Citation Numbers: 153 Ky. 748, 156 S.W. 404, 1913 Ky. LEXIS 917
Judges: Clay, William
Filed Date: 5/15/1913
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 10/18/2024
Opinion of the Court by
Affirming.
These two appeals will be considered together.
On April 1, 1911, J. P. Marrs and Alice M. Marrs, his wife, entered into a written contract with E. F. Pierce whereby they sold and agreed to convey to him an undivided one-seventh interest in and to a certain tract of land in Pike County, on the waters of Eobinson Creek. The consideration was $25 per acre, to be paid within two months from the date of the contract. The sum of $50 cash in hand was paid. Pierce refused to comply with the terms of the contract, and on July 15, 1911, Marrs and wife brought this action for specific performance, at the same time tendering a deed in conformity with the contract. Pierce defended on the ground that plaintiff’s title to the land was defective, and also alleged that Frank Damron and Edgar Damron, infants, claimed to
The second appeal mentioned in the caption is prosecuted by the infants, Frank and Edgar Damron, from a judgment of sale rendered in the case of W. J. Keel, Curator, v. H. S. Damron, et al. As the validity of the judgment of specific performance depends upon the regularity of the proceedings in the latter case, it will be necessary to set out those proceedings a{ length. The action was instituted by W. J. Keel, curator of the estate of Fannie Damron, v. H. S. Damron, Frank Damron, Edgar Damron, and the Bank of Pikeville. The petition alleges that in the year 1898 Fannie Damron died intestate, domiciled in Pike County, and at the March term, 1899, of the Pike County Court the estate of Fannie Damron was, by proper orders of said court, committed to the hands of W. J. Keel, Curator, who accepted said appointment and entered upon the discharge of his duties as such. It further appears from the petition that Fannie Damron left surviving her her husband, H. S. Damron, and two children, Frank Damron and EdgarDamron, who were infants under fourteen years of age,' and resided with their father, H. S. Damron. It also appears that Fannie Damron at the time of her death owed two notes, one for $270.41, the other for $492.34, which had been assigned to and were owned by the Bank of Pikeville. The petition alleges that Fannie Damron left no personal estate or property, but that she died seized of a house and lot in the town of Pikeville, and also owned an interest in a certain boundary of land described in a deed from Thomas May, Sr., to Mary E.
No question is raised as to the sale of the house and lot in Pikeville. The validity of the sale of the undivided ■one-seventh interest in the tract of land on Robinson •Creek is the only question involved. The proceedings are not erroneous because the action was originally brought by W. J. Keel as curator. On this account a special demurrer was sustained to the petition; thereupon he amended and showed that the estate had, as a matter of fact, been committed into his hands as sheriff, pursuant to section 3907, Kentucky Statutes. Having the right to prosecute the action in question, and having bv his amended petition correctly set forth the capacity in
It is next insisted that the sale is invalid because there was no proof of the fact that the decedent left no personal estate, and no proof of indivisibility. The petition itself shows that the decedent left no personal property. Had there been personal property, it would have been in the possession of plaintiff as sheriff. The suit was brought not only for the purpose of selling the real estate to pay decedent’s debts, but also to settle the accounts of the plaintiff as administrator. We conclude that the whole record, fairly construed, leaves no doubt that the decedent left no personal estate. Indeed, it is not now contended that she did. Under the circumstances, therefore, we conclude that the sale of the real estate was proper. Nor is the judgment erroneous because of no proof as to the indivisibility of the second tract sold. The judgment first directed a sale of the house and lot. The proceeds were insufficient to pay the debts. The other' tract consisted of about 800 acres, and the decedent died owning a one-seventh undivided interest therein. Further division between the two infants would have divided it into fourteenths. The pleadings and the report of the commissioner show this latter tract to be indivisible. As a matter of fact, the land did not bring enough to pay the balance of the debt. Under these circumstances we cannot say that the sale was erroneous. If, as a matter of fact, the undivided one-seventh had brought more than enough to pay the debt and costs, without proof showing the necessity of the sale and without steps being taken to protect the proceeds going to the infants, a different question would be presented. Elliott v. Fowler, 112 Ky., 376; Oldham v. McElroy, Sheriff, 134 Ky., 454, 121 S. W., 414.
It is next urged that the judgment awarding H. S. Damron, the father of the infants, a homestead in the land until the youngest child became of age is erroneous. It is sufficient to say that H. S. Damron prosecuted no appeal from the judgment within the time prescribed by law, and whether erroneous or not, he is concluded by it. Upon the whole case we find no error in the record prejudicial to the substantial rights of appellant.
Having held the proceedings in the case of W. J. Keel, &c. v. H. S. Damron, &c., valid and sufficient to vest in
The judgment in each case is affirmed.