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F~ÓóU„ää6§ù©RÆv먂ÑÓÓSæ©3”$ÎQß&£—Wóaý*‚pQsÂù—å(øÌyÎÁÚ—]oÕ?|vw:Ðï‰écuÓ4ÒMûÄœ<`ùˆF%Ì–NëfgrX¿Gôë•°±ï‹“Þ šË=ôBýë?ÐKT†Nä6ãQ„Кêo´L—YŠtÄG®RêZjþVµ3!Y¶«¡˜ƒÐS¥ø¾ÕÚ/¾–|ž»›÷3,qQRÉÜ{êñ‚,¾QÙ8ÚÁèz©HMy $Ò‡Ò×#¡©ï[0[²‹H•÷B,Gè@A¡ÏAîÖ¬ïhÑæƒeó¢5×#;Únù¦PµYØ%nŽ«vZ‘Þ5`ö6ZE붇VØ;E Ižîh—ð,®«‘«РŽpàÏ€âJðÊaLÿ¾Ö<˜ð$]šÝùv½Û•X½´~ñó@׉ƒø7ÅýÞ:~NØô¾û8ïÔ†ãwLß›Ô׺··ĹäOË;‹î^rw¦Å,1†µýŒ’W±›¡Ÿ×GãÌÑ|‰€4²co oÑX6ù•¾6_yzÈkïÉ.*jxj“` `€€@EŠ‘ ` 8ttxPÂþ ê “ tßñ ñÌÌMARY€F.€HALL€andà h àà À àà  à)Ð * z ÐDON€K.€HALL,à  àà h àà À àà  à)Ð @  Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)Ìà ` àPlaintiffs/Appellees,à À àà  à)à p àPutnam€ChanceryÐ l¼  Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)à p àNo.€93„731Ð ‚Ò  ÐVS.à ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)Ð ˜è  Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)à p àAppeal€No.Ð ®þ  ÐMARY€ROSE€PIPPIN€andà À àà  à)à p à01A01„9609„CH„00439Ð Ä  ÐDALE€DELANEY,à h àà À àà  à)Ð Ú* Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)Ìà ` àDefendants/Appellants.à À àà  à)Ð V ÐÌñ ñÌÌñ ñÌà@ß ß DàAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CHANCERY€COURTˆÌà@VV'DàFOR€PUTNAM€COUNTYˆÌà@ää#DàAT€COOKEVILLE,€TENNESSEEˆÌÌà@Ù Ù DàTHE€HONORABLE€VERNON€NEAL,€CHANCELLORˆÌÌÌÌòòFor€Plaintiffs/Appelleesóó:à h àà À àà  àà p àà È àòòFor€Defendants/Appellantsóó:Ð ø"H ÐÌManuel€F.€Edwardsà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àWilliam€R.€DraperÐ $%t  ÐCookeville,€Tennesseeà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àCookeville,€TennesseeÐ :&Š! ÐÌT.€Michael€OððMaraà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àThomas€F.€BloomÐ f(¶#  ÐCookeville,€Tennesseeà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àNashville,€Tennesseeñ ñÐ |)Ì$! ÐÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àJerry€ScottÌñ ññ ññ ñà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àScott€&€Keañ ññ ñÌñ ññ ññ ñà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àMurfreesboro,€Tennesseeñ ññ ñÌÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àWilliam€Capelle€KeatonÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àà È àHohenwald,€Tennesseeñ ñÌÌÌñ ñÌÌñ ñÌÌÔ€„MÌ„¼¼vüÔò òà@%DàAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óˆÐ n5¾0, ÐÔ€¼vü¼„„MÌÔÌñ ñÌÌñ ñÌÌÌÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÐ  D<”72Š ÐÑܰÑÔ€„MÌ„¼¼vüÔò òòòÓ€Óà@ÎÎ)DàO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óˆÐ Ü ÐÔ€¼vü¼„„MÌÔÌà ` àThis€appeal€stems€from€a€dispute€between€neighbors€over€the€use€of€an€old€roadÏin€rural€Putnam€County.€€After€the€owners€of€one€tract€began€to€erect€a€fence€acrossÏthe€road,€the€owners€of€the€neighboring€tract€filed€suit€in€the€Chancery€Court€forÏPutnam€County€seeking€injunctive€and€declaratory€relief€concerning€their€right€toÏcontinue€to€use€the€road€to€gain€access€to€their€property.€€The€trial€court€heard€theÏcase€without€a€jury€and€determined€that€the€disputed€road€ran€along€the€roadbed€ofÏan€old€public€road€and€that€the€abutting€landowners€had€not€abandoned€their€use€ofÏthe€old€road€even€though€it€had€ceased€being€used€by€the€general€public.€ÏAccordingly,€the€trial€court€granted€the€plaintiff€landowners€an€easement€over€theÏportion€of€the€defendant€neighborsðð€property€where€the€old€road€ran.€€On€this€appeal,Ïthe€defendant€neighbors€assert€that€the€old€road€had€been€abandoned€by€both€theÏgeneral€public€and€the€abutting€landowners.€€Accordingly,€they€insist€that€the€old€roadÏcould€not€supply€a€basis€for€an€easement.€€We€have€determined€that€the€judgmentÏshould€be€affirmed.ÌÌà@ùù.Dàò òI.ó óˆÐ "," ÐÌà ` àThe€disputed€property€in€this€case€lies€approximately€half€way€between€theÏtowns€of€Baxter€and€Boma€in€rural€Putnam€County.€€Carmel€and€Nettie€AllisonÏpurchased€the€property€at€a€judicial€sale€in€June€1942.€€Six€years€later,€they€sold€a€55„¼acre€tract€to€Iva€and€Minnie€Lowe.€€At€that€time,€the€property€was€bordered€on€theÏeast€by€a€railroad€right„of„way;€on€the€north,€by€property€owned€by€the€Allisons;€andÏon€the€west€by€an€old€country€road€variously€known€as€the€ð ðElmore€Road,ðð€the€ð ðoldÏBoma„€Baxter€Road,ðð€the€ð ðroad€to€Elmore€Town,ðð€or€the€ð ðold€Buffalo€Valley€Road.ððÌÌà ` àIn€January€1973,€Floyd€and€Belle€Herron€purchased€the€12€to€15„acre€tractÏimmediately€north€of€the€55„acre€tract€and€west€of€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road.€€At€theÏsame€time,€the€Herrons€and€their€son€purchased€other€property€to€the€east€of€oldÏBoma„Baxter€Road€intending€to€build€several€homes€for€resale.€€The€12€to€15„acreÏtract€contained€a€house€built€by€Carmel€Allison€and€on€the€northern€boundary€of€theÏproperty€was€a€road€built€by€Mr.€Allison€to€provide€access€to€Old€Baxter€Road€whichÐ w:›4@ Ðwas€located€to€the€west€of€the€railroad€right„of„way.€€This€road,€known€as€FriendlyÏRoad,€ran€from€east€to€west.€€Its€western€end€intersected€with€Old€Baxter€Road,€andÏits€eastern€end€intersected€with€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road.ÌÌà ` àIn€1974,€Mr.€Herron€began€to€construct€a€house€on€a€tract€east€of€the€old€Boma„¼Baxter€Road.€€After€deciding€that€Friendly€Road€would€provide€the€best€access€to€theÏproperty,€he€undertook€to€improve€a€portion€of€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€south€ofÏits€intersection€with€Friendly€Road.€€This€portion€of€the€old€road€ran€essentially€fromÏnorth€to€south.€€Because€the€old€road€had€been€little€used€over€the€preceding€decades,ÏMr.€Herron€was€required€to€grade€and€gravel€it€to€make€it€passable.€€Mr.€HerronððsÏimprovements€to€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€ended€at€the€northern€boundary€of€theÏ55„acre€tract€of€property.€€The€improved€portion€of€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€cameÏto€be€known€as€Friendly€Drive.ÌÌà ` àArnold€and€Helen€Bean€purchased€the€55„acre€tract€in€September€1972.׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€TheÐ Ôø Ðproperty€was€still€undeveloped€farm€property.€€In€November€1980,€the€BeansÏpurchased€a€3.48„acre€tract€immediately€to€the€north€of€55„acre€tract.׃p×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€During€theÐ  @  Ðtime€he€owned€the€property,€Mr.€Bean€used€a€relatively€short€dirt€roadway€extendingÏsouth€from€the€end€of€the€improved€portion€of€Friendly€Drive€to€drive€his€tractor€toÏa€barn€located€on€the€northern€portion€of€the€55„acre€tract.€€ÌÌà ` àIn€1985,€the€Beans€entered€into€a€land€sale€installment€contract€with€Don€andÏMary€Hall€for€the€55„acre€tract.׃ø×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú3Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€At€that€time,€the€property€could€be€accessed€onlyÐ ô)$, Ðtwo€ways€„€either€from€the€Old€Baxter€Road€to€the€west€or€from€Friendly€Drive€on€theÏnorth€using€the€graveled€extension€of€Friendly€Drive€that€had€been€used€by€the€BeansÏwhile€they€owned€the€property.€€The€Halls€continued€to€use€the€graveled€extension€toÏgain€access€to€the€barn.€€When€the€Halls€constructed€a€log€home€on€their€property€inÐ „0¨*4 Ðthe€late€1980's,€they€obtained€permission€from€the€owners€of€the€3.48„acre€tract€toÏinstall€a€culvert€along€the€graveled€extension€from€Friendly€Drive,€and€they€alsoÏextended€the€gravel€extension€from€the€end€of€Friendly€Drive€to€their€new€house.ÌÌà ` àIn€the€meantime,€Mary€Rose€and€Robert€Pippin€decided€to€move€back€to€theÏBaxter€area€and€requested€Ms.€Pippinððs€son,€Dale€Delaney,€to€look€out€for€suitableÏproperty.€€Mr.€Delaney€discovered€that€the€3.48„acre€tract€was€available,€and€inÏNovember€1993,€the€Pippins€purchased€the€property€from€the€Bohns€who€hadÏpurchased€it€from€the€Beans€seven€years€earlier.€€Prior€to€the€sale,€Mr.€Bohn€told€theÏPippins€that€the€graveled€lane€extending€south€from€the€end€of€Friendly€Drive€was€onÏtheir€property€and€that€they€could€do€anything€with€their€property€that€they€desired.€ÏNo€one€mentioned€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road,€and€when€the€Pippins€examined€theÏrecords€in€the€registerððs€office,€they€found€no€evidence€of€a€recorded€easement€orÏright„of„way€for€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€or€the€graveled€extension€of€FriendlyÏDrive.ÌÌà ` àMs.€Pippin€moved€into€the€house,€and€Mr.€Delaney€apparently€moved€hisÏmobile€home€onto€the€property.€€Shortly€after€moving€onto€the€property,€Ms.€PippinÏand€Mr.€Delaney€began€to€erect€a€fence€around€their€property.€€After€Ms.€PippinÏinstalled€metal€fence€posts€across€the€graveled€extension€to€Friendly€Drive€blockingÏthe€Hallsðð€driveway,€the€Halls€filed€suit€in€the€Chancery€Court€for€Putnam€CountyÏseeking€an€injunction€preventing€Ms.€Pippin€and€Mr.€Delaney€from€interfering€withÏtheir€use€of€the€graveled€extension€of€Friendly€Drive€and€requesting€a€declaration€ofÏtheir€continuing€right€to€use€the€graveled€extension.ÌÌà ` àThe€trial€court€heard€the€case€without€a€jury€and€determined€that€Friendly€DriveÏand€the€graveled€extension€of€Friendly€Drive€lay€on€the€roadbed€of€the€old€Boma„¼Baxter€Road.€€The€court€also€found€that€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€had€been€a€publicÏroad,€and€that€the€old€road€had€not€been€abandoned€by€abutting€landowners€evenÏthough€it€had€fallen€into€desuetude€as€a€public€road.€€Accordingly,€the€trial€courtÏdeclared€that€the€landowners€living€adjacent€to€the€old€road€continued€to€have€aÏlegally„protected€private€easement€over€the€old€roadway€to€access€their€property.€ÏThus,€the€trial€court€granted€the€Halls€a€fifteen€feet€wide€easement€across€Ms.Ð \:€4@ ÐPippinððs€property€from€the€dead€end€of€Friendly€Drive€south€to€their€property.€€Ms.ÏPippin€and€Mr.€Delaney€have€appealed.ÌÌà@‘‘-Dàò òII.€€ó óˆÐ È ì ÐÌà ` àThe€pivotal€issue€in€this€case€concerns€whether€the€record€contains€sufficientÏevidence€to€support€the€trial€courtððs€conclusion€that€Friendly€Drive€and€the€graveledÏextension€of€Friendly€Drive€that€ran€along€the€roadbed€of€the€old€Boma„Baxter€RoadÏhad€not€been€abandoned€by€the€abutting€landowners.€€We€have€reviewed€the€evidenceÏpresented€to€the€trial€courtñ ñ׃×ñ ññ ñ׃×ñ ñÝ ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú4Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€in€accordance€with€Tenn.€R.€App.€P.€13(d)€and€haveÐ  Ä Ðdetermined€that€the€evidence€does€not€preponderate€against€the€trial€courtððsÏconclusion€that€the€abutting€landowners€had€not€abandoned€the€road.ÌÌà@ÓÓ.Dàò òA.ó óˆÐ 0T ÐÌà ` àAn€easement€is€an€interest€in€property€that€confers€on€its€holder€a€legallyÏenforceable€right€to€use€anotherððs€property€for€a€specific€purpose.€€òòSee€Pevear€v.Ð  @  ÐHuntóó,€924€S.W.2d€114,€115€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1996).€€Owners€of€property€abutting€aÐ À!ä" Ðonce€public€road€continue€to€have€a€private€access€easement€over€that€road€to€theirÏproperty€even€after€the€road€loses€its€character€as€a€public€road.€€òòSee€Knierim€v.Ð %,& ÐLeatherwoodóó,€542€S.W.2d€806,€810€(Tenn.€1976).€€However,€like€any€other€easement,Ð ¬&Ð ( Ðthese€private€access€easements€may€be€abandoned.€€òòSeeóó€òòJacoway€v.€Palmeróó,€753Ð P(t"* ÐS.W.2d€675,€677„78€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1987);€òòCottrell€v.€Danielóó,€30€Tenn.€App.€339,Ð ô)$, Ð344„45,€205€S.W.2d€973,€975„76€(1947).ÌÐ <-`'0 Ðà ` àThe€party€asserting€abandonment€of€an€easement€must€prove€it€by€clear,Ïunequivocal€evidence.€€òòSee€Miller€v.€Streetóó,€663€S.W.2d€797,€798€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.Ð €¤ Ð1983).€€In€order€to€prove€abandonment,€the€party€with€the€burden€of€proof€must€showÏnot€only€an€intention€to€abandon€the€easement€but€also€external€acts€carrying€thatÏintention€into€effect.€€òòSee€Cottrell€v.€Danielóó,€30€Tenn.€App.€at€343,€205€S.W.2d€atÐ l  Ð975.€€Thus,€nonuse€of€the€easement€by€the€abutting€landowner€or€landowners€is€notÏsufficient,€by€itself,€to€prove€abandonment.€€Nonuse€must€be€coupled€with€proof€thatÏthe€easement€holder€or€holders€intended€to€abandon€the€easement.€€òòSee€EdminstonÐ X|  ÐCorp.€v.€Carpenteróó,€540€S.W.2d€260,€262€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1976);€òòCottrell€v.€Danielóó,Ð ü  Ð30€Tenn.€App.€at€344,€205€S.W.2d€at€975.€€This€intention€may€be€proved€withÏevidence€of€acts€clearly€indicating€that€the€easement€holder€desires€to€lay€no€furtherÏclaim€to€the€benefits€of€the€easement.€€òòSeeóó€òòState€ex€rel.€Phillips€v.€Smithóó,€34€Tenn.Ð è  ÐApp.€608,€612„13,€241€S.W.2d€844,€846€(1950).ÌÌà ` àAbandonment€may€be€proved€by€either€a€single€act€or€a€series€of€acts.€€òòSeeÐ Ôø ÐSmelcer€v.€Rippetoeóó,€24€Tenn.€App.€516,€522,€147€S.W.2d€109,€113€(1940).€€WhenÐ xœ Ðcalled€upon€to€determine€whether€the€holder€or€holders€of€an€unrecorded€easementÏintended€to€abandon€the€easement,€the€courts€may€consider:€(1)€statements€by€theÏeasement€holder€acknowledging€the€easementððs€existence€and€disavowing€its€use,€(2)Ïthe€easement€holderððs€failure€to€maintain€the€easement€in€a€condition€permitting€it€toÏbe€used€for€access,€(3)€the€easement€holderððs€acquiescence€in€the€acts€of€others€thatÏreduce€the€utility€of€the€easement,€(4)€the€easement€holderððs€placement€of€aÏpermanent€obstruction€across€the€easement,€or€(5)€the€easement€holderððs€developmentÏof€alternative€access€in€lieu€of€the€easement.ÌÌà@ÙÙ.Dàò òB.ó óˆÐ à.)2 ÐÌà ` àThe€trial€court€heard€the€testimony€of€sixteen€witnesses€concerning€the€locationÏof€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€and€the€adjoining€landownersðð€use€of€the€road€for€theÏpast€fifty€years.€€These€witnesses€included€former€long„time€residents€of€the€area,Ïcurrent€residents,€and€professional€surveyors.€€While€memories€of€precise€details€hadÏfaded€in€some€instances,€the€testimony€of€the€present€and€former€residents€shedÏhelpful€light€with€regard€to€the€issues€facing€the€trial€court.Ð \:€4@ ЇÌà ` àIva€Lowe,€the€owner€of€the€55„acre€tract€from€1948€to€1967,€testified€that€heÏused€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€to€haul€hay€and€wood.€€James€Stafford,€a€currentÏlandowner€who€moved€to€the€area€in€1976€also€testified€that€another€formerÏlandowner€used€the€old€road€to€cut€and€haul€wood€from€the€55„acre€tract.€€In€addition,ÏOlive€Jared,€a€long„time€owner€of€property€south€of€the€55„acre€tract€that€adjoins€theÏold€Boma„Baxter€Road,€testified€that€she€and€her€late€husband€used€the€old€Boma„¼Baxter€Road€to€access€their€property€and€that€her€late€husband€even€maintained€theÏold€road€by€cutting€the€brush€away€from€the€roadway.€€More€recently,€Mr.€BeanÏtestified€that€he€used€the€graveled€portion€of€the€old€road€south€of€Friendly€Drive€forÏaccess€to€his€barn.€€ÌÌà ` àThe€location€of€the€barn€on€the€55„acre€tract€is€arguably€the€strongest€evidenceÏof€abandonment,€but€not€of€the€abandonment€of€the€portion€of€the€old€Boma„BaxterÏRoad€material€to€this€case.€€Mr.€Lowe€testified€that€in€1949€he€constructed€a€barn€overÏa€portion€of€the€old€roadway€on€the€55„acre€tract.€€However,€the€evidence€shows€thatÏthe€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€forked€after€it€entered€the€55„acre€tract.€€One€fork€ran€inÏa€southwesterly€direction€and€the€other€fork€ð!ð€sometimes€referred€to€as€the€ð ðElmoreÐ À!ä" ÐRoadðð€because€it€led€to€a€community€many€of€whose€residents€had€the€surname€ofÏð ðElmoreðð€ð!ð€continued€in€a€southerly€direction.€€Mr.€Lowe€built€his€barn€on€theÐ %,& Ðsouthwesterly€fork€of€the€road,€and,€as€we€understand€the€evidence,€this€portion€of€theÏroad€fell€to€disuse.€€This€case,€however,€does€not€involve€the€southwesterly€fork€ofÏthe€old€road,€and€the€record€contains€no€evidence€that€the€barn€occluded€the€part€ofÏthe€old€road€at€issue€in€this€case.€€ÌÌà ` àThe€preponderance€of€the€evidence€shows€that€the€old€Boma„Baxter€RoadÏsouth€of€Friendly€Drive€that€runs€through€the€55„acre€tract€has€continued€to€beÏtraveled€sporadically€either€by€vehicle€of€by€foot€from€the€1930's€to€the€present.€ÏAccordingly,€we€find€that€Ms.€Pippin€and€Mr.€Delaney€have€failed€to€prove€that€theÏdisputed€road€is€not€in€the€same€location€as€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€and€haveÏfailed€to€present€clear,€unequivocal€evidence€that€the€abutting€landowners€haveÏabandoned€their€private€easement€along€the€old€road.€€ÌÐ \:€4@ ЇÌà@-Dàò òIII.ó óˆÐ €¤ ÐÌà ` àMs.€Pippin€and€Mr.€Delaney€make€one€final€argument.€€They€assert€that€theÏdoctrine€of€merger€should€prevent€the€Halls€from€claiming€an€easement€over€theÏportion€of€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€on€their€property.€€We€have€determined€that€theÏdoctrine€of€merger€does€not€apply€to€this€case.ÌÌà ` àAs€a€general€matter€of€law,€the€owner€of€a€fee€simple€interest€in€propertyÏcannot€also€have€an€easement€over€the€same€property.€€Thus,€when€the€holder€of€anÏeasement€acquires€fee€simple€ownership€of€the€property,€the€doctrine€of€mergerÏextinguishes€the€easement,€thereby€leaving€only€the€fee€simple€estate.€€òòSee€VanderbiltÐ è  ÐUniv.€v.€Williamsóó,€152€Tenn.€664,€673,€280€S.W.€689,€691„92€(1926).€€However,€theÐ Œ° Ðcourts€will€normally€not€apply€the€doctrine€of€merger€in€situations€where€third€partiesÏhave€independent€interests€in€an€easement€that€would,€apart€from€the€merger€of€theÏinterests,€qualify€the€ownerððs€unlimited€use€of€the€fee€estate.€€òòSee€HeritageÐ xœ ÐCommunities€of€N.C.,€Inc.€v.€Powers,€Inc.óó,€272€S.E.2d€399,€401€(N.C.€Ct.€App.€1980).€Ð  @  ÐWhen€third€parties€continue€to€have€an€interest€in€an€easement,€the€doctrine€of€mergerÏdoes€not€operate€to€cut€off€their€interest.€€òòSee€House€v.€Closeóó,€48€Tenn.€App.€341,Ð d#ˆ$ Ð348„49,€346€S.W.2d€445,€448„49€(1961).ÌÌà ` àThe€uncontroverted€evidence€shows€that€Ms.€Jared€owns€an€8„acre€tract€eastÏof€the€55„acre€tract€and€south€of€the€area€disputed€in€this€case.€€Her€only€access€to€herÏproperty€lies€along€the€portion€of€the€old€Boma„Baxter€Road€south€of€Friendly€DriveÏwhere€the€Halls€have€created€a€driveway€and€where€Ms.€Pippin€now€wishes€to€buildÏa€fence.€€Ms.€Jared€continues€to€use€the€road,€and€accordingly,€her€private€accessÏeasement€over€the€entire€length€of€Friendly€Drive€from€its€intersection€with€FriendlyÏRoad€to€Ms.€Jaredððs€property€cannot€be€extinguished€simply€because€the€BeansÏowned€both€the€55„acre€tract€and€the€3.48€acre€tract€from€1972€through€1986.ÌÌà ` àAs€long€as€Ms.€Jared€or€the€other€landowners€abutting€the€old€Boma„BaxterÏRoad€continue€to€use€the€road€for€access€to€their€properties,€it€makes€little€sense€toÏinvoke€the€doctrine€of€merger€to€extinguish€the€private€easement€rights€of€oneÐ \:€4@ Ðlandowner€whose€predecessors€in€title€had€used€the€disputed€road€as€access€to€theirÏproperty.€€Accordingly,€we€decline€to€find€that€the€trial€court€erred€by€not€applyingÏthe€doctrine€of€merger€under€these€facts.ÌÌà ` àà@¥¥.Dàò òIV.ó óˆÐ l  ÐÌà ` àWe€affirm€the€judgment€and€remand€the€case€to€the€trial€court€for€whateverÏfurther€proceedings€may€be€required.€€We€tax€the€costs€of€this€appeal€to€Mary€RoseÏPippin€and€Dale€Delaney€and€their€surety€for€which€execution,€if€necessary,€mayÏissue.ÌÌÌÓ€Óà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p à______________________________Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àà p àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ__________________________________ÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€PRESIDING€JUDGEÌMIDDLE€SECTION€ÌÌÌÌ__________________________________ÌBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEñ ñÐ  Ü(#& ÐÑ8€zþ»»d¼»d8Ñò òÔ‡„]¸„»¼zþÔÌà@¡ ¡ DàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÌà@ÜÜ)DàAT€NASHVILLEó óˆÐ ¬Ð ÐÔ#†¼zþ»„„]¸bQ#ÔÌÌMARY€F.€HALL€andà h àà À àà  à)Ð D h ÐDON€K.€HALL,à  àà h àà À àà  à)Ð \ € Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)Ìà ` àPlaintiffs/Appellees,à À àà  à)à p àPutnam€ChanceryÐ Œ°  Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)à p àNo.€93„731Ð ¤È  ÐVS.à ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)Ð ¼à  Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)à p àAppeal€No.Ð Ôø  ÐMARY€ROSE€PIPPIN€andà À àà  à)à p à01A01„9609„CH„00439Ð ì  ÐDALE€DELANEY,à h àà À àà  à)Ð (  Ðà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à)Ìà ` àDefendants/Appellants.à À àà  à)Ð 4X ÐÌÌà@ÝÝ(Dàòòò òJ€U€D€G€M€E€N€Tóóó óˆÐ |  ÐÌÓ€Óà ` àThis€cause€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€on€appeal€from€the€PutnamÏCounty€Chancery€Court,€the€briefs€of€the€parties,€and€arguments€of€counsel.€€UponÏñ ññ ñcosniderationñ ññ ññ ñconsiderationñ ñ€of€the€entire€record,€this€court€finds€and€concludes€that€the€trial€courtððsÏjudgment€should€be€affirmed.ÌÌà ` àIn€accordance€with€the€opinion€filed€contemporaneously€with€this€judgment,Ïit€is,€therefore,€ordered,€adjudged,€and€decreed€that€the€trial€courtððs€judgment€be€andÏis€hereby€affirmed,€and€that€the€cause€be€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€furtherÏproceedings€consistent€with€this€courtððs€opinion.ÌÌà ` àIt€is€further€ordered€that€the€costs€of€this€appeal€be€taxed€to€Mary€Rose€PippinÏand€Dale€Delaney,€principals,€and€Robert€K.€ñ ññ ñPipinñ ññ ññ ñPippinñ ñ,€surety,€for€which€execution€mayÏissue,€if€necessary.ÌÓ€7VÓÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à___________________________________Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àHENRY€F.€TODD,€PRESIDING€JUDGE,€M.S.ÌÌÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à____________________________________Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGEÌÌÌà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à____________________________________Ìà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGE€ñ ñ