Johnson v. Estate of Johnson

MESCHKE, Justice.

Orlando Johnson appealed from a county court order construing the will of Orlando’s mother, Julia Johnson, and ordering distribution of her estate. We conclude that the court misconstrued Julia’s will, and we reverse and remand for distribution of the estate in accord with this opinion.

Julia married Herman Johnson. They owned a home in Grand Forks and two quarters of farmland south of Grand Forks, which we will refer to as the NWVi and the SWV4. Julia and Herman had five children: Lillian, Orlando, Hazel, Kenneth, and Walter.

When Herman died in 1929, Julia became owner of the…