Humphreys v. White
Humphreys v. White
Opinion of the Court
delivered tbe opinion, of tbe court:
On tbe 18tb day of October, 1871, ~W. ~W. Humphreys and sister, Mrs. Jennie Scott, then a minor, and wife of James B. Scott* being tbe joint owners in fee of a certain lot of ground in tbe city of Memphis (fully described in tbe pleadings), subject to the. dower interest of their mother, Susan A. Holland (and tbe said Susan A. Holland "joins in a deed), in selling tbe property to Joseph Hainer for tbe price of $2,100.00. The deed executed by said parties to Hainer, after reciting tbe payment by him of $1,200.00 of the consideration, proceeds as follows: “And tbe balance of $900.00 to be paid on tbe 1st day of December, 1873,-on certain conditions,. to-wit: Whereas, Jennie Scott, one of tbe foregoing bargainors, is an infant under tbe age of twenty-one years, and has an undivided interest in tbe premises hereinafter described; and, whereas, she will reach her majority and the_ twenty-one years of age on tbe 22d day of November, 1873. Now, if tbe said Jennie Scott and ber husband, James B. Scott,
We think the decree of the chancellor is erroneous upon either of the two constructions t-hat may be placed upon said deed of October 18, 1871. If that sale and conveyance was sufficient to pass the title to Mrs. Jennie Scott’s undivided share or interest in the property, and operated to confer upon her the exclusive right to said sum of $900.00, then we know of no principle' upon which she or her representative would be entitled to subject the whole property to the payment of the amount due on her undivided interest. What lien could she claim upon the interest of Mrs. Holland and W. W. Humphreys, which did pass by the deed? To meet this difficulty, complainants’ counsel say that the sale of the lot was in solido and that the whole is therefore bound for said balance of $900. If this were so, then Mrs. Holland and W. W. Humphreys, in his own' right, were necessary parties complainants; but-construing said deed of October 18, 1871, according to the manifest intentions of the parties, we are of opinion that only the shares or interest of William Holland and W. W. Humphrey were conveyed thereby; that the undivided interest of Mrs. Jennie Scott did not pass to Hamer by that conveyance. That as to her interest, said instrument by its terms and true meaning amounted to nothing more than a contract between her and her husband, and said Iiainer, that her interest should be conveyed to the latter, after she had attained her majority, at and for the
But under the prayer of the bill for general relief we think said Bettie May Scott, as the heir at law of her mother, and under the said James B. Scott’s relinquishment of all his rights and interests in her favor, should have a decree declaring her interest and title in said lot, with an account for rents as to said interest against Hamer’s administrator and Ii. I). Newport, and for partition or sale for partition as the nature and character of the property and the interest of said minor may determine. We are of opinion that the said Bettie May Scott has the title to an undivided half of said lot, with the present right of possession of an undivided one-third thereof, with the right to an account of rents on said one-third since October’ 18, 1871; that her right to the possession of one-half of Mrs. Holland’s dower interest will not accrue till the death of said dowress. The account for rent on said one-third to-which complainant has the right to present possession will be taken against defendant, R. D. Newport, since he took possession of the premises, and prior to that time against the administrator of Joseph Hainer. Said defendant, upon the taking of said account, will be allowed credit to extent of one-third for all taxes paid on said property.
The decree of the chancellor is accordingly reversed, and this cause is remanded to the first chancery court of Shelby county to carry into effect the judgment of the court as above directed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.