Louisiana & Texas Lumber Co. v. Southern Pine Lumber Co.
Louisiana & Texas Lumber Co. v. Southern Pine Lumber Co.
Opinion of the Court
The appellant, Louisiana & Texas Lumber Company, filed this suit in the district court of Houston county, Tex., on the 11th day of February, 1909, against the appellee Southern Pine Lumber Company in form of trespass to try title (and for damages) for the recovery of the title and possession of 180 acres of the Pedro Miranda one-third league survey of land situated in Houston county, Tex., and described same-by field notes, and the appellee Southern Pine Lumber Company filed its first amended original answer in said cause February 25, 1910, consisting of general demurrer, general denial, plea of not guilty, pleas of 5 and 10 years’ statutes of limitation, and, further, special plea and cross-action vouching in Womack Hutson and J. R. Bobbitt on their warranties.
The case was tried at the spring term of the district court of Plouston county, Tex., before a jury, and judgment therein rendered for appellant, Louisiana & Texas Lumber Company, for an undivided interest of 20-acres of the tract of 180 acres sued for, and in favor of appellees Southern Pine Lumber-Company and J. R. Bobbitt for the title and possession of the remaining 160 acres of said land to be surveyed off so as to include-the improvements situated on said land. From the judgment, the plaintiff prosecutes this appeal.
The trial court instructed the jury that appellant had the record title to the land and was entitled to recover unless such right was defeated by appellee’s defense of title-under the statute of limitation of 10 years. To the plea of the statute of limitation appellant pleaded the disability of minority of its vendors Frost Thorn and Marcellita Thorn.
*605
Bates and those claiming title under him by regular conveyances continued to occupy, cultivate, use, and enjoy the premises, claiming adversely, continuously, and without interruption up to the institution of this suit in 1909, a period of 24 years from the date of Young’s first settlement. At the time of Young’s first occupancy in 1887, the land belonged to Frost Thorn and his sister, Mar-cellita Thorn, then minors. Frost Thorn became of age in October, 1896. Marcellita Thorn married in April, May, or June, 1895'.
There is no merit in appellant’s first assignment of error that the court erred in refusing to grant its motion for a new trial on the ground that the verdict of the jury is contrary to the law and the evidence. Limitation began to run against Frost Thorn in October, 1896, upon his attaining his majority, and against Marcellita Thorn in April, May, or June, 1895, upon her marriage. According to the great weight and preponderance of the evidence appellee, and those under whom it holds title from this time, and indeed since 1887, were in continuous adverse possession, such possession being accompanied by every fact and circumstance necessary to support the statute of limitation of 10 years.
What we have said is sufficient to dispose of the fourth assignment of error, which is overruled. There is no merit in the appeal and the judgment is affirmed.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- LOUISIANA & TEXAS LUMBER CO. v. SOUTHERN PINE LUMBER CO. Et Al.
- Cited By
- 3 cases
- Status
- Published