55 Minn. 300 | Minn. | 1893
The last will and testament of Charles A. Swenson, a resident of this state, was made May 8, 1884. He was a married man, childless, and the ages of his wife and himself were such that it could not be expected that children would be born to them. His father and mother were both dead. He had two sisters, these appellants, and a brother, the latter dying’ in September, 1891. Swenson died November 8, 1891, leaving real and personal property valued at about f50,000. By the terms of the will Swenson gave and devised to his wife, this respondent, an estate for life in and to all
He gave and devised to his said wife $2,000 in personal property, to be selected by her out of his personalty, at the appraised valuation; and, should she neglect to make such selection, his executors were directed to pay her $2,000 in cash. Then followed the following paragraphs:
“Sixth. I give and bequeath all the rest of my personal property of every kind whatsoever, including notes, bonds, mortgages, and contracts, to my heirs at law, share and share alike.
“Seventh. I will, at the death of my said wife, Dortha Swenson, that all my said real estate not heretofore previously disposed of shall thereupon pass to and be vested in fee in my heirs at law, share and share alike.”
At the time this will was drawn, and for some years afterwards, until October 1, 1889, when the new Probate Code took effect, the. brother and sisters of the testator, three in number, were the presumptive heirs at law under the statutes of this state. Had he died intestate during this period, his real estate, less the share which' by law must go to the widow, would have descended to these persons, next of kin, in equal shares; or, had one deceased prior to this, his or her share would have descended to lawful issue by right of representation. 1878 G. S. ch. 46, § 3, subd. 5. And had any personal property remained after setting apart certain statutory allowances to the widow and paying claims against the estate, it would have been distributed in the same way. Id. ch. 51, § 1, subd. 6. But by the new Code (Laws 1.889, ch. 46) very radical changes were introduced into the laws of this state regulating the descent of real property and the distribution of the personalty of a
The cardinal rule in the construction of wills, to which' all others must bend, is that the intention of the testator expressed in the instrument shall prevail, provided that it be consistent with the rules of law. A court is bound to give that construction which will effectuate the intention, if such intention can be gathered from the terms of the will itself; and the intention is to be gathered from
Now, if we are to be governed by the dominant rule of interpretation when construing the residuary clauses in this will, bringing to our aid the environments which existed when the testator executed it in 1884, there would seem to be absolutely nothing in the way of a speedy and satisfactory conclusion. Doubt and difficulty are encountered when we abandon the effort to ascertain and carry out the intention by permitting an act of the legislature to intervene, and totally thwart the testator’s plan and purpose, and to deprive his sisters and the sons and daughters of his deceased brother ■of the bounty which he had provided for them; for it is evident that when using the words, “heirs at law, share and share alike,” as he twice did in the will, his mind was fixed upon his brother and sisters then living, and their children, if any. It was undoubtedly his intention to provide for them, first recognizing the claim that his wife had upon him and his estate. He was childless, and these relatives were his heirs presumptive under the law. His wife, should she survive him, he dying intestate, would be entitled to a life estate in their statutory homestead, and to an undivided third in fee of all other real estate. She would also be entitled to certain allowances and her support during,a settlement of the estate out of the personalty, and to one-third of the residue. Of a life estate in the homestead, of a third in fee of other real property, and of these allowances and her support pending settlement she could not be deprived by will without her consent. But the one-third share of his personal estate which would have gone to her under the statute, had he died intestate, was his to dispose of by last will and testament, if he chose so to do. While the value of her share of the estate under the provisions of the will has not been made to appear, it is fairly to be inferred that the testamentary provision made for her is of greater value than was absolutely required under the statute. There is no intimation that she was not abundantly provided for.
It is suggested by counsel for respondent that, although the testator may have intended that his brother and sisters should have the reversionary interest in his realty, and should succeed to his personalty upon his decease, less the amount bequeathed to his wife and her statutory allowances, he “toot his chances,” as it is expressed in some of the cases, when neglecting to provide for future legislation affecting the rules of descent and distribution. We are unable to see how an intent to grant the reversion to certain persons, plainly and clearly expressed, would have to be placed beyond legislative control by any provision in the will. The testator would have no reason to suppose that his manifest intent could or would be affected by legislative enactment, and that if, when he executed the will, certain persons were clearly intended and sufficiently designated as the recipients of his bounty, future legislation could interfere with or control that intention and designation. The words “heirs at law',” found in the residuary clauses of the will, must be construed as of the date of its execution, and not with reference to the statute as it existed when the testator died.
The order appealed from is reversed, and the case remanded for proceedings in the court below in accordance with the views herein expressed.