The petition of D. Yeakel Miller, Esq., attorney for T. Clark King, surviving husband of Rosanna B. King, deceased,
From the undenied averments in the petition and from the testimony taken April 25, 1934, it appears that the decedent died December 10, 1929, leaving a will dated May 11,1927, with codicil dated December 7,1929, all duly probated December 16,1929, and letters testamentary thereon granted on the same date to Stanley Bennett, the executor therein named. The election of the petitioner, T. Clark King, to take against the decedent’s will was in due form, effective in law, executed by him January 14,1930, and acknowledged before a notary public on the same date. A duplicate original of the said election was offered and admitted in evidence. We find it to be in every respect in compliance with the law to make it effective.
On October 24,1930, D. Yeakel Miller, Esq., attorney for the petitioner, forwarded the said election, thus properly executed and acknowledged, to the executor, Stanley Bennett, Esq., directed to his office in Philadelphia. A carbon copy of said letter of transmission was offered and admitted in evidence. The postal registry receipt showing the receipt of said letter by the executor was offered and received in evidence, showing that he had personally received the same. In addition thereto, the letter of the said executor to D. Yeakel Miller, Esq., acknowledging the receipt by him under date of October 81, 1930, was received in evidence.
The executor thereafter died, and D. Yeakel Miller, according to his testimony, together with the attorney for the estate of the deceased executor, made a thorough search of the effects and records of the said executor but were unable to find the original of said election.
From the above evidence, it is clear that the surviving husband of the said decedent, well within 1 year from December 16, 1929, the date of the grant of letters testamentary to the executor, executed, acknowledged, and delivered to the said executor his election to take against the will of the decedent.
Section 23(6) of the Wills Act of 1917, as amended by the Act of April 2, 1925, P. L. 117, and the Act of April 24, 1929, P. L. 648, clearly defines the requisite acts to be done by a surviving spouse to accomplish his or her election to take against the will of his or her deceased spouse. The requirement is that the surviving spouse electing to take against the will of the decedent shall “manifest the election by a writing signed by him or her, duly acknowledged before an officer authorized by law to take the acknowledgment of deeds, and delivered to the executor or administrator of the estate of such decedent within one year after the issuance of letters testamentary or of administration.”
And now, November 23,1934, it is ordered and decreed that Sarah E. Yerkes, administratrix d. b. n. c. t. a. of the estate of Rosanna B. King, deceased, forthwith cause to be recorded in the Office for the Recording of Deeds in Philadelphia County and in the Office for the Recording of Deeds in Montgomery County a duplicate original of the election of T. Clark King, surviving spouse of Rosanna B. King, deceased, to take against her will, the said duplicate original of said election being in evidence in this proceeding, and that she, the said Sarah E. Yerkes, administratrix d. b. n. c. t. a. as aforesaid, cause said duplicate original of said election to be filed in the office of the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court of Montgomery County as provided by said section 23 (e) of the Wills Act of 1917, as amended by the Act of 1929, P. L. 648, sec. 2; all costs to be paid out of the estate.
