Montague v. Haviland
Montague v. Haviland
Opinion of the Court
Complainant aqipeals from an order of the circuit court in chancery vacating and setting aside a decree, and permitting the defendants to answer to' the bill of complaint and to make defense.
The complainant filed his bill of complaint on the 2d of February, 1888, to foreclose a mortgage given on January 26, 1884, by the defendants Lewis A. Haviland and Lewis J. Haviland to Harry J. Haven, to secure the payment of $800, and transferred by Haven to complainant. The petitioner, Charles J. Haviland, was made a party as a subsequent purchaser. There was personal service of subpoena, and the cause proceeded to decree pro confesso, which was entered April 16, 1888, and enrolled May 17 of the same year. The decree provided for a sale at any time after March 1, 1889. By a subsequent agreement between Charles J. Haviland and complainant, made on December 15, 1888, the time for a sale under the decree was extended by a stipulation which provided that—
“No sale shall be made within one year from the date hereof, nor at the end of one year, provided the said Charles J. Haviland shall pay the interest due on four mortgages held by the said complainant on the premises described in said decree; and that, with the above limitations, said decree shall be and remain in full force and virtue.”
The petition filed in the case claims, first, in effect, that petitioner failed to make a defense to the foreclosure for the reason that he supposed the effort was to reach the interest of Lewis A. Haviland, and not that of Lewis J. Haviland or himself. We think that this is hardly consistent with the fact that he received a conveyance of the land in 1886, subject to this mortgage.
It is also alleged that the mortgage was without consideration, and that the petitioner had a conveyance of the land prior to the making of the mortgage. The facts with reference to this averment are that in 1877 the title to the lands was in Adeline Haviland, the mother of petitioner and the wife of Lewis’J.; that, for the nominal consideration of $3,000, Adeline Haviland conveyed to her son William W. Haviland, taking back a lease of the premises, executed by William W. to Adeline, and running during the natural life of Adeline and Lewis J. It appears that there was a further agreement to support Lewis J., Adeline, and an invalid son, Samuel E. Haviland, and, within six years after the death of the survivor of the parents, to pay to Amelia E. and Sarah A'. Noble and petitioner each the sum of $200, and to erect suitable tombstones at the graves of the parents. William W. did not carry out the agreement for support, and a bill was filed in the name of Adeline Haviland, and afterwards revived in the name of Lewis J., which proceeded to a decree by which the rights-of the parties were settled, the
The only fairly debatable question in the record is whether some portion of the interest in the decree was included in the mortgage of 154=0, executed by Edith Haviland, wife of Charles J. Haviland, to complainant on the loth of December, 1888. Upon this subject the testimony is conflicting, and we must conclude that the circuit judge was convinced that the claim was sufficiently well supported to call for a trial of that question, and was likewise convinced that the petitioner’s delay in moving in the matter was excused. The record is not wholly devoid
This deed was,executed December 15, 1888, and on the same day the grantee executed the $540 mortgage hereinafter referred to.
The sale took place February 14, 1890, and the premises were bid in by complainant. The petition for rehearing was filed December 29, 1891.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Luke S. Montague, Administrator of the Estate of Charlotte Tompkins v. Lewis A. Haviland, Lewis J. Haviland, and Charles J. Haviland
- Status
- Published