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1 N.H. 49

How v. How

Superior Court of New Hampshire

Decided April 15, 1817

Superior Court of New Hampshire · decided 1817-04-15

THIS was an action of covenant broken. The declaration alleged, that said Asa, on 25th December, 1804, by his deed of that date duly executed, and in court to be produced, conveyed to one Mark How, then the plaintiff’s husband, a certain farm, which had before belonged to said Mark, and had been given by him to said Asa, without the privity of the plaintiff, to hold to said Mark, in fee and in mortgage, as collateral security for the performance of the conditions and…

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1817-04-15

How this case has been cited

Cited by 4 later decisions — most recently March 1914

4 state decisions

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Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.

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¶1The opinion of the court was delivered by

Richardson, C. I.

¶2The question to be determined in this case is, whether Anna How can maintain covenant in her own right op the deed which she produces in court ? This question must be determined by the deed itself. No averment of matter out of the deed can alter the case. Every allegation in the declaration of matter not contained in the deed must be rejected as surplusage. 1 Salk. 197, Green vs. Horne.

¶3The nature of the transaction is perfectly evident. Mark How, wishing to secure a maintenance for himself, his wife and infant son, had conveyed to Asa his farm. In consideration of the conveyance, Asa contracted with Mark to support him and his wife during Mark’s life, and the infant until he should arrive at twenty-one years of age : pay Mark’s debts then contracted, and the funeral expenses of him and his wife. But Anna How had not concurred in the conveyance of the farm. She still retained her right of dower.— Asa therefore contracted with Mark, that if his wife should survive him, and should choose “ a living ”'in lieu of dower, he would maintain her. To secure the performance of this contract, Asa re-conveys the land to Mark in mortgage. The whole transaction is most manifestly between Mark and Asa. Mark pays the consideration, the mortgage is given to him, the contract begins with the declaration, that it is “ the true intent and meaning of the grantee,” Mark, &c. Anna How is evidently a total stranger to the whole contract, and when Asa engages to furnish her certain articles, the contract must be considered to be with Mark, who paid the consideration. No authority, ancient or modern, can be found, which will warrant any other construction. 10 John. 47, Gardner vs. Gardner. The covenant then being not with her, but with another for her use, it is clear the action cannot be support» ed, and the nonsuit must stand. 1 Levintz 235, Offly vs. Ward. Judgment for the defendant.

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