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61 Tex. 590

Effinger v. Cates

Texas Supreme Court

Decided May 20, 1884

Texas Supreme Court · decided 1884-05-20

Tried below before the lion. W. A. Blackburn. Trespass to try title, brought by appellant against R. W. Cates, to recover possession of lots No. 2 and 3, in block No. 11, of the Kerr portion of the town of Burnet. Appellant in his petition alleged that the lots were part of his homestead. The source of title was a common one. The unlawful entrance and ouster by the appellee was averred to have taken place on the 1st day of August, 1881.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently March 1920

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1884-05-20

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Delany, J. Com. App.—

¶1The lots in controversy were sold under execution as the property of appellant and were bought by the vendor of appellee. The validity of the judgment and the regularity of the sale are not questioned. But appellant insists that he should recover back the lots because they were (as he says) a part of his homestead.

¶2The plaintiff (appellant) was married in 1872 or 1873. He bought these lots soon afterwards. They were on the west side of the public square in the town of Burnet. They were sold by the sheriff in Hovember, 1877. They were never inclosed or improved in any way whatever. Plaintiff owned and occupied a lot on the east side of the public square. He insists, however, that he used these vacant lots for the purposes of a homestead. The only use, however, which he made of the lots was this: he occasionally staked his horse there when he did not tind better grass elsewhere.

¶3It further appears that in 1877 the wife kept a cow. The calf generally remained in a pen in the rear of the house, but it was sometimes taken out and staked on the lots in question. This is the only use which was ever made of these lots, so far as appears in the record. In fact it does not appear that they used these lots any more than they used the other uninclosed land in the vicinity. This casual resort to property now and then cannot be said to be an appropriation of it to the purposes of a home.

¶4The claim is too shadowy and unsubstantial to be regarded by the law. Our opinion is that the judgment should be affirmed.

¶5Affirmed.

¶6[Opinion adopted May 20, 1884.]

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