Heifner v. Bradford

4 Ohio St. 3d 49, 446 N.E.2d 440 (1983)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

In 1916, Sprague conveyed his interest in a parcel of land by deed to Waters, reserving the oil and gas rights for himself. This was recorded the same year. Sprague died, leaving the reserved oil and gas rights to his daughters, Rogers and Bradford (D). They died intestate, so the rights were divided among their three children, recorded in 1957. Waters, without mention of the reservation of oil and gas rights, conveyed the land to his children, including William (D). This was recorded in 1936. In 1980, the remaining siblings conveyed their interest to D. Heifner (P) and two others had acquired shares in the oil and gas rights of the property, tracing their title to the 1916 deed. P sued to quiet title in the property. D claimed that they had title rights to the land due to an unbroken chain of title over forty years; that all prior claims and interests were destroyed. P claimed that the 1957 conveyance was a transaction independent of the chain of title, preventing their rights from being destroyed. The trial court ruled for P, but the court of appeals reversed, giving complete ownership to D. P appealed.