Ockfen v. Ockfen

Sophia Ockfen, a widow, then seventy-four years of age and in failing health, signed and thereafter caused to be delivered to her son John E. Ockfen a quitclaim deed to the 160-acre farm on which she lived. The acknowledgment on this deed is regular in form, but the trial court found—and the evidence preponderates in favor of the finding—that she did not appear before or talk to the notary who signed the acknowledgment, although he knew her signature. Less than eight months later, on April 3,1947, she died.

John did not actually go into possession of the farm until June, after his mother’s…