10 Va. 172 | Va. | 1839
Lead Opinion
The deed from John Pownal senior to his nephew John conveyed the land therein mentioned to the grantee, and the provision of that deed by which it is declared that the property thereby conveyed should be subject nevertheless to the maintenance of the grantor and his sister Elizabeth, did not operate as a condition under which the grantor could, on the failure of the grantee to furnish the maintenance which he had stipulated to furnish to the grantor and his sister, lawfully reenter on the land and revest in himself the legal title therein. This and other provisions of the deed import no more than that the property should be and remain charged as a security for the due performance of the
The special verdict finds that the deed of trust of the 4th of October 1825, from John Pownal junior to : Everest, was duly recorded, but does not specify the time of recording; and it is objected that as the statute does not prescribe any time for the recording of such instruments, but deprives them of efficacy against creditors and subsequent purchasers without notice until recorded, no sufficient title is shewn under that deed to overreach the rights derived under the subsequent deeds of John Pownal junior and John Pownal senior. The jury having found that the deed was duly recorded, in a case in which the antagonist title depends on a subsequent conveyance from the same grantor, the argument is very strong to support the proposition that the necessary intendment from such a finding, or rather that the only interpretation of such a finding, is that the recording took place before the subsequent deed was executed ; that the recording found by the jury of this deed must be considered as found in relation to the hostile claim asserted under the subsequent deed, and that the only sense in which it could be duly recorded in respect to the subsequent conveyance is, that it has all the efficacy in respect to the subsequent conveyance that could be derived from recording it. I however give no final opinion on this point. The most that could be made out of the objection would be to render the verdict in this respect ambiguous, and a venire de novo necessary. But this result ought not to take place here. The jury find the deed in hcec verba, and it appears that the deed so
It is objected that the conveyance made by Everett to the purchaser at the sale under the deed of trust is nugatory, because the land at the date of the conveyance was in the possession of the grantee of John Pownal senior, and such possession, it is contended, was adverse, and disabled the party out of possession from conveying. The effect of this objection, if available, is not to protect any right shewn to be in the objector, but to disable the party having the title from conveying it. It should therefore distinctly appear to be warranted by the finding of the jury. It is a sufficient answer to this objection to say that the verdict does not find that the possession of the plaintiff in error was an adverse possession. His possession simply is found, and it is not fit that he should be allowed to say that the act which may be rightful, and is not found to be otherwise by the verdict of the jury, is tortious, for the purpose of frustrating the otherwise effectual conveyance of the party having title. The most that can be said is, that on the facts found, the jury might have found the possession to be adverse. This however has not been done, and it is at least problematical whether it ought to have been done. The possession, of John Pownal junior after the deed of trust was not tortious, nor could he have alleged it to be so, to disqualify the trustee from conveying. He was tenant at sufferance, and his possession was consistent with the right conveyed by the deed of trust. The possession of those coming in under him with notice of the deed of trust, was impressed with the
On the whole, I am of opinion to affirm the judgment of the circuit superior court, with costs.
Concurrence Opinion
concurred in the opinion that the judgment should be affirmed.
The omission in the special verdict to find expressly on what day the deed of trust was recorded, being obviated by the certificate of the clerk endorsed on the deed, which shews-that it was recorded on the day of its date, all other difficulties in the case are easily got over.
Thus, there is nothing, I think, in the position that the provision for support and maintenance constituted
The second position of the counsel is not more tenable. The deed of trust was no violation of the provisions of the grant. It was in subordination to them, and the creditor, and all persons claiming under his deed of trust, took subject to the charge or incumbrance created for the support of the grantor and his , sister. And. even were it otherwise, the legal title passed by the deed, and the remedy was only in equity. Taylor v. King, 6 Munf. 358. Harris v. Harris, 6 Munf. 367.
The next objection is that the deed of Asa Everett the trustee was inoperative, by reason of the adverse possession of the defendant. The fallacy of this position is obvious. John Pownai senior had conveyed to his
I am of opinion to affirm the judgment.
Judgment affirmed.