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55 Tex. 133

Poe v. Brownrigg

Texas Supreme Court

Decided April 29, 1881

Texas Supreme Court · decided 1881-04-29

Tried below before the Hon. J. P. Richardson. Suit instituted in April, 1874, by the appellants, claiming as heirs of Frances E. Poe, wife of George W. Poe, an undivided half of George W. Poe’s headlight league and labor of land, against Brownrigg &■ Hatch, who claimed to be owners of the other half, and to whom the patents were issued for the whole league and labor; and praying partition of the same, and that their title be established. The land was located in two surveys.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently February 1930

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1881-04-29

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Quinan, J. Com. App.

¶1This suit is brought by the heirs of Mrs. Poe to recover of the defendants one undivided half of a league and labor of land (in two surveys), patented to defendants Brownrigg & Hatch, as assignees of George W. Poe.

¶2The land was located by virtue of George W. Poe’s headlight certificate for one league and labor, issued in 1838 to him, he being a married man.

¶3The certificate was transferred by Poe during the life*137time of his wife. The transfer is indorsed on the certificate, and is as follows:

“I, for myself, my heirs, legal representatives and assigns, sell, relinquish and dispossess myself of all my right, title and interest for the within claim to Wm. M. Shepherd, his heirs and assigns.
“Geo. W. Poe. [l. s.]
“Witnesses: D. Carroll Brent, Egbert Page.
“Houston, April 20, 1838.”

¶4The claim of plaintiffs Poe and others is that this transfer does not convey but one-half of the certificate, and consequently that one-half the land belongs to them.

¶5Manifestly this position is erroneous. The certificate was community property of Poe and wife, and during the life-time of the wife he had the absolute right to dispose of it. Wright v. Hays, 10 Tex., 130.

¶6The transfer purports to sell and dispossess him of all “his right, title and interest ” in it. His right was to dispose of the whole of it, and th'at he effectually did by the transfer and delivery of it.

¶7The plaintiffs had no right to the land, and the verdict against them was the only one which could have properly been rendered. There was no proof impeaching the transfer. In fact, the plaintiffs’ case rested solely upon the construction they put upon this transfer, and that construction was not sound.

¶8Complaint is made of the charges of the judge. We think there was error in submitting the proper construction of the instrument to the jury, but that is an error of which the appellants cannot complain.

¶9There is no error in the judgment, and it ought to be affirmed.

¶10Affirmed.

¶11[Opinion delivered April 29, 1881.]

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