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2 Whart. 283

Holme v. Harrison

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Decided February 15, 1837

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania · decided 1837-02-15

Aw action was brought in this court to the present term, by Holme against John C. Harrison, executor of the last will and testament of William Maghee, deceased; and the following case was stated for the opinion of the court. “ William Maghee was seized inter alia in his life-time, as of fee, of and in the lots and premises mentioned in the case entered, and made his last will and testament, dated the sixth day of September, 1821, in the words following : ‘ Be it remembered,…

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently May 1892

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1837-02-15

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¶1The opinion of the Court was delivered by

Sergeant, J.

¶2The devise to the widow of “ a house to live in,” is but a life-estate. The garden is an incident to the house ; and the same interest passes. As to the other property the testator devises to his wife “ one-third part of all the estate.” The words “ all the estate” are now well settled to be referable to the quantity of interest, and to pass the fee. They therefore give her a fee-simple in all the rest of the property not previously disposed of. In the first-mentioned premises, therefore, Frances Maghee had an estate for life. In the rest of the property referred to, she had a vested estate in fee-simple in one-third part thereof, which by the partition was allotted to her and her heirs, in the second-mentioned premises in the case stated; and therefore, in the second-mentioned premises, she had an estate in fee-simple. Judgment must be entered according to the case stated, for the plaintiff, for one-ninth of the first-mentioned premises ; and for the defendant for the second-mentioned premises.

¶3Judgment accordingly.

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