Case Name: Nannie K. Pierce et al. v. James A. Logan et al.
Court: Texas Commission of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Texas
Decision Date: 1882
Citations: 2 Posey 354
Docket Number: No. 3972
Parties: Nannie K. Pierce et al. v. James A. Logan et al.
Judges: 
Reporter: Texas Unreported Cases (Posey)
Volume: 2
Pages: 354–356

Head Matter:
Nannie K. Pierce et al. v. James A. Logan et al.
(No. 3972.)
Execution.— Levy before and sale after death of debtor. No sale under execution after death of debtor can defeat the right of administrator or executor to the possession and control of property. As to them such sale has no effect.
Execution.—Heir or legatee takes the property subject to the debts, and only gets what is left after administration is had and debts settled.
Appeal from Lamar county. Opinion by Watts, J. ■
Statement.— Appellees instituted this suit against appellants October 21, 1874. The petition is in the ordinary form of trespass to try title, and seeks to recover five hundred and nineteen acres of land situated in Lamar county. The plaintiffs sued as the children and heirs of Chas. Logan, deceased, who, it is alleged, was the brother and sole heir of Bennett T. Logan, deceased. The latter died in 1844, seized and possessed of the land in controversy; no administration was had upon his estate, and that Chas. Logan inherited the same, and was seized and possessed of the land in controversy in 1846; that plaintiffs, as the only heirs of Chas. Logan, inherited his entire estate, and especially the said land, of which they were lawfully seized, and had the possession until January 1, 1868, at which time the appellants entered upon said land and ejected appellees therefrom, and have and still hold possession thereof; praying for judgment for the land, etc. Appellants answered March a, 1875, by general demurrer, not guilty, and general denial. In an amended answer filed October 6, 1877, appellants set up the three, five and ten years’ limitation; suggested improvements in good • faith; and, by an amendment filed October 15, 1878, appellants claimed title to the land as follows: By and through a judgment in favor of Snowden against Bennett T. Logan 'rendered in the district court of Lamar county at the September term, 1845, and. an execution, levy and sale thereunder the same year, and a purchase of the land at the said sale by one W. W. Williams, and a deed to him by the sheriff, and by mesne conveyance to appellants. Case tried by the judge May 18, 1878, and judgment rendered in favor of appellees for the land and cost of suit, from which ■ this appeal.

Opinion:
Opistiost.— Bennett T. Logan was living at the date of the rendition of the judgment and issuance of the execution, but was dead when the sheriff's sale was made at which Williams purchased the land in controversy. The authorities are meagre, conflicting and doubtful as to the effect of such a sale. See Taylor v. Snow, 47 Tex., 467.
. This is not a direct proceeding upon the part of the plaintiffs to have the sheriff's sale vacated and set aside; and to arrive at the conclusions reached below, the court must have held the sale absolutely void. This was erroneous. The sale was made in 1845 and suit begun in 1874, and, as a direct proceeding, came too late.
Bevbeseb ahb bemahbeb.