Joseph Story,
M'Creery's v. Somerville — Opinion of the Court
“ In the absence of all authority, we do not feel ourselves at liberty to derogate from the general doctrine of the common law as to descents, by incorporating into the statute of William a case which is not within its terms, and is not called for by any clear legislative policy. ”
Joseph Story,
M'Creery's v. Somerville — Opinion of the Court
“ It declares, that persons might lawfully inherit and be inheritable, as heirs, and make their titles and pedigrees, by descent, from any of their ancestors, although their parents were born out of the realm; plainly supposing that they might take as heirs by descent, but for the circumstance of the alienage of the intermediate ancestors, through whom they must claim. It speaks of such intermediate ancestors, as persons who were or should be born out of the realm, and it enables the party to take, as heir, as effectually as if such ancestors had been natural born subjects. ”
Joseph Story,
M'Creery's v. Somerville — Opinion of the Court
“ For instance, if lands are given to a son, who dies, leaving a sister his heir, if the parents have, at any distance of time afterwards, another son, the common law devests the descent upon the sister in favour of such son, and he is entitled to take the estate as heir to his brother. ”
