Pinnel v. Burroughs
Pinnel v. Burroughs
Opinion of the Court
The facts contained in the former case on appeal are all included in this record, amplified and extended by additional testimony introduced on the present hearing, and from these facts it appears that the land in question was formerly owned by Jackson Pinnell, who died in said county in 1865, leaving him surviving his widow, Lucy ~W. Pinnell, and present plaintiffs, ~W. A. J. Pinnell, E. L. Pinnell, and Lucy Andrews, his children and heirs at law; that some time after the death of Jackson Pinnell his widow intermarried with John H. Burroughs,
The record shows that decree for sale was had, November Term, 1866. Sale took place December, 1866. Report made and confirmed in August, 1867, or soon thereafter.
It further appeared that Willis Lloyd died in 1869, having made his last will and testament, appointing Henry B. Hunter his executor, and, in proving the will, it appeared that the heirs at law of Willis Lloyd and owners of his property under the will included, among others, the present plaintiffs, W. A. J. Pinnell, R. L. Pinnell, and Lucy L. Pinnell (now Mrs. Andrews). The docket of probate court of Warren County was then offered in evidence, containing the following:
NORTH CAROLINA-WARREN COUNTY.
In the Probate Court.
Henry B. Hunter, executor of Willis Lloyd, respectfully showeth to the court that in accordance with the order of sale to him directed by this honorable court he did, on 14 May, 1870, after the requisite advertisement, sell at the courthouse door in the town of Warrenton the land mentioned in said order, when John H. Burroughs became the last and best bidder in the sum of $1,000, and has paid the amount so bid. He is of the opinion that the price is as much as the land is worth, and respectfully recommends that the sale be confirmed and that he be directed to execute a deed to the purchaser.
H. B. Hunter,
Executor of Willis Lloyd, Deceased.
There was also offered in evidence a deed from H. B. Hunter, executor of Willis Lloyd, conveying the tract of land in dispute to John H. Burroughs, father of defendants, and now deceased, containing recitals as follows:
It was also shown in evidence that a few years ago tbe courthouse of Warren County was rebuilt, and that, during its construction, boxes containing some of tbe former records and dockets of proceedings of tbe court were placed in an attorney’s office near by, many of them never having been recorded; and it was proved that due and diligent search bad been made for tbe record and proceedings in tbis present ease of Hunter v. Pinnell et al. in tbe courthouse and elsewhere, and that said papers could not be found. It was also shown that two of plaintiffs, R. L. Pinnell and Lucy Andrews, were children of Jackson Pinnell by Lucy, bis second wife, and W. A. Pinnell, tbe other plaintiff, was a child of tbe said Jackson by a former wife, and she was a sister of Lucy; and tbis last having died in 1914, plaintiffs sue and claim the land as children and heirs at law of Jackson Pinnell, tbe former owner; and defendants resist recovery, claiming ownership as children and heirs of their deceased father, John H. Burroughs.
On these, tbe controlling facts in reference to tbis title, tbe Court is of opinion that the judgment of nonsuit-is clearly correct, and this without refei’ence to any rights that may or may not exist in plaintiffs,
In the case then referred to of Hunter, executor of Willis Lloyd, v. W. A. J. Pinnell et al., we have tbe record entry showing tbe report of sale of tbe land here in dispute, tbat same was bought by John H. Burroughs and purchase price paid; due and proper search for the papers and failure to find tbe same, and recitals in tbe deed showing a cause properly constituted; tbe presence of tbe proper parties; decree for sale to make assets to pay debts of the testator; report of sale, showing payment and purchase price; confirmation of sale and order to make title, and tbe deed conveying such title to defendants.
It was suggested for plaintiff tbat while tbe evidence shows tbat two of tbe plaintiffs are grandchildren of Willis Lloyd, tbe other plaintiff, being a child of tbe first wife, may not be so, and, therefore, as we understood tbe argument, there would arise no presumption tbat this first child' was a grandchild of Willis Lloyd, and, therefore, to be included in tbe terms of tbe recital as to parties, wherein Henry B.
The facts in evidence, then, are stated, showing the existence of a cause properly constituted, in a court having jurisdiction of the parties and subject-matter, in which the land in dispute was sold as the property of Willis Lloyd. If the present plaintiffs, who were properly parties to that record, had any title superior to that of Willis Lloyd, they should have set it forth, and not having done so, they are now concluded on the issue as to Willis Lloyd’s title. This was fully adverted to and the case practically decided on the former appeal, in which Associate Justice Walker, speaking to this question, said: “If they were parties to the latter suit, they are bound and concluded by the judgment rendered therein, and it can make no difference whether they acquired title to the land as the heirs of Jackson Pinnell or as heirs of Willis Lloyd, as they are estopped by the judgment without regard to the source from which they may have derived title. If they had any other right or title to the land at the time they were called upon to answer the complaint, they should have disclosed it, and pleaded it, and having failed to do so, they are concluded by the judgment as to the title, which was alleged to have been in Willis Lloyd, and will not be heard to aver against it in this action. Armfield v. Moore, 44 N. C., 157; Carter v. White, 134 N. C., 474; Gregory v. Pinnix, 158 N. C., 147. The Court, in Owens v. Needham, 160 N. C., 381, quoting from and approving Coltrane v. Laughlin, 157 N. C., 287, held it to be a well recognized doctrine here and elsewhere that ‘when a court, having jurisdiction of a cause and the parties, renders judgment therein, it estops the parties and their privies as to all issuable matter contained in the pleadings, and though not issuable in the technical sense, it concludes, among other things, as to all matters within the scope of the pleadings which are material and relevant and were in fact investigated and determined on the hearing.’ ”
We find no error in the record, and the judgment of nonsuit is
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- W. A. PINNELLs. v. J. W. BURROUGHS
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published