70 Ind. App. 343 | Ind. Ct. App. | 1917
The following facts are disclosed by the record: November 25,1863, Andrew Hoover died testate in Marion county, the owner of an estate therein, consisting of both real and personal property, and including a certain thirty-acre tract of land hereinafter described. June 1, 1859, he executed a will, which was changed somewhat, as hereinafter indicated, and re-executed February 13, 1862. The will after his decease was duly probated as re-executed. The parties agree that a proper construction of the will, and especially of the ninth item thereof, determines this appeal. That item is as follows:
1 ‘It is my will that Sarah J. Charles have thirty (30) acres of grounds described as follows, to-wit: A strip off of the south side of the north one-half of the northwest quarter of section twenty (20) township fifteen (15) range three (3) east and not included in the deed made to Jacob Hoover of fifty (50) acres on the north side of said half quarter section, be the same more or less, forever provided she have heirs, if not then at her death, I wish Jacob Charles to hold the same until his death if he survives her, and then I wish said land to be taken by my execu*346 tors and disposed of as the ten acres of the south of my farm are to be divided as directed in this my will, excepting that I will that of the funds arising from said thirty (30) acres my executors shall pay Jacob Charles the sum of $100.00 before dividing the same amongst other heirs.”
After the first execution of the will, and prior to its re-execution, the testator added to the ninth item, by interlineation, the provision:
“I wish Jacob Charles to hold the same until his death if he survives her and then. ’ ’
It will be observed that by the ninth item a direction found in some other part of the will with reference to disposing of a ten-acre tract was applied conditionally to the thirty acres also. The provisions of the will directing a disposition of the ten-acre tract, and which affect also the thirty-acre tract are found in the seventh and eighth items of the will, which are as follows:
“7th. The remaining strip of land on the south side of said farm ten (10) rods wide I will .to be sold by my executors as soon as convenient and proper and so as to realize the best price in the judgment of said executors, and the funds arising therefrom, together with what may arise from the sale of certain thirty (30) acres of ground hereinafter given conditionally to S. Jane Charles, my daughter, to be equally divided between my heirs, Hannah Cossell, Mary. A. Wright, Daniel Hoover and Alexander W. Hoover, excepting what of said sum or funds I have herein given to the heirs of George Hoover,*347 my son, hereinafter named, and to George, my son.
“8th. It is my will that of my grandchildren, the children of my son, George Hoover, and my gon, ^George Hoover, have of said fund before dividing between the four heirs above named, the following sums, to wit: To George, my son, the sum of fifty ($50.00) dollars, to George T. Hoover, my grandson, the sum of $100.00 and to Erastus Hoover, my grandson, the sum of $100.00, and should the thirty (30) acres above named ever be sold and divided as contemplated in the 7th item of this will, then the following-named persons, my grandchildren, to have, before dividing with the four heirs named in item seven, each the sum of $100.00 namely: George W. T. Hoover, above named, $100.00, Erastus Hoover, above named, $100.00, and Willie E. M. Hoover, my grandson, the sum of $100.00, making to the two first named in all $200.00 each, to the last named one the sum in all $100.00, and to George Hoover, my son, $50.00. ’ ’
Prior to the first execution of the will the following sons and daughters had been born to testator and his wife, Sarah Hoover: Carey S., Percy S., Jacob, DanieJ. and Alexander W. Hoover, Mary A. Wright, Hannah Cossell and Sarah J. Charles, the latter designated in the will also as S. Jane Charles.. The widow and each of the children survived testator. Each of said children was married prior to the execution of the will, and to each, .except Sarah J. Charles, children had been born, which children were living- at the time of the execution of the will, at the time- of its second execution, and also at the decease
Here the will, as we have construed it, is to the effect that Sarah J. Charles should have the land forever if she have children, etc. Our problem is to determine the intent of the testator as gathered from the will, and as illuminated by such surrounding and attending circumstances a.s may properly be considered. Was it within the intent of the testator that the term “heirs,” interpreted by us to mean “children,” as used in the ninth item in connection with the devise to Sarah J. Charles, should include a child adopted by Sarah J. Charles after his decease? There seems to be a very great conflict among the decisions on-the subject of whether the term “heirs” or “children,” as used in wills in relations similar to those involved here, include adopted children. See the following: Matter of Hopkins (1904), 43 Misc. Rep. 464, 89 N. Y.
It will be observed that, as the decision in each case is based upon a will with its own peculiar provisions, and that statutes by no means uniform are involved, the conflict is to an extent apparent rather than real. An examination of the decided cases will disclose also that force is given to certain extraneous circumstances, as whether the testator knew that his devisee had adopted a child; whether the adoption preceded his death; whether the adopted child was a stranger to the blood of the testator, and the like. It follows that to an extent each case must be determined from a consideration of the circumstances which it involves, including the language of the will before the court for construction. Among the attending circumstances that may be considered here are the following: Testator by his will manifested a disposition to make provisions for those related to him by ties of consanguinity. The great bulk of his estate was devised and bequeathed to sons and daughters and to their natural children. In the case of each son and daughter, other than Sarah J. Charles, children having been born to them, he devised in fee and bequeathed by absolute title; but in the case of Sarah
On first view Bray v. Miles (1899), 23 Ind. App. 432, 54 N. E. 446, 55 N. E. 510, would seem to be in conflict with the conclusion at which we have arrived. The language of the will involved there and the attending circumstances, however, fairly distinguish that case from the case at bar. Among such circumstances may be mentioned the fact, to which some force is given in the opinion, that the child involved had been adopted by testator’s daughter-with his knowledge some time prior to testator’s death.
The judgment is affirmed.