Thompson v. Carmichael
Thompson v. Carmichael
Opinion of the Court
Opinion,
The facts of this case are presented in a case stated. John Carmichael, Sr., was the owner in fee of the lands in controversy in 1854, and was the common source of title. He conveyed the same in April, 1854, to Aaron Carmichael, in trust, for the use of Phoebe Thompson, daughter of John, Sr., and defendant below, and Elijah Thompson, her husband, for and during their natural lives and the life of the survivor of them, with the right to occupy and improve the estate, hut the same to he in' no way liable for the sole or joint debts of Phoebe or Elijah, and from and after the decease of the said Phoebe and Elijah, for the use of the heirs of the body of the said Phoebe forever. They took possession under said deed, and held the same until January, 1858, when by deed of general warranty they reconveyed the same to John Carmichael, Sr., for the consideration of three hundred dollars. Under this deed John, Sr., took possession and occupied as his own until he devised it to John, Jr., hy Ms last will and testament, dated March, 1861, and probated January, 1866. John, Jr., took possession and occupied it by himself and tenants until February, 1885, when he conveyed it to A. D. Carmichael, the plaintiff below. On or about April 1, 1885, the premises being vacant the defendant, Phoebe Thompson, went into peaceable possession, and has occupied it since, claiming title.
This case has been in this court before on the single question whether the title was in the trustee or cestuis que trust. It was held to he an active trust and the title in the trustee. The defendant was a feme covert when she executed the deed of January, 1858, and remained so until December, 1888, when her husband died. She then had and now has heirs of her body living. The sole question before this court in this controversy is whether the possession of the plaintiff and those under whom he claims, continued for twenty-one years and upwards, would give title under the statute of limitations of March 26, 1785. It is claimed by the plaintiff in error that
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PHŒBE THOMPSON v. A. D. CARMICHAEL
- Cited By
- 5 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (a) In 1854, land was conveyed in trust for the use of a married woman and her husband, for their lives, without liability for their debts, and at the death of the survivor for the use of the heirs of the body of the wife in fee. (b) In 1858, the eestuis que trust, being in possession, conveyed the land in an attempt to bar the supposed fee tail, and their grantee and those claiming under him held under such conveyance from the date thereof until 1885. 1. In such case, the trust under the deed of .1854 being active, the legal title was in the trustee therein, and the estate created was barred, even as against the wife, by the adverse possession held under the deed of 1858 from the eestuis que trust. 2. The wife, though under coverture, until 1883 and having then issue of her body living, could have enforced her estate through the trustee, and was therefore under no disability with the protection of § 1, act of April 22, 1856, P. L. 532.