Brown v. Hannah
Brown v. Hannah
Opinion of the Court
Thomas Cutler, Sr., died in December, 1894, seised of four lots in block 2, Traverse City, Michigan, numbered, respectively, 7, 8, 9, 10. He left surviving him a widow, Rachel, and his heirs were two sons, John D. and William H. Cutler, and two granddaughters, Alice Cutler Brown and Birdie Sybil Brakel, the daughters, respectively, of Thomas Cutler, Jr., and George Cutler, deceased sons.
On May 7, 1895, Alice Cutler Brown filed in probate court a petition for the appointment of an administrator
“ The probate court'for the county of Grand Traverse. Estate of Thomas Cutler, deceased. Letters of administration, June 7, A. D. 1895.
(Signed) “James H. Monroe, ■
“ Judge of Probate.”
are found in the record. The administrator’s bond bears date July 8, 1895. The real estate involved in this suit was appraised at $20,000. On June 7, 1895, the probate court appointed Henry D. Campbell guardian of Birdie S. Brakel, who was a minor living in Wexford county, and William A. Brown was at some later date appointed guardian for his children, Homer G. and Gladys Brown.
Alice Brown died testate in 1896, leaving two children, her only heirs and devisees, named Homer G. and Gladys Brown. The widow died before this action was brought. A claim for $14,272 was presented by John D. Cutler, and this was allowed at $3,924.71 on January 26, 1897. It was the only claim presented, and on January 30, 1897, it was assigned to Julius T. Hannah. On January 25, 1897, the administrator filed a petition to sell all of this real estate to pay debts, and on January 26, 1897, an order for hearing on February 19, 1897, was made, said order to be published in the Grand Traverse Herald. Proof of such publication appears to have been made. At the hearing, plaintiffs in error in this case did not appear. A license to sell was ordered, sale was made to Julius T. Hannah, for $6,000, of all of the real estate subject to the rights of widow by way of dower and homestead, the sale was confirmed, and deed was made. There were some outstanding tax titles on the property. Hannah afterwards conveyed lots 9 and 10 to John D. and William H. Cutler, and portion of lots 7 and 8 to other persons. Subsequently Hannah died, and this action is brought against his widow (presumably devisee) and executors, to recover the undi
Counsel agree that the case must turn on the validity of the probate proceedings, the important objections to which seem to be:
(1) That the letters of administration were prematurely issued and conferred no authority upon the administrator to act.
(2) Variance between the order of hearing on the petition to sell as made and published.
(3) Sale of the lands in one parcel.
(4) Sale of the same subject to the widow’s homestead rights, when she had such rights in only one of the lots.
(5) The appointment of Campbell by the probate court of Grand Traverse county guardian of a minor residing in Wexford county.
“ Every administrator, before he enters upon the execution of his trust, and before letters of administration shall be granted to him, shall give a bond to the judge of probate, with such surety or sureties as he shall direct and approve, with the same conditions as required in the case of an executor, with such variations only as may be necessary to make it applicable to the case of an administrator.”
It will be remembered that the bond was not filed until July 8, 1895. In one sense the letters were granted to him on June 7th, i. e., the order appointing him was made that day, and the letters were dated that day. There is nothing to show that they were delivered before the bond was filed, for his first act in the execution of his trust was on July 27th, when he made the inventory, while the presumption should be that the probate judge did not disobey section 9325. Therefore, if the question is one that can be raised, in this proceeding, and if it be true that the letters bear
Counsel have sought to raise some other questions; notably a claim that John Cutler and Hannah colluded to acquire the entire property for an inadequate price. These questions cannot be considered on this record. They relate to irregularities in some instances and are covered by what has been said. We omit discussion of them as they cannot affect the result of this action.
The judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BROWN v. HANNAH
- Status
- Published