Archived Land Titles

It appears we may be heirs to some land in Sec29 and 30, but the uncle and aunt who left it had no children, no other living family. We are the nephew to whom some $ was left. Anyone know how I can find out? We can not locate wills or trusts from before 2000 (when our aunt died). I’ve searched gov.com for documentation in their home state and NM. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.:us:

Julie,

you should contact the County Clerks office where your Aunt and Uncle passed away. Ask for the probate department. Then ask if they have anything filed of record under your Aunt and Uncles name. You will need to know what year they passed away.

Hope this helps.

Thank you so much. Very helpful. :butterfly:

What Township and Range?

Also, you can use websites like Basin Land Records to help in your search.

In Lea County, their computerized records only go back to 1992 (I think)…

To research the data you seek any further back, it will be at the Elliot & Waldron title books. Which, if you explain who you are and why you want to search there books, they will let you. There are OTHER landmen doing research there every day and they may have the exact book you want to look at. You have to wait your turn. Hopefully you can look up the other area while a given book is being used by someone else.

Then you get the Book and Page number of the given document you want, then go across the street to the County Court house and go ask where they keep the records. They will show you, but you are on your own. The NICER you are with people working there, the more likely they will answer simple questions. If you need more help, you will have to figure it out. It’s honestly not that hard. Intimidating the first couple of times, but after that?

Good luck.

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Julie, did you find the legal description? You will get some help on here if you can post the section, township, and range.

The index to the older records (1917, 1935 …) is online. Messy to search but doable. You search by either the grantor or grantee. Find the years you want then the alfa range , then the pages, Then you just have to look for the name(s). That presumably is what the landsmen are doing in the county court house. Some very common names (texaco, USA, …) have a separate area in the alfa index. Warning there are a lot of USA entries (government land). Knowing the book and page numbers (found in the record search) the county clerk will email you a copy.