Gensimore's Estate
Gensimore's Estate
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
The testator left two wills, both executed in entire accordance with legal requirements, one on 25th January, 1909, the other on 27th November, 1912. He died 10th December, 1912. The register admitted both to probate as together constituting one last will and testament, and issued letters testamentary in accordance with the appointment contained in the earlier, the latter making no appointment. One of testator’s daughters appealed, her contention being that the later will revoked the earlier. Her appeal was sustained, and from the decree of the court directing that the later instrument be admitted to probate as the last will and testament, and the letters testamentary granted under the earlier instrument be revoked, this appeal has been taken.
The earlier will contained the following bequest, “I give to my daughters, Caroline Nearhoff, Emma Lower and Mary Kogan, an equal share of all the money derived from estate after expenses are paid.” This direction followed, “I hereby appoint David Funk of Warrior’s Mark executor to settle my estate; to sell the real and personal, either private or at public sale.” In the later will the following bequest is made, “I give and bequeath to my daughter, Mary M., all my personal property, excepting a gold watch and chain. Also one gun.” We have quoted so much of each will as is necessary to an understanding of the controversy. It will be seen that by the earlier will to the three daughters named is given practically the entire estate, real and personal, and that by the later the entire personal estate is given to one of the daughters, here the appellee. Ex
The bearing of this transaction on the question now for our consideration in no wise depends on its sufficiency in law to constitute a valid and enforceable contract of sale of land, and therefore that is not a question to be considered. Revocation is entirely a matter of intention, and such intention can be indicated in no more certain way than by a testator alienating the property he had previously made the subject of testamentary disposition. “When a testator conveys away absolutely
Reference
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- Syllabus
- Wills — Construction—Intention—Revocation—Sale of land devised — Ineffectual conveyance — Effect on prior will. 1. When a testator conveys away absolutely land that he has previously devised, the devise is thereby revoked on the presumption of law that the testator changed his intention. Even though ineffectual to vest the property, an attempted conveyance produces . a revocation of the devise. 2. A testator left two wills, the earlier containing the bequest: “I give and devise to my daughters,” naming them, “an equal share of all the money derived from estate after expenses are paid,” and appointing an executor. In the later will, the following bequest was made: “I give and bequeath to my.daughter, Mary M., all my personal property, excepting a gold watch and chain. Also one gun.” No executor was named by the latter will. Subsequent to the making of the first will and prior to the execution of the second, the testator contracted verbally to sell his farm, the only real estate which he owned, and prior to his death executed and acknowledged a deed to the grantee for the premises and placed it in escrow to be delivered on payment of the purchase-money. The register admitted both instruments to probate as together constituting the will of the testator and issued letters testamentary, in accordance with the appointment contained in the earlier will. Meld, on appeal, that the court did not err in directing the latter instrument to be admitted to probate and in revoking the letters testamentary granted upon the earlier instrument.