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228 N.C. 66

44 S.E.2d 476

Hardee v. . Rivers

Supreme Court of North Carolina

Decided October 15, 1947

Supreme Court of North Carolina · decided 1947-10-15

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1947-10-15

How this case has been cited

Cited by 15 later decisions — most recently April 1980

15 state decisions

8019471950196019701980decided

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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Barnhill, J.

¶1 A devise generally or indefinitely with power of disposition creates a fee. G. S., 31-38; Patrick v. Morehead, 85 N. C., 62; *68 Herring v. Williams, 158 N. C., 1, 73 S. E., 218; Darden v. Matthews, 173 N. C., 186, 91 S. E., 835; Carroll v. Herring, 180 N. C., 369, 104 S. E., 892; Weaver v. Kirby, 186 N. C., 387, 119 S. E., 564; Roane v. Robinson, 189 N. C., 628, 127 S. E., 626. But a devise for life with power of disposition creates a life estate only. Troy v. Troy, 60 N. C., 624; Chewning v. Mason, 158 N. C., 578, 74 S. E., 357; Tillelt v. Nixon, 180 N. C., 195, 104 S. E., 352; Alexander v. Alexander, 210 N. C., 281, 186 S. E., 319. The estate devised being specifically limited to the life of the devisee, the power of disposition does not enlarge the estate devised or convert it into a fee. Carroll v. lTerring, supra; Roane v. Robinson, supra; Helms v. Collins, 200 N. C., 89, 156 S. E., 152. One is property, the other is power. Neither limits or enlarges the other.

¶2 Even so, the donee of the power to convey may exercise that power under the terms and within the limitations contained in the will and when so exercised by deed sufficient in form and substance to convey the whole estate in the land therein described the grantee takes an indefeasible fee. Troy v. Troy, supra; Norfleet v. Hawkins, 93 N. C., 392; Griffin v. Commander, 163 N. C., 230, 79 S. E., 499; Darden v. Matthews, supra; Tillett v. Nixon, supra; Hood, Comr. of Banks, v. Theatres, Inc., 210 N. C., 346, 186 S. E., 345.

¶3 “The donee is the mere instrument by which the estate is passed from the donor (devisor) to the appointee, and when the appointment is made the appointee at once takes the estate from the donor as if it had been conveyed directly to him.” Norfleet v. Hawkins, supra. A deed executed by the donee of the power “will vest in the purchaser an estate in fee simple, and he will not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money.” Troy v. Troy, supra; White v. White, 189 N. C., 236, 126 S. E., 612. It follows that the deed tendered by plaintiff conveys an indefeasible fee and defendant under his contract is bound to accept the same and pay the agreed purchase price. Hence the judgment below is

¶4 Affirmed.

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