Melick v. Darling
Melick v. Darling
Opinion of the Court
The complainants claim that the will of William Darling creates a case of election against the defendant.
Is this, then, a ease of election ? This must be determined from the whole provisions of the will. The testator when he executed his will was a tenant in common, only with the defendant. The southwest quarter of section seven, etc., was patented to both. The testator, therefore, it is true, owned but a moiety, and in the devise in question he gives the southwest quarter of section seven, etc., to his grandson, Jeremiah Beatty. The language, it is said, is plain, clear, and operative, and includes the whole tract.
The case does not appear to us to be so clear “.that he who runs may read;” but nevertheless, when we consider the almost perfect equality with which the testator has distributed his property among his children and grandchildren; that when he has given to one, he has likewise given to others, “share and share alike,” a majority of the court arrive at the conclusion that by the devise of the whole quarter to Jei’cmiah Beatty, the testator only designed to convey his own interest. This construction places the devisee on an equality with the other grandson, to whom the half of another quarter in the same section is given, and carries out the general design of the testator, arising on the face of the will, of placing his devisees on a perfect equality in the disposition of his property; sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters, with few exceptions, “ share and share alike.”
We think no case of election is created, and the bill must be dismissed. Bill dismissed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- William Melick and wife v. Abram Darling
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published