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60 Iowa 469

Luney v. Mead

Supreme Court of Iowa

Decided March 22, 1883

Supreme Court of Iowa · decided 1883-03-22

On the.17th of July, 1875, one John Coates purchased' 160 acres of land of the Iowa Railroad'Land Company. The purchase price of the land was $1,056. He made a cash payment of $211.20, and contracted to pay the balance of the purchase-money and interest thereon in installments; and entered into four written agreements (one for each forty acres of the land) with the Land Company, providing that upon full payment of the purchase-money the land should be conveyed to him.

Decided 1883-03-22

Rothrock, J.

¶1It appears from the evidence that, at the time Coates assigned the contracts to the plaintiffs, the land was worth at least $2,000. The plaintiffs paid to Coates $400, and to the Land Company $200. If their theory of the case be correct, the land was worth $1,400 more than they paid for it. But it is claimed by the defendant that the plaintiffs, as part of the consideration for the assignment of the contracts, agreed to pay the mortgage. The plaintiffs deny that they made any such agreement, and deny that they had any notice of the mortgage, and they claim that Coates had no interest in the property which he could mortgage. Without determining whether a recorded mortgage upon an equity in real estate is valid as against a subsequent purchaser of the equity without actual notice, we are clearly of the opinion that, in this case, there is a fair preponderance of evidence that the plaintiffs had actual knowledge of the mortgage and agreed to assume its payment; and the court might well have rendered a personal judgment against them upon their contract with Coates. See Scott's Adms. v. Gill, 19 Iowa, 187, and authorities there cited.

¶2The appellee has caused the supersedeas bond given in the court below to be certified to this court, and asks that judgment be rendered on the same in this court. It will be so ordered.

¶3Affirmed.

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