Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

37 Tex. 519

Walker v. Young

Texas Supreme Court

Decided July 1, 1873

Texas Supreme Court · decided 1873-07-01

Tried below before the Hon. John G. Scott. The case is stated in the opinion of the court. Appellants were defendants below. The action was trespass to try title and for partition.

Decided 1873-07-01

Walker, J.

¶1Late in the year 1859, William Young, the father of appellees, with his wife and family, emigrated from the State of Georgia, and settled in Texas. Shortly after the arrival of the family here, he purchased the land in controversy, moved upon it, and occupied it as a homestead until some time in January, 1864, when he sold the property to John Owens.

¶2Elizabeth Young, the wife of William and mother of the appellees, died in 1862 or 1863. The father, having sold the property, gave Owens possession, and the appellees bring this suit to recover their mother’s share of the community estate.

¶3The jury appear to have found that it was community property. There being no community debts to encumber the estate, the mother’s interest in the property descended to her *520heirs. Though the father might have continued to occupy it as a homestead, he could sell no more than his own half of the property ; and having attempted to do this, and abandoned the land, the appellees are entitled to partition. It is insisted by counsel that there is error in this judgment in that the father was entitled to an inheritance of a life estate in one-third of his wife’s interest in the land; but this is only the case, if the land had been the separate property of the wife. (Article 4642, Paschal’s Digest.)

¶4We do not think the other errors assigned for reversing the judgment are sufficient in law.

¶5The judgment is therefore affirmed.

¶6Affirmed.

/37/tex/519 · .json · Public domain