Sergeant v. Ford
Sergeant v. Ford
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
This was an ejectment by John Sergeant for 21 acres of land with the appurtenances. The dispute arose on the following facts: — On the 17th of May 1831, Thomas Ford and
The court were right in their construction of this deed; although the first part looks like a provision for the father alone, it is explained by the concluding part. The obvious meaning is a reservation of the 21 acres, and house, barn, and orchard, during life, by the father, and an engagement by Charles to deliver the share of hay and grain to his father during his life, and a less share to his mother, if she was the survivor. “ She to receive,” is insensible, unless the son was to deliver to her. The stipulation about shares of produce is contract, as much as a lease of a farm, he paying a proportion of the produce. The reservation of the 21 acres is to last as long as Hopewell’s life, and then to cease; this gave the residue to Charles at once, and the reversion of the 21 acres on the death of his father and mother. He could sell no more, and the sheriff could sell no more than he had; and the purchaser got no more. The levy described it by those who bounded the 121 acres on every side, as was equivalent to a description by courses and distances all round. The purchaser then got all the estate, neither more nor less than Charles had.
In strictness, the testimony of Kepler was not evidence. The levy, venditioni exponas, and deed, pass the title; they are written, and together make record evidence of title to the purchaser. It never can be permitted that what third persons thought or said, can affect a title created and evidenced by records. Fraud, which vitiates everything, may make exceptions: as when a person intending to purchase, and who does purchase publicly at a sale, represents that only a certain part is selling; but what officious third persons say, or the talk of bystanders, cannot with safety be permitted to enlarge or limit the levy. It is not, however, a cause of reversing in all cases that immaterial evidence has been heard, if it has no effect on the opinion of the court, or decision of the jury. Counsel too often offer a witness to prove a little more or a little different from what he does prove; and if it does no harm, if the case eventuates as it must have done if no such testimony had been given, it is no reason for reversing.
I will observe, if the levy does not mention all the land the defendant has in the tract levied, or if it and the advertisement do not fairly describe the property, the defendant may, by appli
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Sergeant against Ford
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published