Farmers' & Merchants' Bank v. Citizens' Nat. Bank
Farmers' & Merchants' Bank v. Citizens' Nat. Bank
Opinion of the Court
On November 25, 1903, John Gruba and his wife’ executed a mortgage to the plaintiff bank on a quarter section of land- in Day county', to secure their two' promissory notes amounting to $1,780. By a mutual mistake in drawing up the mortgage, it described the land as in township 123, while in fact the land owned bv Gruba was in township 124, six miles distant from that described in the mortgage. This mortgage was duly recorded on September 26, 1904. Thereafter, on May 26, 1904, Gruba and his wife, to correct said mistake, executed a new mortgage identical with the first, except that the land was properly
Defendant appeals, and assigns these rulings and the judgment as erroneous. The first question on this appeal is whether appellant, upon this record, can claim the protection of the record
Section 986: “Every conveyance of real property, other than a lease for a term not exceeding one year, is void as against any subsequent purchaser or incumbrancer, including an assignee of a mortgage, lease or other conditional estate, of the same property, or any part thereof, in good faith and for a valuable consideration, whose conveyance is first duly recorded.”
Section 987: “The term ‘conveyance/ as used in the last section, embraces every instrument in writing by which any estate or interest in real property is created, aliened, mortgaged or incumbered, or by which the title to any real property may be effected, except wills, executory contracts for the sale or purchase of real property, and powers of attorney.”
It is found by the trial court that defendant had no actual notice of plaintiff’s mortgage, and had no knowledge that any instrument had ever been recorded purporting to mortgage any of Gruba’s real estate to the plaintiff. We may then assume that defendant was acting in good faith in accepting such mortgage. It is also found by the -trial court that the defendant, as a part consideration for said mortgage, entered into- a valid and binding agreement extending the time of payment of its $600 note from November 15, 1903, to October 24, 1904. We are inclined to agree with appellant’s contention that such an extension was a sufficient consideration to constitute defendant an incumbrancer for value under the recording act. See volume 27 Cyc. 1192, where the rule is -thus stated: “Although a mortgage is given to secure an antecedent debt, yet if, at the time and in consideration of the giving of the mortgage, the creditor grants a definite extension of the time of payment, this is such a consideration- as will give him the character of a purchaser for value.” The decisions on -this question are not harmonious, but we befieve the weight of authority and the better reason are expressed in the rule above stated.
In O’Brien v. Fleckenstein, 180 N. Y. 350, 73 N. E. 30, sustaining this rule, that court says: “It is safe enough to say that the general trend of the cases and the consensus of opinion
In the case of Brey v. Clifford, 44 Cal. 342, that court said: "Unquestionably what is a valuable consideration in the case supposed of commercial paper is a valuable consideration within the meaning of those words as used in the registery act.” If this view be correct, this court maje be deemed to have settled this question in accordance with the rule here adopted. In Allibone v. Ames, 9 S. D. 74, 68 N. W. 165, 33 L. R. A. 585, this court says: “Moreover, by the surrender of the note, payable on demand, in exchange for one equal in amount, due in thirty days, Peavy & Co. parted with sufficient value and extended the time within which payment might lawfully be demanded. This transaction alone imports a consideration, and is sufficient to constitute Peavy & Co. bona fide holders of the note and mortgage in question.” Respondent however contends that appellant has not brought itself within the protection of the recording act, for the reason that its mortgage is not shown h> have been recorded.
The plaintiff’s complaint alleges the existence of defendant’s mortgage, and demands priority over it, but it does not allege that such mortgag'e was ever recorded. Nor does the answer of defendant allege that itis mortgage was recorded; and the findings of the court are silent upon the subject. But the complaint alleges and the court affirmatively finds that plaintiff’s mortgage was duly recorded in the proper office on September 26, 1904. Appellant contends that if the question, of record is material, and
The trial court therefore erred in awarding a reformation of plaintiff’s mortgage as against appellant.
The judgment of the lower court is reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FARMERS' & MERCHANTS' BANK v. CITIZENS' NAT. BANK OF SISSETON
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published