Hartley v. Hartley

This was a bill filed in the circuit court of Douglas county by Mathias Hartley against his son Bert Hartley and the latter’s wife to have the son declared a trustee, rather than the owner in fee simple, of two farms in said county. Before the suit was begun Mathias Hartley had requested his son to execute a written lease to him of one of the farms and to make a deed to another son of the other farm, which Bert refused to do and claimed the farms as gifts from his father. The case was referred to a master in chancery, and after a part of the evidence was taken Mathias Hartley died. His will…