Sayers v. Phillips
Sayers v. Phillips
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The land in controversy is part of a tract which was conveyed to Thomas H. Phillips, the husband, and George W. Phillips, the stepson of the defendant, by deed dated September 30,1875. The grantees by deed dated June 26,1885, in which their wives joined, conveyed all the land to assignees for the benefit of creditors. Under an order of the common pleas, the assignees, August 13, 1887, made public sale of the tract to E. M. Sayers, who by deed dated December 30, 1892, conveyed it to the plaintiff. This action is brought to recover a part of this tract, described as containing about twenty-five acres, of which the defendant holds possession.
It is contended, on the part of the defendant, that she acquired an equitable interest in the land conveyed to her husband and his son, through the payment, by her’father, of $500 of the purchase money, under an agreement to which the holders of the legal title assented; that, under a parol partition contemplated by this agreement, a portion of the land, containing twenty acres or thereabouts, was set off to her by a line clearly indicated, and in part defined by a fence, to be held by her in severalty as the portion to which she was entitled; and that she has ever since held possession of the land thus allotted to her. This is the portion here in controversy.
The court below instructed the jury that if they found that the defendant “had a vested title in that land, or a vested right in the land, under this parol partition before the execution of that deed (of assignment), and if that land was sold subject to that interest, the purchaser would take no title to the interest of this defendant.”
There was no error in this. The vital questions in the case were whether the defendant had a separate interest in the land, and whether that interest had, through the assignees’ sale, passed to the plaintiff. These questions the jury found in her favor. The evidence, believed as it was by the jury, fully war
The verdict established the fact that the defendant had acquired a vested interest in the land in controversy before tbe assignment; the evidence indicates that in the sale by the assignees this interest was excepted; and the deed by the assignees shows conclusively that it was not conveyed to the purchaser at that sale. The defendant also held possession of this land continuously from the time of the parol partition until the trial of the cause. This possession was constructive notice of her interest: Sill v. Swackhammer, 103 Pa. 7; Miller v. Baker, 160 Pa. 172; Hottenstein v. Lerch, 12 W. N. C. 4; Jackson v. McFadden, 4 W. N. C. 539. This constructive notice was supplemented by actual notice at the sale. An assignees’ sale under an order of court is a judicial sale, to which the rule of caveat emptor applies; and a purchaser is affected as at other judicial sales by notice of claims then given: Leard’s Estate, 164 Pa. 435. And if the claimant is in possession, under his claim, at the time of sale, such notice will also affect one who buys from the purchaser while the claimant remains in possession: Hottenstein v. Lerch, supra; McLaughlin v. Fulton, 104 Pa. 161.
The assignments of error need no further discussion. They are overruled and the judgment is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Henry C. Sayers v. Nancy Phillips
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- 1 case
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- Syllabus
- Ejectment — Question for jury — Assignment for creditors — Parol partition. The question is for the jury where the evidence, if believed, established the facts that the defendant, wife of the assignor, acquired a vested interest in tlie land in controversy, through part payment of the purchase monej'-, and the extent of her interest was defined by a parol partition of the land in controversy, before an assignment for creditors; that in the sale by the assignee this interest was excepted; that the deed by the assignee shows conclusively, that it was not conveyed to the purchaser at the sale; that notice of claimant’s interest was given at the assignee’s sale, and that the defendant held possession continuously from the time of the parol partition until the trial. Assignee's sale — Notice actual and constructive of claims. An assignee’s sale under an order of court is a judicial sale, to which the rule of caveat emptor applies; and a purchaser is affected, as at other judicial sales, by notice of claims given ; and if a claimant is in possession, under his claim at the time of sale, such notice will also affect one who buys from the purchaser while the claimant remains in possession.