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61 N.C. 493

Isler v. . Whitfield

Supreme Court of North Carolina

Decided January 5, 1868

Supreme Court of North Carolina · decided 1868-01-05

Covenant, tried before Warren J., at Fall Term 1867 of the Superior Court of Wayne. The defendant had theretofore conveyed land to the plaintiff in fee, covenanting that he was seized in fee simple, and had the right to convey in fee with an indefeasible title. The action was brought for an alleged breach of these covenants. The defendant claimed title under the will of Lewis Whitfield who had died in 1850.

Decided 1868-01-05

Battle J.

¶1 We are of opinion that the judgment rendered in the court below upon the case agreed is erroneous and must be reversed. The devise of the land in question to all the testator’s grandchildren is an executory devise alternative to that to the testator’s grandsons, Hazard Whitfield, Cicero Whitfield and Lewis Whitfield, or the survivor of them, both depending at present upon the death of the first devisee, B. Franklin Whitfield, “leaving no heirs of his own body.” Until the defendant B. Franklin Whitfield shall die leaving no children or other descendants, it will necessarily remain uncertain whether the estate in the land will vest in the first or second class of devisees. It follows that the conveyance made by the defendant, though supported by the deeds made to him by Hazard and Cicero Whitfield, the survivors of the first class of executory devisees, cannot transfer a title free from the claim of the testator’s grand children, who compose the alternative class’of executory devisees. See Fearne on Remainders 373; Winder v. Smith, 2 Jones, 327.

¶2 Judgment reversed and judgment for the plaintiff.

¶3 Per Curiam. Judgment reversed.

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