Huey v. Smith
Huey v. Smith
Opinion of the Court
The only error complained of is, the court instructing the jury, upon the evidence, “that, the nine acres for which the ejectment is brought, according to the diagram of Mr. Rockafeller, appears to be within Smith’s line; and if they are, then, as both are intruders, and as twenty-one years’ possession will protect an intruder to the extent of the lines designated as a part of his farm; if you believe plaintiff was in possession twenty-one years prior to the commencement of the suit, he is entitled to recover the land in controversy.” ' We must bear in mind, both plaintiff and defendant were intruders on patented land. One Staybrook had a warrant and survey in 1793, and returned for patenting in 1797. Huey was the first intruder; but neither knew that the land was appropriated. Smith, with Mitchell, circumscribed his boundary, by marking lines, shortly after he entered. In 1839, Rockafeller found the rough survey of Smith well marked on the ground, and counting back twenty-two years, the date of his entry and first improvement on the land. He had included about forty-■five acres, in a reasonable vicinage to his dwelling. So far as the assessments were in evidence, no land was taxed to Smith. The defendant gave evidence that on a distant part of the survey of Stay-brook, one Farnsworth had entered about 1809, built a cabin, and remained in possession for about two years. After him John Winn
The judgment is affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.