Source: http://supreme.nolo.com/us/86/138/case.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 00:42:28+00:00

Document:
"to solicit title from the government, and to make a regular transfer to the said B. without any further cost on his part, except the expenses of the necessary deed."
passed to the United States in 1803 and commissioners having been appointed in 1805 by act of Congress "to ascertain and adjust titles and claims" to lands within the newly acquired territory, B. appeared before the board in April, 1811, with his conditional transfer from A., and the board, as a record in their minute book showed, "grant to A. or his legal representatives" the land thus claimed, and order the same to be surveyed "so as to include his improvements." In the June following, the commissioners issued their certificate, in which they say, "We . . . have decided that the legal representatives of A., original claimant, are entitled to a patent," &c., for the land, "and order the same to be surveyed so as to include his improvements," &c. The land thus granted having been injured by earthquakes, and Congress, in February, 1815, having authorized persons whose land had been thus injured to make new locations of the same quantity of land on any of the public lands then open for sale in the same territory, it appeared by different records that A., asserting that his land had been thus injured, claimed new land, and also that A. "or his legal representatives" claimed it. A patent was finally issued reciting that in pursuance of the Act of Congress of February, 1815, there had been located for A. "or his legal representatives" a tract described, the habendum of the patent being to the said A. "or his legal representatives and to his or their heirs and assigns forever."
Held that the title enured to B. and his legal representatives, and that no other representative of A., whether hereditary or by contract, had any right, legal or equitable, to the premises.
Carpenter brought ejectment against Rannels in one of the circuit courts of Missouri to recover possession of two hundred arpents or acres of land in the County of St. Louis, located under a New Madrid certificate of relocation, No. 511, which was issued under an Act of Congress of February 17, 1815, [Footnote 1] and acts supplementary thereto, in lieu of lands in New Madrid County which had been injured by earthquakes and upon which certificate a patent issued, dated March 30, 1833, to "John Butler or his legal representatives."
passed the equitable title to one James Bankston, hereinafter mentioned, and whom he asserted to be the "legal representative" of the said Butler, and he gave evidence tending to show derivative title under Bankston.
The cause was submitted to the court without the intervention of a jury. The court found and gave judgment for the defendant, and that judgment being affirmed in the supreme court of the state, [Footnote 2] the plaintiff brought the case here for review.
John Butler had an incloate title derived from the Spanish government, acting through its authorized agents. Upon this subject there is no controversy between the parties. It is the common source of the derivative titles upon which they severally rely.
"during the three years, to erect on said tract all the improvements and establishments -- to break up the ground, and to make the Royal road and other improvements required by law; to be enabled at the and of three years from the petition for said land to obtain the title of proprietorship from the government of the province."
Bankston, without any further cost on his part, except the expenses of the necessary deed,"
"Bankston . . . promised to fulfill and execute all the said clauses and conditions, under penalty of the forfeiture of the advantages which might result in his favor."
This instrument shows that so far as Butler was concerned the entire consideration of the transaction had been paid. What remained for Bankston to do was wholly for his own benefit, and not for Butler's. If he fulfilled, a perfect title was to be acquired from the government; not for Butler, but for himself. It was implied that the title was to emanate in Butler's name. He stipulated to apply for it and to convey it to Bankston without expense to the latter except for the necessary conveyances.
whether it was confirmed to Butler or to Bankston. This renders it necessary to examine that part of the record which relates to the subject. It consists of a transcript of the proceedings of the commissioners and of the evidence before them. We shall itemize as we proceed.
(1) "John Butler claims two hundred arpents of land in the District of New Madrid, under the second section of the Act of Congress made and provided."
(2) An order, dated April 16, 1801, from Peyroux to Story to survey two hundred arpents of land for Butler. This was before the date of the contract between Butler and Bankston.
(3) A plat of the survey made by Story and a certificate by him that he made it at the request of Butler, who claimed the land by virtue of a grant from Peyroux while commandant of the District of New Madrid, and in virtue of the second section of the Act of March 2, 1805. This certificate is dated February 2d, 1806.
(4) The contract between Butler and Bankston already adverted to.
"Friday, April 12, 1811. -- Board met: Present, John B. C. Lucas, Clement B. Penrose, and Frederick Bates, commissioners."
"James Bankston, assignee of John Butler, claiming two hundred arpents of land, situate in Cypress Swamp, District of New Madrid, produced to the board an order of survey dated 16 April, 1801, a certified copy of a conditional transfer from Butler to claimant, dated 23 July, 1801, and a plat of survey dated 2 February, 1806."
"The board grant to John Butler, or his legal representatives, two hundred arpents of land, and order that the same be surveyed as nearly in a square as may be, and so as to include his improvements."
"Board adjourned till Monday next, nine o'clock A.M."
Signed by the commissioners. "See Board Minute-Book, No. 5, pages 145, 148, and 149."
B. C. Lucas, commissioner, appeared at the board and took his seat."
"Cert. No. 1103, John Butler's legal representatives, Book 5, page 148."
"Survey at expense of the United States. Board adjourned till tomorrow, eight o'clock A.M."
Signed by the commissioners. "See Board Minute-Book, No. 5, page 187, 188, and 193."
"Louisiana Commissioners' Certificate No. 1103, June 20th, 1811."
"We, the undersigned, commissioners for ascertaining and adjusting the titles and claims to lands in the Territory of Louisiana, have decided that the legal representatives of John Butler, original claimant, are entitled to a patent under the provisions of the second section of an act of Congress of the United States, entitled 'An act for ascertaining and adjusting the titles and claims to land within the Territory of Orleans, and the District of Louisiana, passed the 2d day of March, one thousand eight hundred and five,' for two hundred arpents of land, situate in the District of New Madrid, Cypress Swamp, and order that the same be surveyed as nearly in a square as may be, and so as to include his improvements, by virtue of a permission from the proper Spanish officer, and also of actual inhabitation and cultivation prior to, and on, the 20th day of December, one thousand eight hundred and three."
Signed by the commissioners. "See certificate on file."
cultivation on and prior to the 20th of December, 1803;" and finally, that the board "decided that the legal representatives of John Butler, original claimant, are entitled to a patent under the second section of the Act of March 2, 1805." There is no evidence that Butler or anyone else questioned the claim of Bankston before the commissioners.
(1) A, a line in a tabulated statement, showing that Butler claimed that the land in question was injured, and had relinquished the title to the United States.
(2) A, in line in a like statement that Butler was the claimant, and that a certificate of injury had been delivered to James Evans.
(3) A, a line in a like statement that Butler, or his legal representatives, claimed, and that a patent certificate was prepared accordingly by the recorder of land titles under the Act of 1815 and the supplementary acts, and that it was delivered to William Smith, of St. Louis.
"a certificate of location for two hundred arpents obtained from the recorder of land titles for the Territory of Missouri, or to locate the same as he should think proper."
"a New Madrid certificate, issued by Frederick Bates, recorder of land titles for the Territory of Missouri, No. 511, dated December 31, 1818, whereby it is certified, among other things, that John Butler, or his legal representatives, is entitled to locate two hundred arpents of land."
(3) A patent from the United States to John Butler, or his legal representatives, dated March 30, 1863. It recites that, in pursuance of the Act of February 17, 1815, there had been located "for John Butler, or his legal representatives, a certain tract of land, described," &c. A full description is then given. The habendum is, "to the said John Butler, or his legal representatives, and to his or their heirs and assigns forever."
This is the land in controversy in this case.
"This formula, 'or his legal representatives,' embraces the representatives of the original grantee of the land by contract, such as assignees or grantees, as well as by operation of law, and leaves the question open to inquiry in a court of justice as to whom the certificate, patent, or confirmation should enure."
The certificate issued by the recorder of land titles under the Act of 1815, the location of that certificate and the patent, enured to Bankston and his legal representatives. [Footnote 8] No other representative of Butler, whether hereditary or by contract, has any right, legal or equitable, to the premises. The testimony in the record is conclusive upon the subject.
Soulard v. United States, 4 Pet. 512; Strother v. Lucas, 12 Pet. 436.
2 Stat. at Large 324.
69 U. S. 2 Wall. 607.
Bank of the United States v. Dandridge, 12 Wheat. 70; Lessee of Ward v. Barrows, 2 Ohio St. 242.
Bissell v. Penrose, 8 How. 338; Hogan v. Page, 2 Wall. 605; Papin v. Massey, 27 Mo, 445; Boone v. Moore, 14 id. 420; Carpenter v. Rannells, 45 id. 591; Page v. Hill, 11 id. 149.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.