Trouble Finding Information To Establish Rights

[Millie]

Looking for some advice from this knowledgeable crowd!

My father got an unsolicited offer for mineral rights he didn’t know his mother owned in Upton County, TX. The offer included a copy of part of a lease that she and her sisters signed in the 70s and some info about who she inherited it from.

I was hoping to do what I could to get information myself before hiring a landman or attorney but I’ve run into a few problems because no information from the 70s or earlier is online.

I can find no record of my grandmother or any of her ancestors and neither can Summit Petroleum (one of the operators I’ve contacted).

I’ve established my father as my grandmothers heir in Upton Co. but with no luck at the appraisal district or the operators I think I might be stuck in what I can do myself.

I’d love to know if there is something I haven’t thought of to find the information I need or if I have to find a Landman to look for me. I’m probably going to pay for it without telling my Dad because he keeps bring up the offer to sell but it does worry me that I haven’t been able to find anything at all about her or her family in the records.

[PeteR]

@Millie, I’ve had good luck contacting title companies near the county seat. They often have landmen on staff and better computer access to the county records, and if needed they can walk over to check the actual county records. There is usually a fee, but it is usually quite reasonable.

[Millie]

A title company!

Thank you @PeteR that was a crucial piece of the puzzle of how stuff works I was missing.

Like trying to learn to cook from cut up pieces of recipes and someone says do you have a pan?

[spud]

Do a name search for Upton County on Texasfile. You will probably have to create an identity but the index search is free. If you find documents you can buy them online as well. If that doesn’t work you need a landman.