Estate of Mary Bell McGraw Marlin v. Harry Whitehead Marlin, III, et al.

This appeal concerns the interpretation of a will.  Mary Bell McGraw Marlin (“Decedent”), a property owner in Rutherford County, left her farm to her surviving children.  Decedent’s holographic will provided equal acres to each heir, although a survey purporting to show how to divide the land was missing.  After years of futile discussions over how to divide the farm, Decedent’s grandson Harry Marlin, III filed suit in chancery court seeking to partition the land.  The matter was referred to the Probate Court for Rutherford County (“the Probate Court”).  After a hearing, the Probate Court entered an order dividing the land amongst the heirs.  Harry Marlin, III appeals.  He argues that the Probate Court erred by dividing the land into equal acres without regard to the economic value of the respective tracts.  We hold, inter alia, that Decedent’s will controls and it provided for equal acres, not equally valued acres.  We further find that the evidence does not preponderate against the Probate Court’s determination as to which tract each heir was to receive.  We affirm.