Rowen v. Hauptmann
Rowen v. Hauptmann
Opinion of the Court
This is a suit in trespass to try title by Albert W. Hauptmann et al. against Louise C. Rowen et al. In a trial to the court, judgment was rendered for the plaintiffs and defendants have appealed. There are no findings of fact or conclusions of law. The plaintiffs are the legal representatives, heirs and devisees of Gustaf Adolph Hauptmann and wife, deceased. Gustaf Adolph Hauptmann was the owner of the land in controversy when judgment was rendered in Brazoria County in 1932, purporting to foreclose a tax lien. The defendants are the heirs at law and devisees of C. C. Calla-way, deceased, who obtained a quit claim deed from Prude, who purported to have title by mesne conveyances from the purchaser at the sale under a tax judgment.
The following facts are either undisputed or we must presume they existed and the court so found, to-wit, Gustaf Adolph Hauptmann of Dallas, Texas, at the time of said tax suit held the record title to said property. In the deed to him, which was recorded in the county of the tax suit, it was recited that he was a resident of Dallas, Texas. He timely rendered said land for assessment for taxes in Brazoria County for 1928. The land was carried on the assessment rolls of said county for said year in the name of G. A. Hauptmann of a certain street address in Dallas, Texas. The taxes on said land for said year were paid by said Hauptmann before they became delinquent and a tax receipt was issued showing he had paid them. Taxes on said land were assessed in the name of G. A. Hauptmann of Dallas, Texas, and were paid by him, or one or more of the plaintiffs in this suit, each year before they became delinquent from 1913 to and including 1960. Gustaf Adolph Hauptmann resided in Dallas, Texas, from 1899 until his death in 1939. He never resided in Lynchburg, Virginia. He did not know of the pendency of said tax case.
The defendant named and cited in said tax case was Gustaf Adolph Hauptmann of Lynchburg, Virginia. Gustaf Adolph Hauptmann of Dallas, Texas, was not a defendant and he was not served with citation. We think it is apparent from the record that Gustaf Adolph Hauptmann of Dallas, Texas, who was the record owner and whose said address was shown on the tax rolls and deed records of said county when said tax suit was filed was not a party to said suit, was not cited, and, therefore, neither he nor his property were bound by said judgment. Scales v. Wren, 103 Tex.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.