You’re welcome Linda. If you can, please update this forum on what you find out. There are probably many people with similar situations and you could help them.
I will do that. One thing that makes me think it might not have anything to do with the will though is from talking to the auditors office last year before I requested to be seperated on taxes it seems the tax bill was for the total amount of oil or gas taken out and one person had taken total responsibility for the entire tax bill and that one person after the taxes started getting hire had seperated from the rest of us and that left the auditors office to just randomly send the tax bill to someone and that someone was me. So not really sure this had anything to do with the will.
It seems that the best thing would be for each heir to have his or her own tax bill and account with the assessor's office. I think a lot of times the property and thus the taxes are left in the grandparent's name when the grandparent has passed away many years ago. Maybe listed as "heirs of" the name. If there is a will, from Grandfather to Grandmother or to children, then at least that part can get separated. If the will is not yet recorded, that would be a place to start. If the will is already recorded but the assessor has not separated the accounts (and tax bills) to the children of the grandparents (your parent and the other grandchildren's parents) then the assessor needs to do that. But if that generation (your parent's generation) is all deceased, their wills should also be recorded passing the interests to their children. Then each child (grandchild of the original owner) would have a separate account and tax bill. If some of these have sold their interests, that should be recorded and the new owners should be paying that part of the bill. If some of these did not have wills, the West Virginia laws of intestate succession come into effect. The Probate Clerk can help sort that out. Someone might need to file an affidavit of heirship.
It sounds like maybe the assessor's office has not quite done it the way it should be done to get things separated out or to tell the heirs what they need to do to take care of this.
so you think the mess I'm in right now is due to the assessors office not following through with the seperation of taxes to each heir? The taxes are now seperated as I requested a form from the auditors office and signed it but they still wont let me pay my current taxes until I pay all the taxes from 2011 and 2012 which my name is on the tax bill for 2011 but my cousins name is on the 2012 tax bill along with see other owners on both tax bills.
I hope you and your cousins can talk with each other and figure out how much each inherited. Did you say that the current tax bill is just your part, but the earlier years have you all together?
It sounds like what should have happened is when your grandparents died, the inheritance should have been split then and the portions separated but since that didn't happen, you and your cousins need to get it fixed as soon as possible. It would be terrible if your or their interests were sold at a tax sale.
Yes my current tax bill has been seperated but they will not let me pay my part until I pay all the back taxes. They do keep telling me it has been sold but I'm still receiving royalty checks and I was never notified of a sale. Strange that they can't separate 2011 and 2012 taxes but they are trying to tell me they sold my portion ironic. I think they are trying to intimidate me into paying everyone's tax bill myself. Just doesn't make any sense that the royalty checks are separated and sent out but the taxes were not.
Royalty checks come from the company and tax bills come from the county so they each follow their own rules.
Guess I'm just having a hard time with receiving a tax bill that is for other people's money and they are saying I will lose my portion but no one else will.
It could be that if you have the estates administered in the county clerk's office (filing wills etc) perhaps the assessor could redo the tax bills. Otherwise is just sounds like one of those unfair things in life. You could try once more to see if these cousins can contribute, because they will lose theirs, as well, I think, if the tax bills for the undivided property are not paid. Ask the assessor about that. You might need an attorney to get this straightened out but I think if you ask the right people at the courthouse you might get answers. If the cousins knew that their rights would be lost also, no more royalty money, they might be more willing to pitch in. How well do you know these cousins?
I know them well but have lost touch so only know where are few of them are living. I'm thinking they won't loose theres because of the few that I do still stay in contact with they have paid their portion of taxes and its been accepted but mine was returned. You have been a huge help in giving me suggestions on where to start. Thank you.
You're welcome Linda. Good luck. This might be a long process.
Link to article about American Energy Partners purchasing leases in Doddridge, Tyler, Harrison, Marion and Wetzel counties
Can anyone refer me to a lawyer in the Northern W.Va. (Clarksburg, Fairmont, Morgantown) area familiar with pooling modification leases that could represent me?
Thanks!
John Hensler, I use Kyle Nuttall for this. He is a member of this group.
Thanks Nancy! Yep, I've seen a few mods in my time. Sorry if you've been trying to get in touch with me and I've not answered. I've been trying to get caught up on things since we went on vacation a couple weeks ago.
Doddridge Co. - anyone know if Antero has producing wells
Buck Davis, go to this link WV Office of Oil and Gas Wells list
and choose Harrison as the county and Antero as the operator. When I did it, there were a lot of names that came up for Antero. The first several had no listings, but the last several had some. You can click on the number (the API number) and see the production (if any). Probably last production listed is 2013 but there might be a 2014 listing. The operators have until the end of this month to get their reports in, then the Office has a few more months to get the info on their website.
Does anyone have any contact info on Naomi Davisson who owns mineral rights on 2 wells in Harrison County?
I'm looking for information on mineral rights attached to 50.13 acres currently with two gas/oil(?) wells that were passed down to the descendants of the family WEBB, HELDRETH, OGDEN, +.
If you want to search the documents, here is a website Harrison county documents
As I have been advised, this works best with Internet Explorer as a browser. To view the older documents, once it has loaded there will be a button at the upper right side of the screen saying Book-Page
If you hover the mouse over that, you can see Install. Right click (I think) to install on your desktop. I haven't used Harrison county database, but it is probably like some other county records databases that I am familiar with. If you have questions, ask and somebody can help. Your answer might not be straightforward but you can find information.
Here is the link for the tax records, at least current ones. Again, it might not help but if you know names, you might find some information.