Hanna's Estate

Opinion by

Me. Justice Steen,

Is Hiram Gilbert given an estate absolute as to personalty and a fee simple as to realty, or is he given only a life estate, by the following will: “November 1, 1932. I, Henrietta Hanna, being of sound mind do bequeath to Hiram Gilbert what I possess and at his death it is to be divided equally between my sister Clara and brother John. Signed, Henrietta Hanna”? The orphans’ court held that he receives only a life estate.

The writing here to be construed is a holographic, informal will. It may fairly be said that no layman, reading it, would have any doubt that it…