Wray v. Harris

Decision Date30 June 1877
Citation77 N.C. 77
CourtNorth Carolina Supreme Court
PartiesP. J. WRAY v. JAMES H. HARRIS.
OPINION TEXT STARTS HERE

CIVIL ACTION tried at January Special Term, 1877, of WAKE Superior Court, before Schenck, J.

The plaintiff instituted this action to recover a balance due from the defendant on a contract for building a cotton gin, &c., and claimed a lien upon the same and the land whereon it was situated by virtue of the following notice of lien:

+------------------------------------------------+
                ¦“
P. J. WRAY,¦)¦                 ¦
                +----------------------------+-+-----------------¦
                ¦vs.                         ¦)¦Mechanics lien.  ¦
                +----------------------------+-+-----------------¦
                ¦JAMES H. HARRIS.            ¦)¦                 ¦
                +------------------------------------------------+
                

The above named P. J. Wray files his notice and claim of lien in the office of the Superior Court Clerk for Wake County. Said claim is for work and labor done and materials furnished for the said J. H Harris upon the plantation of said Harris in Cary Township in said County, to the amount of $508 upon which amount there is a balance now unpaid of $255. Said work and labor and materials were performed and furnished in the construction of a cotton gin upon said plantation, and upon the said cotton gin and land upon which the same is situated, the said Wray claims his lien. This 17th day of December, 1875.

P. J. WRAY.

Sworn and subscribed before me this 17th day of December, 1875.

J. N. BUNTING, C. S. C.

The defendant answered, admitting the debt, but denying that the above notice created any lien on his property as claimed by the plaintiff, by reason of its failure to comply with the requirements of the statute.

His Honor held that the notice was insufficient and the plaintiff appealed.

Messrs. Merrimon, Fuller & Ashe, for plaintiff .

Messrs. Busbee & Busbee, for defendant .

RODMAN, J.

It is very clear that the claim of lien filed in the office of the Clerk of the Superior Court does not come up to the requirements of the Act. Bat. Rev. ch. 65, § 4. It does not specify in detail the materials furnished or labor performed, or give the dates at which the materials were furnished or the labor was performed. The date given in the claim was evidently intended only as the date when it was put in writing for the purpose of being filed. Such liens are the creatures of the statute and its requirements must be substantially observed.

PER CURIAM. Judgment affirmed.

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17 cases
  • United States Blowpipe Co. v. Spencer
    • United States
    • West Virginia Supreme Court
    • April 17, 1895
    ...36; 37 W. Va. 641; 2 Cal. 90; 2 Greene 508; 10 Md. 257; 3 Minn. 86; 18 Miss. 627; 37 Pa. St. 125; 50 N. Y. 300; 45 Ga. 159; 46 Tex. 196; 77 N. C. 77; 33 Mo. 390; 35 Mo. 107; 45 Ind. 258; 36 N. Y. (Sup. Ct.) 337; 30 Ark. 682; 57 Ind. 262; 58 Ind. 477; 52 Tex. 621; 8 Mo. App. 566; 83 Mo. 313;......
  • Canady v. Creech
    • United States
    • North Carolina Supreme Court
    • October 7, 1975
    ...67, 79 S.E.2d 204 (1953); Jefferson v. Bryant, 161 N.C. 404, 77 S.E. 341 (1913); Cook v. Cobb, 101 N.C. 68, 7 S.E. 700 (1888); Wray v. Harris, 77 N.C. 77 (1877). Our Court has, however, sustained the claim of lien when it was 'a reasonable and substantial compliance with the statute.' Camer......
  • Raeford Lumber Co v. Rockfish Trading Co
    • United States
    • North Carolina Supreme Court
    • October 22, 1913
    ...of the statute it had in mind the particularity required in filing notice of lien, as illustrated in several cases in our reports (Wray v. Harris, 77 N. C. 77; Cook v. Cobb, 101 N. C. 68, 7 S. E. 700; Jefferson v. Bryant, 161 N. C. 405, 77 S. E. 341), and the principle, well established as ......
  • Raeford Lumber Co. v. Rockfish Trading Co.
    • United States
    • North Carolina Supreme Court
    • October 22, 1913
    ... ... particularity required in filing notice of lien, as ... illustrated in several cases in our reports (Wray v ... Harris, 77 N.C. 77; Cook v. Cobb, 101 N.C. 68, ... 7 S.E. 700; Jefferson v. Bryant, 161 N.C. 405, 77 ... S.E. 341), and the principle, well ... ...
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