Lester v. Mayor of Jackson
Lester v. Mayor of Jackson
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
By her will, Mrs. Ellen L. Moore devised her late residence, “ Oakwood,” to her father, Preston Hay, and to her brother-in-law, James T. Lester, for life, with remainder to the city of Jackson “for a public park.” Since the death of the testatrix, Mrs. Lester, her sister and. the wife of James T. Lester, has died childless and intestate, and Mr. Lester is'entitled to take, by inheritance from her, whatever estate she inherited from Mi’s. Moore. Mrs. Moore’s will contained no residuary clause, and she died intestate as to the reversion in fee in “Oakwood,” unless the devise to the city is valid.
“ Oakwood,” containing about thirty-five acres, is situated just without the city limits, and appellant, Lester, contending that the city has no corporate power to take under the .devise, because the land is not within the city (its charter conferring no express power to acquire land outside), exhibited his bill in the chancery court of Hinds county to secure cancellation of so much of the will of Mrs. Moore as devises the estate in remainder to the city as a cloud upon his title. The board of mayor and aldermen demurred to the bill, and the demurrer was sustained and the bill dismissed. Erom that decree complainant appeals.
The subject has been so thoroughly considered by the su
The decree is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- James T. Lester v. Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Jackson
- Cited By
- 9 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Municipal Corporation. Devise to. Qitypmpose. Park; outside city limits. Under a devise “for a public park,” a municipal corporation may take and hold land convenient and accessible therefor, although it lies without the corporate limits, and the charter confers no express authority to own land outside. 2. Same. Qity purpose. Sight of ownership. In such case, the gift is none the less for a city purpose, because the land, not being within the corporate limits, the city cannot exercise its sovereignty over it.' It still has the rights and powers that pertain to ownership.