Holt v. McWilliams
| Decision Date | 10 July 1902 |
| Docket Number | 143-1902 |
| Citation | 21 Pa.Super. 137 |
| Parties | Holt v. McWilliams, Appellant |
| Court | Pennsylvania Superior Court |
Argued May 21, 1902
Appeal by defendant, from decree of O. C. Warren Co.-1900, No. 22 on petition for specific performance in case of David Holt v Kate McWilliams, Administratrix of A. E. McWilliams Deceased.
Petition to enforce the specific performance of a parol contract for the sale of real estate. Before Lindsay, P. J.
The court below stated the facts to be as follows:
1. That the land described in the petition was sold to the petitioner, David Holt, by the said A. E. McWilliams by parol agreement some time between 1890 and 1892 for the sum of $ 300. Said A. E. McWilliams and wife conveyed a portion of said land to Frances M. McKinney, daughter of the said David Holt, at his request, by deed dated December 29, 1897.
2. That soon after said parol agreement was made the plaintiff took possession of the land and made valuable improvements by clearing off the brush, taking out the stones, filling up the low places and leveling off the land. That he remained in possession, ploughing and cultivating the said land until some time in 1899, when Mrs. Kate McWilliams, the respondent, took possession of the portion of said land not conveyed in the lifetime of the said A. E. McWilliams, and refused and still refuses to give up the possession or to convey the same to the petitioner.
3. That the said David Holt paid the purchase price of said land in full to the said A. E. McWilliams in his lifetime.
4. That the said A. E. McWilliams died intestate on or about April 24, 1898, without having made any provision for the performance of said parol contract, and that letters of administration were duly granted to Kate McWilliams, May 4, 1898.
The court entered a decree for specific performance.
Error assigned was the decree of the court.
Affirmed.
D. U. Arird, of Arird & Bordwell and D. I. Ball, for appellant, cited as to repugnant remedies: Weaver's Road, 45 Pa. 405; Share v. Anderson, 7 S. & R. 62; Martin v. Ives, 17 S. & R. 363; Pott's App., 5 Pa. 500; Piersol v. Neill, 63 Pa. 423; Irving v. Bull, 7 Watts, 323.
Cited as to the sufficiency of the evidence: Rankin v. Simpson, 19 Pa. 471; Moyer's App., 105 Pa. 432.
W. W. Wilbur, with him Perry D. Clark, for appellee.
Before Rice, P. J., Beaver, Orlady, W. W. Porter and W. D. Porter, JJ.
This is an appeal from the decree of the orphans' court directing a conveyance, to the petitioner, of a piece of land. The decree is based upon a parol contract of sale made by the decedent. The first error alleged is that the findings of fact by the court below were upon evidence insufficient to prove the alleged parol sale of the real estate and inadequate to take the sale out of the operation of the statute of frauds. The evidence adduced has been examined by this court. The testimony for the petitioner shows that he bought the land from the decedent and paid for it, and that a deed for a portion of it was made, at his request, to his daughter for a nominal consideration. It further shows that the decedent, while standing upon the land (which was enclosed by a fence and included an area of about three quarters of an acre), in the presence of the petitioner stated to one Hill, a witness in the cause, that he had sold the lot in question to the petitioner. Several other witnesses were called proving declarations by the decedent that he had sold the lot to the petitioner, and showing further that the petitioner had for a period of years been in possession and had cultivated the land, and had made improvements thereon. It was further proven that the decedent directed the land to be assessed for taxation in the name of the petitioner, who paid the taxes; that the petitioner and an adjoining neighbor together constructed a line fence along the property. The proof was thus in character and strength...
To continue reading
Request your trial