81 A. 1079 | N.H. | 1911
The allegations of want of capacity in Mrs. Martin to make the conveyance, of fraud in procuring its execution, and of mistake in its form having been found against the plaintiffs, the only grounds upon which they now attack the validity of the deed are that the selectmen were not authorized by vote of the town to make the contract for support found to be its consideration, or to accept the conveyance. This means that the deed was without consideration and was never delivered as matter of law.
The first objection is not open to the plaintiffs claiming as heirs of the grantor. "A deed duly executed is conclusive evidence of the consideration against the maker; not indeed as to the amount, but as to the fact of the consideration paid; so that, as between the parties and those claiming under them, the consideration cannot be impeached for the purpose of defeating the conveyance." Prescott v. Hayes,
The deed was delivered to and accepted by the selectmen as officers of the town, placed among the town papers, and has ever since remained in the possession of the town. The town entered upon the execution of the contract of support, took possession of the buildings for the purpose of repairing them, and did repair them. Although there was no vote of the town ratifying the action of its officers until after the death of Mrs. Martin, it could be found that the town before her death were estopped to deny their acceptance of the deed; for corporations, like natural persons, may be estopped by conduct. Gilbert v. Manchester,
But the case need not stand on either of the foregoing propositions, because the town by vote before the commencement of these proceedings recognized and approved the action of its officers. Subsequent ratification is equivalent to an original authority. Manchester Street Ry. v. Williams,
Exception overruled.
All concurred. *254