Matthews v. Turner

Robinson, J., delivered the opinion of the Court. The main question in this appeal is whéther, in an action of ejectment by legatees to recover certain leasehold property specifically bequeathed to them, it is necessary to prove in addition to the probate of the will, and the grant of letters testamentary and the assent of the executor to the legacy, that the property was included in the inventory returned by the executors, and was distributed to the legatees by the order of the Orphans’ Court ? There ought not to be any difficulty in determining this question. Upon the death of the testator his entire personal estate, including property specifically bequeathed, ¹²¹ devolves on the executor, to be administered by him for the benefit of creditors, and the payment of legacies, and the balance, if any, to be distributed to the persons entitled under the statute of distributions.

Strictly speaking, the entire personal estate ought to be returned in the inventory to the Orphans’ Court. But the title of a legatee to property specifically bequeathed, does not depend upon the inventory returned by the executor, nor does it necessarily depend upon the orders of the Orphans’ Court. By the will itself, the legatee gets an inchoate title, and when the debts are paid, and the executor assents to the delivery of the property to the legatee, the title of the latter is thereby perfected. Nothing more is necessary, and upon the title thus perfected, the legatee may maintain an action of ejectment if the property be leasehold, or an action of trover for the conversion of personal property.

There is no error therefore in the rulings of the Court in the first, third and fourth bills of exception. Bacon’s Abridg. Legacies, L; 2 Williams on Executors, 1378; Comyns Digest Adm’r, (C. 6); 1 Roper on Legacies, 848-851; 3 Preston on Abstracts of Title, 145; Doe dem. Saye and Sele vs. Guy, 3 East, 120; Stevenson,