In this case both parties claim title, respectively, under the last will and testament of Ephraim Copeland; and the case turns on the validity of the tenant’s title. By the will, Jonas Tucker was appointed executor, in the words following : “ In the eighth place, I hereby nominate and appoint Captain Jonas Tucker of Charlton to be the sole executor of this my last will and testament, and hereby authorize and fully empower him to sell and convey such of my property as in his judgment will most promote the interest of all concerned, to raise the two thousand dollars for the use of my wife and daughter, and to pay my just debts.” The executoi renounced and declined the trust as executor, and Ebenezer Dunbar, a creditor of the testator, was duly appointed administrator of his estate with the will annexed; and afterwards sold and conveyed the demanded premises to the tenant. The question is, whether this was a valid conveyance. It is contended for the tenant, that it was, by virtue of the power given to the executor, which devolved on the administrator on his appointment to administer the estate according to the will.
It is admitted that if this were merely a naked power to
In most of the English authorities cited on this point, the question was, whether, when a power was given to several, and one of them died, or refused to act, the power would survive. Lord Coke makes a distinction between those cases where a power is to persons nominatim, and those where it is given to them by the name of their office. “ If,” he says, “ a man deviseth his lands to A. for term of life, and that after his decease his lands shall be sold by his executors generally, and make three or four executors, and during the life of A. one of the executors dieth, and then A. dieth, the other two rr three executors may sell; because the land could not be sold before, and the plural number of his executors remain. But if they had been named by their names, as by L. S., L. N., &c. his executors, then in that case the survivors could not sell the same; because the words of the testator could not be satisfied.” Co. Lit. 112 b. 113 a. Mr. Hargrave in his notes on Co. Lit. (note 146) expresses the opinion that this distinction has the appearance of too curious and over-strained a refinement j and he cites a case in which it was adjudged against the distinction. But he admits that it had been adopted in cases subsequent to the publication of Coke upon Littleton. Mr. Sugden, after reviewing the authorities,, states the following propositions as deducible therefrom: 1. That where a power is given to two or more by their, proper names, who are not made executors, it will not survive without express words. 2. That where it is given to three or more generally, as to “ my trustees,” “ my sons,” &c. andi not by their -proper names, the authority will survive whilst the plural number remains. 3. That where the authority is given to “executors,” and the will does not expressly point
But the question jn this case is not whether a power given to two or more executors to sell will survive, if one dies or refuses to act. At common law, before the St. of 21 Henry 8, c. 4, it is clear that it would not. Bat by that statute it was provided that where lands were devised to be sold by executors, and some of them refuse to accept administration, all sales by the executor or executors who do accept shall be as valid as if all the executors had joined. The question has been, whether this statute extended to executors where a power to sell was given ' to them nominatim. And all the authorities agree, that if a power is given, indicating personal confidence, it must be confined to the individual or individuals to whom it is given, and will not, except b^ express words, pass to others than the trustees originally named, though they may, by legal transmission, sustain the same character. So it was decided in Cole v. Wade, 16 Ves. 27, and in many other cases.
That such a personal confidence in the executor is indicated by the will, in this case, is manifest. He was to raise $2006, to hold in trust, and to pay over the interest of $1000 to the widow of the testator, and the interest of the other $1000 to his daughter, during their respective lives, and after their decease to appropriate the principal to other uses. If, then, this power, coupled with a trust, had been given to two executors by name, and one had died or declined the trust, the other could not have executed the power. And clearly such a power cannot be delegated, or legally transmitted, to an administrator with the will annexed.
There is another ground on which we hold, very clearly, that the power to sell has not been transmitted to the administrator, if by law it could be. Tucker, the donee of the
This view of the case is not inconsistent with any of the cases cited by the tenant’s counsel. In the case of Farwell v. Jacobs, 4 Mass. 634, it was decided that a direction in a will to the executor, to support the testator’s father, is a legacy for which an action lies against the executor, and that the duties of an executor devolve on an administrator cum testamento annexe, where the authority is not necessarily connected with a personal trust or confidence reposed in the executor. That decision was founded on the defect of chan . ery jurisdiction in this Commonwealth to enforce the trust, which defect has since been supplied; and it involved no question of the effect of a power to sell real estate. The case of Hall v. Cushing, 9 Pick. 395, was on a probate bond of an executor, who was both executor and trustee; and he was held liable for not investing the assets in his hands, as executor, according to the directions of the will. But if he had settled an account at the probate office, as executor, in
What remedy the administrator may have, if he has paid the debts of the deceased, and should hereafter be compelled to refund the proceeds of sale to the purchaser, is a question which the court is not now called upon to consider. Whether he can be licensed to make sale of the real estate, for the repayment of the debts he has paid, or whether Tucker may-execute the power under the will, for the same purpose, or whether, if he refuses só to do, this court, as a court of equity, would cause the power to be executed, are questions upon which we express no opinion.
There is no doubt of the general principle, that where there is a power coupled with a trust, and the donee refuses the trust, a court of chancery, on the application of the cestui que trust, will cause the power to be executed, so far as may be necessary for the performance of the trust: on the principle of equity, that a trust is not to be suffered to fail for the want of a trustee.
Judgment for the demandant.
