My father was a geologist and it appears he has some interest in different places through out the United States. Is there any way to determine where those locations are?
If he is deceased, Hopefully his estate was probated in the very least in the court clerk’s office where he resided at the time of his death.
In the event he is living ideally obtain the instrument through which his interest vested. Contact the company/ies or it’s successors and request they do a search of their owner database for the name title was taken in. Companies will request documentation to prove you have authority to obtain this info. Check unclaimed Property in the various states.
Hi, Amber -
Stephanie is right: If he is still living, he should be able to provide you with an Inventory of his holdings.
If he is no longer living, then accept our sincere condolences.
You will need to review every file he left in his office and any store rooms and look for Deeds or Assignments into him, any Leases or Royalty Division Orders or Ratifications he signed or has a copy of for whatever reason. Maps of those properties will help as well.
If they are not already organized, then organize them by property and/or well.
You need to also look for any check stubs from royalty payments coming to him from different companies and wells. Contact the Royalty Division Order Departments of those companies and ask them what steps you need to take to have any royalties due him are changed over to the names of his heirs.
Did he have any business associates or partners? An Executive Assistant or Secretary? They should be able to help quite a bit.
Beyond what you can find in his files and personal offices, you can determine as best as you can every State and County he could have possibly ever worked in. And then go to the County Clerk's Offices of each of those Counties and look up everything he ever acquired there and everything he ever sold and reconcile those conveyances to determine what is still in his name, producing or not.
Actually, the most cost effective way to accomplish that last part is to simply wait until a Landman contacts you about an interest he owns. Landmen are usually happy to provide you with documents and maps about the property and your Father's interests. But you can also add a provision to any Leases you negotiate in the future requiring the company to provide you with copies of any Title Runsheets (histories) and any Lawyer's Title Opinions they have prepared or obtain on your lands or interests.
If you are not familiar with all of this kind of thing, then be prepared: It will get worse before it gets better, but it will get better.
Hope this helps -
Charles Emery Tooke III
Certified Professional Landman
Fort Worth, Texas
PS: About what Stephanie said about contacting the companies: It he owned any producing properties in the State of Texas, then you're in luck. The State taxes producing minerals! The two (2) companies that prepare the Mineral Tax Roles for the various County Appraisal Districts can research all of the Counties they each cover under his name or any other name(s) he might have owned interests under. I believe they'll do that for free.
PSS: The Unclaimed Properties Departments Stephanie mentioned are under the States' State Comptroller's Office. You should be able to find a link to search each of them online. Companies, Banks, Utility Companies, all sorts of businesses turn over any unclaimed funds to the State Comproller's Office after a number of years.
Charles we have been contacted by a Landman and that is what has sparked the questions. My father's will was done back in 1987 and when he passed in 1992 it had not been changed to show what interest or properties he had. That is my concern.
Don't remember to much about his job or workers. But I do know that there is land out there and I want to figure out how to find it.
I have done the unclaimed property in Texas and have been in contact with the companies on that list of people.
I am just trying to figure out what else is out there.
Charles Emery Tooke III said:
Hi, Amber -
Stephanie is right: If he is still living, he should be able to provide you with an Inventory of his holdings.
If he is no longer living, then accept our sincere condolences.
You will need to review every file he left in his office and any store rooms and look for Deeds or Assignments into him, any Leases or Royalty Division Orders or Ratifications he signed or has a copy of for whatever reason. Maps of those properties will help as well.
If they are not already organized, then organize them by property and/or well.
You need to also look for any check stubs from royalty payments coming to him from different companies and wells. Contact the Royalty Division Order Departments of those companies and ask them what steps you need to take to have any royalties due him are changed over to the names of his heirs.
Did he have any business associates or partners? An Executive Assistant or Secretary? They should be able to help quite a bit.
Beyond what you can find in his files and personal offices, you can determine as best as you can every State and County he could have possibly ever worked in. And then go to the County Clerk's Offices of each of those Counties and look up everything he ever acquired there and everything he ever sold and reconcile those conveyances to determine what is still in his name, producing or not.
Actually, the most cost effective way to accomplish that last part is to simply wait until a Landman contacts you about an interest he owns. Landmen are usually happy to provide you with documents and maps about the property and your Father's interests. But you can also add a provision to any Leases you negotiate in the future requiring the company to provide you with copies of any Title Runsheets (histories) and any Lawyer's Title Opinions they have prepared or obtain on your lands or interests.
If you are not familiar with all of this kind of thing, then be prepared: It will get worse before it gets better, but it will get better.
Hope this helps -
Charles Emery Tooke III
Certified Professional Landman
Fort Worth, Texas
PS: About what Stephanie said about contacting the companies: It he owned any producing properties in the State of Texas, then you're in luck. The State taxes producing minerals! The two (2) companies that prepare the Mineral Tax Roles for the various County Appraisal Districts can research all of the Counties they each cover under his name or any other name(s) he might have owned interests under. I believe they'll do that for free.
PSS: The Unclaimed Properties Departments Stephanie mentioned are under the States' State Comptroller's Office. You should be able to find a link to search each of them online. Companies, Banks, Utility Companies, all sorts of businesses turn over any unclaimed funds to the State Comproller's Office after a number of years.
Have you tried Texasfile.com? Linton
Yes but doesn’t that only cover Texas?
No, now it covers parts of New Mexico and Colorado, also. Linton
So if my dad doesn’t own all the property but has interest in different areas of people’s properties how can I find that?
I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question. Are you trying to find deeds, etc., to mineral interests? Linton
No my father was given rights on certain properties owned by other people. He would go find possible areas where gas and oil may be and in return people would give him rights to so many acres of mineral interest.
So they would give him a gift deed to the different mineral interests?
I guess so. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. This is all kind of new to me.
Is there anyway to check for those?
Yes, go to texasfile.com and put in your father’s name as grantee. Read the blogs and forums (top of page) on this site and try to educate yourself on these matters. “Rights” to land and minerals, etc., are just like cars with a title, there are legal papers (I.e., deeds, etc.) that are filed showing ownership. I’m not very good at explaining, but you need to learn the basics so that you can ask the right questions.
But are there other sites for states like Oklahoma, Kansas etc
Was there an inventory and appraisement in or attached to his Will?
I’m sure every state has some sort of site where you can search for property ownership. Tax records are always a good place to look, but every state is different and in some, taxes are only charged when there is production of oil and gas, like Texas, for instance.
But would any gift deeds have to be recorded even if nothing has been produced yet?
Yes.
I’m going to send you an invitation to friend me so we can have this discussion in private.