McLeod v. Free
McLeod v. Free
Opinion of the Court
Stephen W. Frank and Abigail Frank, both ■deceased, were husband and wife. On December 28, 1889, ■Stephen sold all his real estate, with the exception of a village lot, to William Stuart and Edwin Roberts, his wife joining in the deeds. To secure a portion of the purchase money, a note and a mortgage were taken from Roberts, ■and an assignment of a mortgage and the notes accompanying from Stuart. The notes and mortgage and assignment
1. That the notes, mortgage, and assignment were not prepared in accordance with the intention and understanding of the parties, but that all that Stephen W. Frank intended was to have them so drawn that the income should go to His wife during her life in case she survived him, and that a mistake was made by the scrivener in making them payable to the parties jointly.
2. That, if no mistake was made, then the transaction, was intended as a testamentary disposition of the property, which was revoked by the last will and testament of Stephen, prepared and executed a few days after these conveyances.
The bill prays that the mortgage, notes, and assignment may be corrected in accordance with the intent of the parties, or that such instruments may be decreed to have-been made as a testamentary disposition of the property; and that Mr. Free, as administrator of the estate of Abigail Frank, be enjoined from taking possession of such securities from the complainant McLeod, as executrix of the will of Stephen W. Frank.
On the hearing below the court found that it was not intended by Stephen or understood by Abigail that she should take by such instruments more than a life interest in these securities, and that all she did take was a life., estate; and that such securities are now a part of the estate of Stephen, and in the possession of Mary McLeod as such executrix. By this decree defendant Free was-perpetually enjoined from taking any proceedings at law or otherwise to obtain possession of these securities, and the complainant McLeod was authorized and directed to collect, the same as a part of the assets of Stephen’s estate, and. dispose of the proceeds in accordance with the terms of his will. The defendants John W. Free, as administrator, and Henry 0. Frank, alone appeal. The bill was. taken as confessed by all the defendants except those now appealing.
On February 12, 1890, Stephen W. Frank died. On the 27th of that month Mrs. Abigail Frank filed a-petition in the probate court for probate of the will, and, she refusing to act as executrix, the trust was assumed by the daughter, Mrs. McLeod. The son Henry receipted for all that was his due under the will. On June 27 following Abigail receipted for all she claimed of the personal estate under the will, which amounted to $315.10. After this time the widow received the income from these-securities, and, so far as appears by this record, never-made any claim that they or any part of them belonged
The husband was the owner of the land out of which the securities grew. After they were taken, they were treated as his individual property during his life-time. He dealt with them as such, and at his death disposed of them by his will. His wife, as it apjjears, always regarded them as his property during his' life-time, and after his ■death acquiesced in their being inventoried and treated .as a part of his estate, taking and receipting for her share and interest in the estate as given her by the will, and was apparently satisfied to have the securities treated as a part of her husband’s estate up to and at the time of her death. No one raised any question about it, until after her death, when the son Henry C., who was given only •$100 by his father’s will, made the claim that the securities belonged to his mother’s estate..
Counsel for defendants cites cases in his brief where it has been' held by this Court that a joint deed to husband and wife conveys the estate to them by entireties, and that the right of survivorship-exists in such cases, so that
“ The drift of policy and opinion, as shown by legislation and judicial decisions, is strongly adverse to the doctrine of taking by mere right of survivorship, except in a few special cases; and it should not be applied except where the law in its favor is clear.”
In the above case the husband and wife were each possessed of considerable means, and made investments jointly, each supplying half of the funds. On the death of the husband the wife claimed the whole of the securities by right of survivorship. This right was denied, and it was said:
“Our own decisions relative to the rights of husband and wife in case of united holdings of real estate afford no argument here.”
It is evident from the testimony given by the complainants in the present case that the scrivener in drafting the mortgage, notes, and assignment did not make them in accordance with the understanding of the parties. It is also evident from the testimony of the witnesses that Abigail never.undei’stood that she had any more right in these securities than she had in the real estate out of which they grew. The will was made within four days after they were taken, and by the will she was given, a life interest in them. Equitably they were a part of the estate of the husband, and, being so treated by the parties themselves, and so understood by them, they must now be so treated, and reformed accordingly. In any event, only one-half could go to the estate of the wife under the rule in Wait v. Bovee, supra; but, under the facts shown, the whole
The decree of the court below must be affirmed, with •costs.
Fisher v. Provin, 25 Mich. 347; Insurance Co. v. Resh, 40 Id. 241; Manwaring v. Powell, Id. 371; Jacobs v. Miller, 50 Id. 119; Vinton v. Beamer, 55 Id. 559; Dowling v. Salliotte, 83 Id. 131.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I do not think that the •evidence justifies the conclusion that there was any mistake in drafting the notes and mortgage.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Mary McLeod, etc., and Emory S. Frank v. John W. Free, Administrator, etc.
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- 1 case
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- Published