Werts' Heirs v. Vick
Werts' Heirs v. Vick
Opinion of the Court
This suit involves the title to 160 acres of land in Young county. The appellants own the superior record title, and the appellee claims by limitation. The land was patented to Jacob Werts, and the appellants are his heirs. On ¡September 1, 1880, by a written lease, duly recorded, Jacob Werts, in consideration of $250 paid, leased the land in controversy for the period of 50 years to J. H. Carter, through whom appel-lee claims. In 1881 the said J. H. Carter bought the land at sale for taxes, and the sheriff and tax collector executed and delivered tax deed therefor, which was duly recorded. In 1883 Carter executed quitclaim deed to the land to J. S. Timmons, who in 1911 conveyed it by general warranty deed to other parties. The land thereafter passed through several successive grantees by warranty deeds, being ultimately conveyed by such deed to appellee, D. G. Vick, in the year of 1915. The conveyances referred to were duly recorded at the time of their execution. The case was tried upon an agreed statement, and it was agreed, in addition to the facts already stated:
“That D. G. Vick has title to said land by limitation, unless such limitation title is defeated by the lease above mentioned from Werts to Carter. * * * That neither said Vick nor those under whom he claims have ever given to Jacob Werts, or his said heirs, any actual notice that the relation of landlord and tenant was repudiated; the recording of adverse deeds and open possession thereunder being the only repudiation of such relationshp.”
Appellee, Vick, brought this suit against the unknown heirs of Jacob Werts in the form of trespass to try title, and also set up title by limitation under the 5 and 10 year statute. The appellees appeared, pleaded not guilty, and by a cross-action, in form of trespass to try title, prayed for judgment for the land.
The registration of a deed does not have the broad effect of notice contended for by appellee, and as might be inferred from the literal construction of the provisions of article 6842, R. S. it has been frequently announced that the purpose of the registration law was to protect those subsequently dealing with the land and the record of a deed is notice only to those claiming under the grantor. White v. McGregor, 92 Tex. 556, 50 S. W. 564, 71 Am. St. Rep. 875. The owner of the land is not required to constantly examine the records, to ascertain whether some one has placed of record some instrument affecting his title. If possession of the land is disturbed, he is bound by notice of such fact, and by virtue of the limitation statutes may then be said to be affected with notice of the claim evidenced by the deed under which the possession was taken. But Werts’ possession of the land was not disturbed, and on principle he is not to be charged with notice of the fact of the registration of a hostile deed to his tenant. The case of Udell v. Peak, supra, was referred to with approval in the case of Bryson v. Boyce, 41 Tex. Civ. App. 415, 92 S. W. 820, where the adverse possession of the tenant was attempted to be supported by the purchase of the land under a tax deed during the tenancy. See, also, Hintze v. Krabbenschmidt, 44 S. W. 39; Reichstetter v. Reese, 39 S. W. 596. The evidence, therefore, fails to show that limitation began to run in favor of the original lessee, Carter, by reason of Ms record of the ‘tax deed. The distinction between this case and that of Crosby v. Bonnowsky, 29 Tex. Civ. App. 455, 69 S. W. 212, is that in said case the tax sale itself conveyed a good title, and was not merely relied upon to support a title by limitations, as in this case.
Under the agreed facts in this case, we think that appellants are entitled to judgment, and we therefore reverse the judgment of the court below, and here render judgment in their favor.
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