McLean v. Smith
McLean v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
According to the undisputed testimony the plaintiff and those through whom he claims had been in possession, under the junior title, of a small portion of the lappage (marked “X” on the map) for about forty years; at all events fof more than seven years before the defendant’s tenant in the 3rear 1879 first entered upon and actually occupied a portion of it (marked “0” on the map) in the assertion of her claim under the older title. The only evidence offered to show any attempt by defendant to exercise dominion over the lappage before 1879 was that her. agents or tenants entered at intervals and cut timber for rails and removed pine-straw from it. Such occasional acts did not constitute an occupation that would mature title or arrest the running of the statute in favor of the plaintiff, if he, claiming under the junior title, had inclosed and was cultivating a portion of the lappage;. McLean v. Smith, 106 N. C., 172; Puffin v. Overby, 105 N. C., 78; Williams v. Wallace, 78 N C., 354. The Court below erred when upon such testimony the jury were left to determine whether the defendant for seven years occupied and used any portion of the lappage “for any purpose such land could be used for.” There was no evidence that she erected a house or made an inclosure upon the interference prior to 1879, five years before suit was brought. The instruction would have been warranted by the testimony if it had been shown that the land in controversy was not susceptible of cultivation and had been used continuously for the statutory period for the only purpose for which it is available, but not when the exercise of dominion consisted in getting pine straw, cutting-rails or fire-wood at intervals. McLean v. Smith, supra; Tredwell v. Riddick, 1 Ired., 56; Bynum v. Carter, 4 Ired.,
The learned Judge who tried the case was doubtless led into error, as suggested, by the fact that his attention was not directed to the opinion on the former appeal. The plaintiff is entitled to a New Trial.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- J. L. McLEAN v. NANCY SMITH
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Adverae Possession — Lappage — ('onfliebing Grants — Evidence. 1. Iii ail. action by a junior grantee against a senior grantee to recover possession of land included in both grants by reason of a lappage, it appeared that plaintiff and his predecessors were in possession of a portion of the lappage foi2 moro than seven years before defendant entered on, and actually occupied, another portion of it; the only evidence of any attempt by defendant to exercise dominion over the lappage before such entry was that her tenants entered at intervals and cut timber for rails and removed pine straw from it: Held, that it was error to submit to the jury the question as to whether defendant, during such seven years, occupied and used any portion of the lappage “ for any purpose such land could be used for,” it not having been shown that the land was unfit for cultivation and had been used for the statutory period for the only purpose for which it was available. 2. In such case it was error to refuse to allow the plaintiff to show what, his intent was in inclosing the part of the lappage occupied by him.