Case Name: Stevens v. McKnight and Sawhill
Court: Supreme Court of Ohio
Jurisdiction: Ohio
Decision Date: 1883-01
Citations: 40 Ohio St. 341
Docket Number: 
Parties: Stevens v. McKnight and Sawhill.
Judges: 
Reporter: Ohio State Reports, New Service
Volume: 40
Pages: 341–342

Head Matter:
Stevens v. McKnight and Sawhill.
Error, to the District Court of Richland County.
Dirlam Legman, for plaintiff in error.
Thomas McBride, for .defendant in error.

Opinion:
By the Court.
If in a contract in writing to sell land the tract is described as containing " about one hundred and forty acres," the import of the qualifying word "about," is simply, that the actual quantity is a near approximation to that mentioned. When there is found to be a material and valuable variation, a court of equity upon a petition for specific performance will give the word its proper effect. In this case, the county surveyor, upon actual measurement, found one hundred and thirty-four and seventy-four hundredths acres in the tract. It was of the value of about fifty-five dollars per acre.
Judgment reversed.