49 Tenn. 174 | Tenn. | 1870
delivered the opinion of the Court.
Complainants, Nathan J. C. and Robert E. Allen,, are the children of the defendant, Susan E. McCullough, by her first husband, Robert C. Allen, who died’ intestate in March, 1842. After his death, she intermarried with William P. Harris; and complainant, Martha Ann, is the only issue of the second marriage. William P. Harris died, intestate, in the year 1849, and the defendant, Susan, intermarried with her co-deféndant, James McCullough, in the month of October, 1855. Á separation occurred in the month of December, 1860; and McCullough, in the year 1864, filed a bill for divorce, against his wife, in the Circuit Court of Wilson, which was dismissed by said Court on the 23rd. of September, 1865; and, at the same time, a decree was pronounced in her favor, on her answer and cross bilí, and a divorce was granted, on the ground of the adultery of her husband. During the marriage, and on 19th April, 1860, this bill was filed for the purposes of having the right of complainants declared to the tract of 260 acres of land mentioned in the pleadings; of causing their interest in certain slaves to be ascertained and determined, and of compelling an account as to the guardianship of complainants.
It seems that the defendant, Susan E,, was qualified as their guardian, at the January Term, 1&52, of the County Court of Wilson County, and continued to act as such until 1860, when the oomplainant, Nathan, having attained his majority, was duly qualified as guardian of
McCullough and wife having filed separate answers, the case was regularly heard in the Chancery Court at Lebanon,.and on 11th April, 1861, a decree was regularly pronounced, in which various facts were stated as appearing to the satisfaction of the Chancellor, and by which the Master was directed to take and state an account, and to charge the defendants with two-thirds of the rents and profits of the tract of land known in the pleadings as the Bend tract, and two-thirds of the reasonable hire annually of the slaves, and their increase, conveyed by said deed of gift of 8th April, 1842, beginning with the years that defendant, Susan F., obtained possession of said land and slaves, “and to the first of last year as to the land.” Minute directions were given in said decree as to the mode of taking and stating the account, and the parties were authorized to take additional proof, and to examine each other on interrogatories touching the matters of reference, and the Master was directed to make his report to the next term. So much of the complainant's bill as seeks
The case appears to have slumbered during the war, and until 10th October, 1865, when the death of Richard F. Allen, one of the complainants, was declared by an interlocutory order; and it appearing that the account had not been taken, said order proceeds as follows: “On motion, with the consent of the solicitors of the parties, it is ordered that the decree of reference heretofore pronounced in the case be revived, and the Clerk and Master be required to take and report to the next term the account therein ordered; and that this cause stand and be revived in the name of such person or persons, as may be qualified as administrator on the estate of said Richard F., from and. after the filing of letters of administration in the office of said Clerk and Master; but no steps, in taking the account, shall be taken until the filing of said letters.” It is stated, in the record, that F. A. Chandler filed his letters as administrator of Richard F. Allen, deceased, on 6th November, 1865, and the Master proceeded to hear proof and filed his report, 2d April, 1866. Ex
Apparently distrustful as to the propriety of presenting such new and important matter in the form of an exception to the Master7» report, the defendant, James McCullough, made application to the Chancellor for leave to file a bill of review, and on 14th April,. 1866, an interlocutory decree was made, in which it is stated that the conditions necessary for filing such a bill having been complied with, and the Court being of opinion that it was a proper case for filing such bill, leave was granted, and the complainants waived the issuance of a copy and subpoena, but without waiving any right of defense by plea, answer or otherwise. The complainants also excepted to tbe action of the Court in granting leave to file said bill. The bill of review was filed, however, on the -same day, and among other things it is alleged that the complainants are seeking to hold the said James McCullough liable for the sum of $8,500, with interest from 1st April, 1866, reported by the Master; that he married the defendant, Susan, in October, 1855, and they lived together until March, 1860, when they parted; that she was divorced from him
The Master made his report 16th December, 1866, to which exceptions were filed by defendant, James McCullough, which were disallowed on the final hearing 17th December, 1866, and a decree rendered in favor of complainants against Susan F. Harris, for $8,506.46, with interest from 1st April, 1866, the same being adjudged to complainants in different proportions; and to be credited with whatever amount they might collect from James McCullough, against whom a decree was rendered for the aggregate amount of $3,464.40, to be paid to complainants in unequal proportions. If not paid before the February Hules, the Master was directed to sell the property attached in the mode specified in said decree. From this decree, an appeal was granted to the complainants, and to the defendant, James McCullough.
Various questions have been presented here in the determination of which we have been greatly aided by the faithful and laborious researches and able arguments of the counsel on both sides.
1. What was the effect, under the circumstances of the case, of the divorce granted after the suit had been pending for several years, and especialty after the decree of April, 1861?
It is a familiar principle, that the husband, by marriage, acquires an absolute title to all the personal property of the wife, not being her separate estate created by
As a consequence of this principle, the husband be'comes liable to the creditors of the wife for all debts due or owing by her at the time of the marriage, and this whether he acquires any property in fact by the marriage or not; but it is generally said that this liability continues no longer than the coverture, and is wholly independent of any question growing out of the amount of property received or not received in virtue of his marital rights: Reeve's Dom. Rel., 3rd ed., 53, 54; Adair v. Shaw, 1 Sch. and Lef., 263; Jones v. Walkup, 5 Sneed, 138, 139; Browne on Act., 43 Law. Lib., 245, m.
Pounding their argument upon the principle last stated, it is strenuously maintained by the counsel of James McCullough, that the divorce obtained by his wife operated as a civil death; that no decree finally and definitely ascertaining the amount of his liability for the acts of the wife before and during the marriage, was pronounced anterior to the divorce; that the effect of the appeal in this case was to vacate and annul all the decrees pronounced in the Chancery Court, and that this Court has no more power to pronounce a decree against the husband, for the ■wife's liability, than it would have possessed in the event of her natural death. In aid of
While such is the general doctrine as to rights which may be affected by the natural death of the wife, but little aid can be derived from the English authorities as to the effect to be given here to a divorce from the bonds of matrimony. There it would seem that the power to grant a divorce a vinculo rested only in Parliament, as it was exercised by our State Legislature prior to the Constitution of 1834. The divorce a vinculo matrimonii was unknown to the Ecclesiastical Courts, which had only the power to declare the nullity of the marriage for causes existing at the time when the marriage took place; and could not, even for adultery, -grant any other than a divorce or separation a mensa et thoro. See Shelf, on Mar. and Div., 31 Law Lib., 364, 365, rnarg. But, by the
When the divorce is granted for causes which arose during the marriage, it does not follow that the same legal consequences would result as in case of the death of either party; for, although the bonds of matrimony are dissolved, and either party is at liberty to marry again, there are rights of property connected with or growing out of the marriage relation, which, under the provisions of the Code, continue after the dissolution of the marriage, and are dependent upon which of the parties may
In the event of the wife’s death, the husband can only become owner of her personal property and choses in action not reduced into possession during'the coverture by administering on her estate; and is then only liable to the wife’s creditors before marriage to the extent' of the value of the property administered upon, and this without any reference to the quantity or value of the property reduced into his possession during the marriage. But the necessary implication resulting from, and the proper construction of, the language employed in section 2471' — • “subject, however, to the rights of or editors who became such before the decree was pronounced” — is, that the creditors of the husband, or of the husband and wife, who maintained that relation at any time during the marriage, are not to be precluded from collecting their debts out of the husband, or out of the wife’s property to which his marital rights had attached, by reason of the divorce a vin-culo. Nor was it the intention to preclude the creditors of the wife, who were such before the marriage, from collecting their debts out of her property secured to her by section 2471. The character of the property specified justifies the-interpretation which includes the creditors of both or either. If, at the time of the divorce, she was the owner of any lands, the husband, notwithstanding the divorce, would be tenant by the courtesy or during the life of the wife, according to circumstances. If she has in her possession goods, or chattels, or choses in action, acquired by her own industry, the husband would be en
The provision in section 2473, that “if the bonds of matrimony be dissolved at the suit of the husband, the defendant shall not be entitled to dower in the complainant’s real estate, nor to any part of his personal estate, in case of his intestacy, nor to alimony,” when taken in connection with the provision in section 2398, that “if any person die intestate, leaving a widow, she shall be entitled to dower in one-third part of all the lands of which her husband died seized and possessed, or of which he was equitable owner,” clearly conveys the idea that, in the view of the Legislature, a divorced wife might be regarded as a widow, and would be entitled to dower and distribution; and the obvious intention was to punish
In the case of Ames v. Norman, 4 Sneed, 683, where a conveyance was made in fee, during the marriage, to husband and wife jointly, and the land was sold at the instance of an execution creditor of the husband, and a bill was filed by the wife for divorce, this Court held that the unity of seizin in respect to the joint estate was severed and, destroyed by the divorce; that the parties held by moieties; that the purchaser “became invested with the right of the husband as it existed at the time of the sale, that is, a right to occupy and to enjoy the profits of the land as owner during the joint lives of the husband and wife, subject to the contingency that if the complainant survived her former husband, his estate would then terminate; but if the husband survived, he would become absolute owner of the whole estate.” In that case, it was observed by McKinney, J., that “the decree in this case would seem to take it for granted that, upon a dissolution of the marriage by a divorce at the suit of the wife, the same legal consequences follow, in all respects, as if the marriage had been dissolved by the death of the husband. This is a very erroneous assumption, so far, at least, as relates to the question under consideration.” Ibid, 694. And, in the case of Gillespie v. Worford, 2 Cold., 632, it was held, that where the husband had conveyed the wife’s land in fee, for himself, and as attorney in fact for the wife, although the power of attorney executed by the wife was void and inoperative to convey her interest in the land, yet the deed, notwith
We hold, therefore, that the same legal consequences did not result from the divorce obtained by the wife in the case before us, that would have resulted from her 'natural death.
2. In accordance with the opinions delivered in three cases recently determined by this Court at Knoxville,
While the death of the wife, pending an action at law against husband and wife, upon the contract- of the latter before marriage, would, perhaps, abate the suit as to the husband, it cannot be insisted that if the claim had been ripened into a judgment, her subsequent death would absolve the husband from liability. If, after the husband’s death, the wife, being under a moral obligation to pay a debt contracted by her during the marriage, but for which she could not have been sued, promises to pay, the moral obligation is a sufficient consideration to support the promise, and the action can be maintained; and, by a parity of reasoning, if the hus
3. We do not determine that McCullough, in consequence of his marriage, actually became guardian in place of his wife, who, as is admitted in the pleadings, was appointed guardian at the January Term, 1860, by the County Court of Wilson county. In England, it. has been held that where a female marries, who. has been appointed guardian by the Court, it is, of course, to make a reference to appoint a guardian, even if she be the mother of the infant; but she may be re-appointed. 3 Lead. Ca. in Eq., 234, 3rd ed. Although the Code, 2489 to 2546, contains the results of very careful legis
Neither the death of the wife, nor a divorce, can exonerate the husband from her liability as guardian, both before and during 'her coverture. It is presumed that she has carried, or ought to carry, the annual accretions of the ward’s estate into each successive year; that she holds, or is bound to hold, the accumulated and accumulating funds in her hands at the commencement of each year, and that these are an hand, or subject to her control, if she still acts as guardian, .at the time of the marriage, and that if she continues to act after the marriage, it is with her husband’s assent, and is, iu law, his act; and although he is not technically a guardian, he becomes such, practically and by operation of law, so far as the estate of the ward is concerned, through the legal identity of husband and wife, and is to be regarded in equity as contracting jointly with her for its faithful management and their joint accountability. If he does not wish to maintain this attitude, and the legal control over the wife with which he is invested by law is inadequate to enable him to escape future liability, it would not be difficult for him to obtain relief from the County or Chancery Courts. He is presumed to know his own rights, and to be capable of asserting and maintaining them. The minors are presumed not to know, and to
4. Holding that McCullough is precluded by “the consent decree,” as it has been styled in the arguments, from inquiring into the grounds upon which the Chancellor acted, we hold, likewise, that the complainants, although they were minors at the commencement of the suit, are bound by the consent of their guardian, given through their solicitors. Although it is usual, in cases of compromise, or where decrees are pronounced by consent, to refer it to the Master to inquire whether the decree, where infants are concerned, will be for their benefit, yet, if it clearly appears, as in this case, that the decree is beneficial to the infants, a decree may be pronounced, on the consent of the guardian and all other parties. See Macph. on Inf., 39 Law Lib., 409, 544, marg. pp.; and as to admissions in pleading, and agreements generally in the progress of causes, see Shelby v. Yancey, 1 Coop. Overt. 185, foot p; 3 Coop. Hay., 504, foot p; Jones v. Kimbro, 6 Hum., 319.
In this view, it is unnecessary to give any construction to the deed of gift from John Jarrett, bearing date the 8th of April, 1842, or to his will, bearing date 12th of September, 1848, as these instruments were construed, and the rights of the parties under them declared by
With the modifications of the account directed in -the memorandum appended hereto, the decrees of the Chancellor are, in all other respects, affirmed. Let it be referred to the Clerk of this Court, to re-state the account, with the modifications above indicated. And because it appears that the defendant, James McCullough, has prosecuted this appeal as a pauper, let the entire costs of this cause, in this Court and the Court below, be adjudged against the complainants, and the fund decreed in their favor be liable -therefor, in addition to their personal liability,.
Meek v. Mathis, 1 Heis., 534; Harrison v. Farnsworth, Id., 751; Abbott v. Faga, Id., 742.