Stewart v. Williams
Stewart v. Williams
Opinion of the Court
Statement of the Case.
On or about the 1st of January, 1890, Curley Williams, appellee herein, purchased from G. W. Hatfield 160 acres of land, together with the improvements thereon, situated in Anderson county, being a part of the Manuel Riondo 11-league grant, which grant was known as the Zacharie land, upon which he and his wife made their home and continuously resided up to the time when this suit was brought. The evidence shows that Foster, the father-in-law of Hatfield, took possession of this tract of land in 1861, and made his home and continued to reside thereon until his death, after which Hatfield acquired it from his estate, and lived upon it until he sold, same in January, 1890, to ap-pellee, as above stated. It appears that the land had been surveyed prior to the time it was acquired by appellee Williams, and that the lines and corners there.of had been pointed out to him by Hatfield. At the time ap-pellee purchased it there was a house upon the land in which Foster and Hatfield had lived, and some 15 acres thereof had been fenced and put in cultivation. Williams, after moving upon the land, from year to year put portions thereof in cultivation, amounting in all at the time of the trial to some 60 acres, and built a new house thereon.
In 1898 suit was brought and judgment recovered by the state against the unknown heirs of Zacharie for delinquent taxes on these lands, and thereafter tract No. 9, containing 200 acres, which embraced the land in controversy^ was sold at tax sale, and purchased by W. B. Robinson on the 28th of October, 1898, who subsequently, on the 16th of November, 1901, sold same to appellee Williams pursuant to an agreement made with him prior to Robinson’s purchase. Thereafter, on the 25th day of February, 1903, appellant, who had previously purchased said grant from the Zacharie heirs, conveyed by two separate deeds to Gurley Williams said block No. 9, containing 200 acres of land, for the sum of $350, evidenced by eight promissory vendor’s lien notes, six for the sum of $50 each, retaining a vendor’s lien on the east half thereof, and two for $25 each, retaining a like lien on the west half of said 200 acres. On the 9th day of April, 1903, appellee, joined by his wife, Roxie Williams, sold to Geo. A. Wright the west half of said 200 acres for the sum of $300 cash, and the assumption by said Wright of said two $25 notes, and this suit was brought by appellees Williams and wife on the 12th of June, 1911, against appellant, to cancel said deeds made by him to Williams and wife, as well as 'their said notes given for said land, on the ground that said deed was void, because wholly without consideration for this: That appellees, long prior to the execution and delivery thereof, had acquired title to 160 acres of said land by virtue of the three, five, and ten year statute of limitations.
Stewart replied, after general and special exceptions and general denial, that appellee Williams took possession of said land as the tenant of Zacharie, and so continuously held the same; also by cross-action, setting up the sale of the west half thereof by Williams and wife to Wright, who is now claiming the same by virtue thereof, and that, upon his purchase, Wright assumed the payment of said two $25 notes; that said Williams and wife had refused to pay any of said series of notes, and have instituted this suit to cancel same. Wherefore he prayed judgment against said Williams and Wright for said 200 acres of land, for writs of possession, etc. But, if this was denied, then, in the alternative, that he have judgment against Williams fon> the amount of said six notes, and foreclosure on all of said land, and for joint judgment against Williams and Wright for the amount of said two $25 notes, and for foreclosure against both of them on the west half of said 200 'acres, and for order of sale, etc.
Wright answered, admitting that he had purchased the land as charged in the cross-bill of Stewart, and had assumed the payment of said two $25 notes, as therein claimed, and offered to pay the amount due on said notes to whomsoever the court should decree entitled to -receive it, praying that the court confirm said sale, and adjudge to whom said money should be paid. ,
The case was submitted to a jury on special issues, who found in answer thereto: First, that appellees Williams and wife had continued, peaceable, and adverse possession *763 of the land and premises described in their petition, living on and claiming to own the same, cultivating, using, and enjoying the same, for ten consecutive years or more prior to February 25, 1903: and, second, that said tract of land described in plaintiffs’ petition contained 160 acres, and that Williams and wife did not go upon or hold the land under Jackson, the agent of the Zacharies, nor remain on and hold same with the intention of buying it, but paid Hatfield therefor, and only expected to keep the taxes paid — upon which the court rendered judgment for ap-pellees Williams and wife for said 160 acres of land, that the notes executed by Williams to Stewart, so far as they created obligations against Williams, be canceled, and judgment went for Stewart and appellees against George A. Wright in favor of the former for ■four-tenths of the amount due on the two vendor’s lien notes of date February 25,1903, for the sum of $25 each, amounting to $44.52, with interest and attorneys fees, and in favor of appellees against Wright for six-tenths of the said two last-named notes, together with interest and attorney’s fees, amounting tó $66.98, with foreclosure of vendor’s lien on the west half of said 200 acres of land, which included 60 acres of the 160 so adjudged to appellees, from which judgment appellant alone has appealed.
Opinion.
Finding no error in the judgment of the trial court, the same is in all respects affirmed.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STEWART v. WILLIAMS Et Al.
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published