Grosholz v. Newman
Grosholz v. Newman
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The first objection alleged against the deed which the complainants ask to have cancelled is, that it was made for the purpose of conveying a part of the homestead of the Kirchbergs, and, as such, was void because the wife did not joiu with the husband in its execution.
It is admitted that the deed was good, if the lots described in it were not, in fact, a part of the homestead at the time of its execution. It rests upon the complainants, therefore, to prove that they were. To do this it must be made to appear that they -were actually used, or manifestly intended to be used as part of the home of the family. This has not been. done. The lots were purchased in 185Q, but hot oceu
It is next alleged that the Kirehbergs occupied the premises adversely to the grantee for more than ten years after the execution of the deed, and that therefore the title under it has failed.
The burden of proving this allegation also rests upon the complainants. It is shown that the occupation of the Kirchbergs was continuous, and probably adverse, from the time of the building of the kitchen upon lot 7 until the death of Mrs. Kirchberg. The kitchen was built in the summer of 1852, and so far as appears from the testimony, the adverse occupation did not commence until then. To create the bar it must have continued until the summer of 1862. Mrs. Kirchberg died in that year, but there is nothing to show at what time in the year. It is several times stated in the bill that she died ‘>011 the-day of-, 1862,” and the answer, as many times, admits the statement in the same language. No witness gives the exact date, but as several were examined by the complainants to show what relatives Mrs. Kiichberg had living in the spring of 1862, it is fair to presume that was the time of her death. But however this may be, as the complainants have failed to prove that she
It is next insisted in the bill, but not in the argument, that the defendants are estopped from setting up the deed in question by reason of the trust deeds to Costa, executed afterwards by the Kirchbergs at the request of Wáhrenberger, to secure the debt due to him, and that, therefore, it should be cancelled.
This is in direct conflict with the uniform current of de- ■ cisions in this- court, commencing with Blight’s Lessee v. Rochester,
It is next urged in the argument that the deed was given as a mortgage to secure a debt whieh has been paid.
There is no allegation in the bill to support this claim. The recovery must be had upon the case made by the pleadings or not at all.
It is unnecessary to consider the effect, under the laws of Texas, of the judgment in the action of trespass instituted by the complainants to try their title to the property.
Decree affirmed.
9 Wallace, 600.
Reference
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- 1. A mere intention to make a lot adjoining one on which a man and wife have their dwelling — the two lots being separated only by a small alley— a part of a homestead, and the subsequent actual building of a kitchen on . such adjoining lot, will not make that lot part of the homestead, within the laws of Texas, if before the building of the kitchen, the husband, then owner of the lot, have sold, and conveyed it to another person. 2. Where adverse possession is relied on to give title, and it is proved that such possession began “in the summer” of a certain year, and ended “on the - day of-” in the tenth year afterwards (ten years making the bar), the title is not made out; especially in a case where indications lead to the conclusion that it ended in the spring of the tenth year. 3. Where one having a title to two lots purchased from the State, but for which he has as yet no patent, makes a deed of them, in form absolute, to another, and then subsequently twice mortgages them, with a third lot, which he owns, to that other, the grantee of -that other is not estopped by his grantor’s acceptance of the mortgages of the three lots, to assert ownership, under the deed in form absolute, of the two. 4. Where' a complainant in equity wishes to rely on the fact that a deed, in form absolute, was in reality a mortgage, which has been paid, he must allege the fact in his bill.