Forbes v. Withers
Forbes v. Withers
Opinion of the Court
This is a controversy as to the ownership of a strip of land of two hundred varas width, claimed by the appellants, who were plaintiffs below, to be included in the Boyce survey and on its east side. The defendant claims that it is included in the survey under which he
The contest here is mainly upon the effect of the flies made by the certificate owners previous to the survey as affecting the priority of right in the land.
The file number ten made for the Johnson county school land is very indefinite. It is, however, called for in the file number fifty-eight under the Boyce certificate. And it is manifest that had the Boyce file been strictly followed in the survey, that the land in controversy would have been included in it.
The file, which is the initiatory" step provided by the statutes then in force for the acquisition of public land by a holder of a land certificate, is merged in the survey. Ho defect in the file will attach to the survey. The field notes of the survey, after being recorded in the surveyor’s office, are returned to the land office. The patent should include the field notes so returned for description of the land granted by it to the owner of the certificate. The laws afforded a means for enforcing the rights of the holder of the certificate to have the survey made in accordance with the file. If, however, the survey is acquiesced in by others adversely interested by reason of priority of location, and is received by the owner conceding rights which might have been enforced, such concession is final. The action of the surveyor is presumed to be proper, and the presumption can not be disputed after the surveys have matured into patents. Hence the inquiry as to what lands are granted by the patent is directed to the survey as made, and not as it should have been made by the surveyor. The file then becomes immaterial, save as it may throw light upon the actual survey. (26 Texas, 68.)
The action of the court in its charge given and the refusal of instructions asked upon the legal effect of the files was immaterial, and ás it was not calculated to injure the plaintiffs they can not complain.
The testimony showed that the Tyron survey was identified— its northeast corner, its east and north sides' were known. The southwest corner of the Johnson school land survey, which is common with the southeast corner of the Boyce, seems to have been identified, the identification perhaps aided by the Tyron
In the absence of anything to mark the identity of the northeast corner of the Boyce we do not think the verdict was without or against the testimony in giving the land to defendant.
It is insisted that the court should have told the jury that upon finding from the testimony the northeast corner of the Boyce to be three thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight varas from the northwest corner and the length of the south line only three thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight varas they should find the dividing line by connecting these comers, giving plaintiffs all west and defendant all east of the line. This would only have been proper had both these comers been identified. It is not shown in the testimony that the northeast corner was so identified. Besides the corners of the ¡survey are all right angles.
The Johnson county school land survey could he identified without the aid of the Boyce. The Boyce survey was junior in ■date and hence in case of conflict would yield to the older.
The charge of the court as to the legal effect of the different ■calls, monuments, etc., was fair and full; carefully directing the jury to the issue to be determined.
We find no material error in the record and the judgment below is affirmed.
Affirmed^
Opinion delivered June 29, 1888.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- L. P. Forbes v. J. N. Withers
- Cited By
- 18 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Location of Land Certificates, -etc.—The file indicates where the survey should be made. The survey is evidenced or certified by the field notes, which are recorded and transmitted to the land office, to be included in the patent for the land. 2. Same—Files—Surveys.—The laws ^.Horded a means to compel the surveys to be made in accordance with a legal file. If a survey does not conform to the file, and no means are taken to correct the survey by the certificate holder or others interested in the land included, such survey when matured into a patent fixes the right of the land, regardless of whether made in accordance with the file or location of the certificate. 3. Same.—After patent, the file or location is not important save as it may throw light upon an actual survey. (26 Texas, 68.) 4. Survey—Calls.—In a rectangular survey, so appearing in its calls and on the maps, three corners are known; the fourth is not ascertained otherwise than by course and distance from the third comer. The call is two hundred varas longer than the parallel line on the south. Held that it was not error in the court to refuse to instruct the jury that the survey should be closed by connecting the first and fourth corners. It was not error to close the survey by reversing the last call from the first corner and running the proper course to the intersection with the third line. 5. Priority of Surveys.—The survey which is elder in date which can be ascertained without the aid of a junior survey, the two made by same surveyor and within a few days of same date, will have priority in right.