Gourley v. Woodbury
Gourley v. Woodbury
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
It was designed by the deed in question to insure the title in “ the hill farm ” as effectually in the persons designated as the title in the “ river farm.” The deed conveyed both to Worthington in trust for the uses specified ; and when those uses had been served, both farms were “ to become the property of the children of said William and Mary and their legal representatives.” There was no contingency involved that was to prevent such ultimate ownership of the property. In the case of “ the river farm ” it has been decided that the children and their personal representatives, and this plaintiff as one standing in that right, took a vested estate by that deed. 42 Yt. 395. The deed was held operative to the same intent and effect as if, without a trustee, it had conveyed a life estate to Mary, with remainder to the other persons designated. In the case of “ the hill farm,” there was an existing estate in dower in Elizabeth. The design of the deed was to give William a life estate in the reversion with remainder to the same persons as in case of “ the river farm.” To the effectuation of that design there was no more need for the interposition of a trustee than in the former case. A deed conveying directly to William the reversion of the existing dower for life, remainder to the other persons designated, would have given just the title and interest to the respective parties that it was designed to have result from the deed as it was drawn.
It is seen by examining the deed, that in reference to “ the
It seems inferable that an arrangement had been negotiated between William and Mary for having the exclusive use by each, during their respective lives, of the respective parcels, and after that, their children to have the property in common in absolute right, as by direct inheritance from their parents, and that, as to the parcel for the use of Mary, it was regarded needful that it should be held, and managed, and the proceeds applied for her support by somebody besides herself; and hence the life use was conveyed in trust to said Worthington; and as the transaction was an entire one, it was thought advisable to embrace and finish it up by a single instrument; and so the other parcel was conveyed by that deed to the same person in trust — merely as title holder, with no function as to the possession or use of it. Owing to the dower right of said Elizabeth, the draftsman of the deed seemed to have a vague notion, that, if William died before the
Upon the views thus presented we do not feel it needful or expedient to follow the lead of counsel in exploring a region from which they profess to have returned without any appreciable fruit — feeling warranted in standing upon the principle and the views set forth by the court in the case in 42 Yt., and giving the deed the effect obviously designed by it; being the effect that the defendants claim for it in their own behalf, and which, as we have seen, is of the same effect in behalf of the plaintiff.
Upon the facts shown by the record we think the demurrer to the plea was well taken; and the judgment of the County Court is affirmed. Cause remanded for the carrying out of the order for partition.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MARTHA GOURLEY and Others v. EDWIN J. WOODBURY and Others
- Status
- Published