Letter re: 40 acres and underlying mineral rights in Ritchie County

Robin Steele Campbell · 2015-05-18T12:18:08Z

I recently received a letter from a lawyer stating that I owned a fractional share of 40 acres and the underlying mineral rights located in Ritchie County, West Virginia. I called the lawyer and was informed that they had mailed me a lease in March and that they were still trying to locate my brother and sister which I told them were half brother and sister, by a different father. The inheritance came from my father. They said that they would mail me another lease and a form to have notarized stating that I was the only child. They said that my share was just under an acre and said that I would receive a bonus of 2500.00. Nothing was said about royalty. My question is that if they thought that my brother and sister (half) would be getting shares, would their shares go to me now or be split up between the long line of heirs that co-owned the land with me? I would like to know if anyone else knows about this parcel of land that they called the Creed Barker estate. I know no one from my father's side of the family except for one sister that passed years ago. I am completely ignorant about all this. Does anyone have advice? I need guidance, please...

West Virginia Mineral Rights