Hill v. Roderick
Hill v. Roderick
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the devise,- and the running of the division line in 1800.) — At the time this line was established, Robert’s children were infants j'but after his death, and subsequent to their attaining full age, they recognised it as- being the division
"When this case was here before, (4 Watts & Serg. 221,) it was decided simply, on the ground that the act of the tenant for life could not bind those in remainder, without their assent, which could not be given by Robert’s children, who were minors, and consequently, there being no mutuality of obligation, the agreement establishing the division line ceased to have any binding effect upon John, or those deriving title from him, after the death of Robert. This conclusion was arrived at without adverting to the terms of the devise, to which the attention of the court was not called by the counsel on either side. The question has upon this occasion been presented in a new aspect, so far as the principle upon which it is to be decided is involved; and this relieves us from the necessity of inquiring into the errors assigned in the charge of the court below'.
The will of the testator furnishes incontestable evidence that, when penning the devise under consideration, he had in contemplation an immediate partition of the land. It is perfectly’manifest, from the terms used and the directions given, he did not intend that his sons John and Robert should continue to occupy the estate as tenants in common, during the life of Robert. The language of the devise conclusively repels such an idea. The son Robert was to have that part of the plantation whereon the testator lived, to contain one hundred and seventy acres; and John was to possess and enjoy the residue. Each of the devisees was to occupy in severalty, and that portion of the land to bo enjoyed by Robert was specifically pointed out. Not only was the number of acres named, but the sije of the plantation on which they lie. It is true, the will contains no express direction that a line of division shall be ascertained and established, but as this was essentially necessary to carry out the obvious intention of the testator, looking to a severalty of possession and enjoyment, it is not to be doubted he regarded the making of such demarcation as the inevitable consequence of the directions he gave. Nor can it bo supposed, from
This view covers the whole case, and decides it in favour of the defendants in error. It renders it unnecessary to notice the several bills of exception taken to the ruling of the court below on questions of evidence, with the exception of the first bill, further than to remark that if they were oven erroneous, it would furnish no ground for a reversal of this judgment, as the error inflicted no injury on the plaintiff. The evidence mentioned in the first bill of exceptions was rightly received.
Judgment affirmed.
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