Makepeace v. Worden
Superior Court of New Hampshire
THIS was an action of trespass. The declaration contained two counts. 1. For breaking and entering the plaintiff’s close, cutting his trees, and subverting the soil. 2. For taking, carrying away, and converting Jo the defendants’ own use, six cords of wood belonging to the plaintiff.
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THIS was an action of trespass. The declaration contained two counts. 1. For breaking and entering the plaintiff’s close, cutting his trees, and subverting the soil. 2. For taking, carrying away, and converting Jo the defendants’ own use, six cords of wood belonging to the plaintiff. By the statement of facts upon which the cause was submitted to the decision of court, it appeared that the locus in quo was a public highway in the town of Chesterfield, laid out through the plaintiff’s land in 1801 ; that the defendants were employed by the town to make the highway, and that in making the road…
1Per curiam
In highways laid out through the lands of individuals in pursuance of statutes, the public has only an easement, a right of passage ; the soil and freehold remain in the individual whose lands have been taken for that purpose.(1) Towns, whose duty it is to make roads and keep them in repair, have a right to cut trees growing in highways, so far as is necessary to the performance of that duty. It is, therefore, clear, that the defendants are entitled to Judgment on the first count in this case. Whether towns have a right to use trees thus cut in the construction of the road, is a question not…
2Cited by3 opinions
- Avery v. MaxwellSuperior Court of New Hampshire · 1827
- State v. New-BostonSuperior Court of New Hampshire · 1840
- Caleb Mills v. StarkSuperior Court of New Hampshire · 1829