64 Mo. App. 203 | Mo. Ct. App. | 1895
The respondents, William and Eliza Kelly, who are husband and wife, entered into a contract with their codefendants, Christian and Beuttler, builders, to erect a house for them. The land upon which the structure was erected was in the personal occupation of the Kellys, the fee simple title thereto being vested in the wife, subject to the tenancy by the curtesy initiate of the husband, issue of the marriage having been born alive. The plaintiffs furnished Christian and Beuttler lumber for the construction of the building, which was used therein. The latter having failed to pay, the plaintiffs, within the time prescribed by statute, filed in the proper office a state
The main point of resistance against the enforcement of the lien seems to have been an alleged want of proper notice of the filing of the lien, and it is probable that the judgment of the trial court in reference to the lien was made to rest chiefly on that. If a subcontractor would obtain the benefit of such a lien, he must give “ten days’ notice before the filing of the lien, * * * to the owner, owners, or agent, or either of them, that he holds a claim against such building or improvement, setting forth the amount and from whom the same is due.” Revised Statutes of 1889, sec. 6723. The section further provides that “such notice may be served by any officer authorized by law to serve process in civil actions, or by any person who would be a competent witness. When served by an officer, his official return indorsed thereon shall be proof thereof, and, when served by any other person, the fact of such service shall be verified by affidavit of the person so serving.”
The notice here was addressed to William Kelly alone. It stated that the lumber had been furnished to Christian and Beuttler for Ms residence. Some objection is made to the sufficiency of the notice, both as to its form and substance, which we need not notice.
But the argument is made that William Kelly was not an owner within the meaning of the statute, and, therefore, was not entitled to notice. Is there any merit in this? It is undisputed that Eliza Kelly acquired title to the lot in 1869; that the deed conveyed to her an ordinary estate without any exclusion of marital rights, and that she and her husband had a daughter who is now living. Under the common law the birth of the daughter entitled William Kelly to an estate for his own life, and in Ms own right, in the lot as tenant by the curtesy initiate, thus vesting in him a legal estate, it being a freehold during the joint lives of himself and wife, with a freehold in remainder to himself for life as tenant by the curtesy, with the reversion to his wife and her heirs in fee. Dyer v. Wittler, 89 Mo. 81; RoBards v. Murphy, ante, p. 90; Canby v. Porter, 12 Ohio, 79; Foster v. Marshall, 22 N. H. 491. Whether the recent enactments relating to the property rights of married women have in any
It is claimed that the wife was properly served. This is likewise untenable,' for the reason that the notice was not directed to her, and hence she was not bound to read it or take notice of its contents. Langan v. Schlief supra.
With the concurrence of the other judges, the the judgment of the lower court will be affirmed. It is so ordered-.