Carter v. Harvey

Mississippi Supreme Court
Carter v. Harvey, 77 Miss. 1 (Miss. 1899)
Woods

Carter v. Harvey

Opinion of the Court

Woods, C. J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

1. Looking at all the evidence in the record, documentary and other, we have no hesitation whatever in affirming the finding of the learned court below as to the genuineness of the paper purporting to be the will of Mrs. Harvey. That the paper was wholly written and signed by testatrix is overwhelmingly establishing by'all the evidence.

2. The will of Mrs. Harvey did not fail to make any provision for her husband. The error of the counsel for appellant arises out of his reading into § 4497 of our code the words any “adequate” or “sufficient” provision for the husband. The plain and unambiguous language is: “If the will of the husband or wife shall not make any provision for the other, the survivor of them shall have the right to share in the estate of the deceased husband or wife, as in the case of the unsatisfactory provision in the will of the husband or wife for the other of them.” In the case before us there was no failure to make any provision by the will of the wife for the husband. Tie was made executor of the will and guardian of the infant children (then of very tender age), without bond, with the right to use the estate, as he always had done, for the benefit of the infants. He thus had some provision made for him. Besides, the whole estate was bequeathed and devised to him absolutely in the event of the children of the testatrix dying before reaching their majority. These provisions of the will were satisfactory to the husband, for he has never renounced the will, and it is not for his creditors to renounce for him.

The decree is the only one which could properly have been rendered.

Affirmed.

Reference

Full Case Name
John A. Carter v. William H. Harvey
Cited By
4 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. Wills. Husband and wife. Code 1893, §4497. Renunciation. Code 1892, § 4497, to the effect that renunciation by the husband shall be unnecessary where no provision is made for him by the will of his deceased wife, has no application where he is thereby made executor, guardian of the infant devisees, with control of the estate for their benefit, and remainderman in fee in case of their death before reaching majority. 2. Same. Creditors. Code 1892, g 4496. The right of a husband to renounce the will of his deceased wife, under code 1892, § 4496, is a purely personal right, and cannot be exercised by his creditors.