Where the partition was in kind, any joint tenant, tenant in common, or coparcener shall be entitled to a new partition at any time within one year after the first partition, provided, he shall present his sworn petition for that purpose to the chancery court which decreed the partition and shall show thereby (a) that at the time of the partition he was absent from, or a nonresident of the state, and (b) that neither he nor any agent of his received any notice or knowledge whatever of the pendency of the bill for partition, and (c) that the first partition was unfair or unjust or fraudulent as to him, and (d) shall exhibit with said petition the affidavit of at least one credible person to the same effect. Whereupon, if satisfied with the truth of all the grounds aforesaid, the court may proceed to award a new partition; but one who has made improvements on the share first assigned him shall not be evicted from such share; nor shall the improvements be estimated by the second commissioners in fixing its value, but it shall be valued as though the improvements had not been made. If the premises have been sold, and purchased by any of the joint tenants, tenants in common, or coparceners, the nonresident or absent joint tenant, tenant in common or coparcener shall be entitled to set aside such sale at any time within one year thereafter, if it can be shown to have been unfairly made, and fraudulent as to him. In proceedings under this section, all persons interested shall be summoned to appear and contest the application.