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32 Mass. 528

Sheldon v. Purple

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Decided September 15, 1834

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · decided 1834-09-15

<p>Devise : (< I will and require that my daughter L shall be supported out of my estate with all necessaries she may need, either in sickness or health, and shall have the use of the north room in my house, so long as she shall live in a single state ; but if she shall contract marriage, I do give and bequeath unto her the sum of $150, to be paid to her by my son O, in full of all demands.11 O, to whom the testator had devised all his real and personal estate, gave bond for the payment of debts and legacies, and afterwards conveyed the real estate to the defendant, who had notice of the provision in the will, in favor of L. L was never married. It was held, that such provision was a charge upon the real estate in case of the deficiency of the personal estate ; that the remedy of the plaintiff, if she stood in need of relief, was by action against the defendant, or upon the bond, at her election j but that the defendant was bound to provide only what should be necessary for her support, over and above her own earnings.</p> <p>In an action by L against the defendant it appeared, that L continued to reside in the north room of the house a few weeks after her brother had removed therefrom, living upon charity ; that she then applied to the overseers of the poor for relief y and that one of the overseers informed the defendant thereof, and stated that they intended to make him pay for her support. It was held, that the defendant was liable to the action, without any further notice or demand.</p>

Decided 1834-09-15

Putnam J.

¶1delivered the opinion of the Court. We all ^ink, that the construction which the judge who sat at the trial, gave of the will, was right. The legacy to the plaintiff was a charge upon the whole estate, real as well as personal The personal estate having been exhausted, the legacy is clearly a charge upon the real estate devised to Oliver Sheldon, and the real estate went to the defendant subject to that charge, in virtue of the conveyance to him from Oliver Sheldon. The authorities cited by the plaintiff’s counsel leave no doubt in our minds upon this point.

¶2It is contended for the defendant, that the bond of Olive Sheldon, the executor of the will, to pay the debts and lega cies, should have been relied upon by the plaintiff for the recovery of the legacy. But we are of opinion that it was a cumulative remedy, and that the plaintiff may resort to the land, or to the bond, at her election. Baker v. Dodge, 2 Pick. 619. It was not in the power of the executor to discharge the lien without the consent of the legatee.

¶3And we think it very clear, that the action is well brought *533against the defendant, as the purchaser and tenant of the land. Swasey v. Little, 7 Pick. 296.

¶4And we are all of opinion, that the facts which are contained in the report warranted the plaintiff in the commencement of the suit, without any other or more formal notice than is to be inferred from the same. The defendant knew the destitute condition of the plaintiff, or was bound to have known it. She had a right to her support in the north room of the house, which was devised to her. It was the duty of the defendant to have furnished necessary sustenance for her at that place. But he wholly neglected to do so. She lived there upon charity, as long as she could, and was afterwards obliged to resort to the poor-house in Bernardston for support, in the spring of 1833 ; and the defendant knew that she was there, and was informed by one of the overseers of her situation, and that they should endeavour to make him pay for her support. Under these circumstances, we think it clear, that the defendant was legally liable to be sued for the legacy, without any other notice or demand.

¶5We think, however, that by the phrase “ all necessaries she may need, either in sickness or health,” the defendant was not bound to provide for her support if she could provide for herself by her own labor, as she had been accustomed and was able to do. So the verdict is to be reduced from the sum of $25-25, to the sum cf $21-25, and judgment is to be entered accordingly.

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