in the same. The widow conveyed all of her property to R., upon certain trusts. Afterwards Caroline, one of the children conveyed her property to the same trustee, R., in trust, to permit her to take the profits, &c., during her life, and at her death for the use of her descendants then living, and in default of such, to her right heirs, with power to the grantor to devise the property or to convey the same, jointly with the trustee. Subsequently a bill was filed for a sale of the land for the purpose of partition. The parties to the suit were the widow and the children of the deceased owner and R., as trustee under the deed from the widow, but he was not a party as trustee under the deed from Caroline, nor were the children of Caroline then living made parties. Upon a sale of the land under the bill, Caroline received . one-fourth of the proceeds of sale, after deduction of the amount allowed in lieu of dower. The validity of the title to the purchaser at that sale was questioned in this case as to Caroline’s share. Held, i. That under the deed of trust the legal title to the property was vested in the trustee, while Caroline had an equitable life-estate with a power of disposition annexed and there were contingent remainders of the legal estate in her descendants or right heirs. 2. That in order to bind the interests of the remaindermen under the deed of trust, the children of Caroline and the trustee should have been made parties in the partition suit, and since this was not done, their title was not divested. 3. That the receipt by Caroline of one-fourth of the proceeds of the sale cannot bind the estate in remainder, after her death.