Hale v. Iowa-Des Moines National Bank & Trust Co.

Under the will of her father, who died in 1921; Elizabeth Farley (Hale) took the major share of his $700,000 estate which was largely in municipal bonds. Decedent Henry O. Hale had married Elizabeth in 1920. He had no property, was uneducated and was able to read and write with difficulty. They lived in Fort Dodge. They were childless, desired to adopt a child or children and, after some correspondence, secured plaintiff from Christian Home Orphanage, Council Bluffs, early in 1923. Plaintiff was then age seven years.

Henry’and Elizabeth renamed plaintiff Herman Oliver Hale and he was known…