Locating a parcel

Per another discussion I started, my family has a working interest in Doddridge county, and I

am having trouble pinpointing exactly where it is to see what, if any, producing wells are on

it. The lease from 1962 describes it as being the north 50 and south 50 on the John Walton tracts of 204 and 247 acres. This is in New Milton District by Tom's Fork.

Can anyone help me find this?

I have tracked down several old well plat maps that I think are in the immediate area, but they are not identifying the parcels as anything I can figure out where mine lies.

Thanks.

Specifically, the assignment form states" said lease containing 100 acres and commonly known as the John Walton tract, more specifically described as follows: The south 50 acres of the original John M. Walton 204 acre lease assigned to George Jackson by John and Daisy Walton. Said lease bounded on the north by lands of McIntosh heirs, east by W R Walton heirs, south by W E Nutter heirs, west by lands of Sam Stanalker. , lease is book 60, page 162.

The south 50 acres of the original Mary Walton 247 acre lease assigned to George Jackson, bounded on north by lands of Mary Phillipsand George Willis, east by lands of G W Willis and J Davidson, south by lands of I O Dicks and W E Nutter, west by lands of J Walton. Lease is on book 59, page 280.

I can't find a survey or map of these parcels anywhere.

I’ll look at this later today, but am not sure if my source will help.

You need old farm maps. I think that WV Mineral Owner mentioned that he has some. Maybe it was tax maps he has. Ask him and see if he has something. You can find Tom's Fork by going this page at historicmapworks.com and zooming in and panning around a bit. It kind of runs right through the middle of New Milton District. Doddridge County might have some of the old farm maps around.

Alternatively, you could start honing your abstractor chops and follow the interest in the lease from the grantor/lessor back and see what you can find. If you can't find anything that way, you can trace it forward to the present owner and match the tax number to the tax map. It's a lot of work, but it's worth knowing how to do.

Kyle, the Doddridge online records are not complete, and the period of the 1960s is spotty. He might get lucky.

True. I should have mentioned that for Doddridge you'll have to be able to visit the courthouse in person to do all of the abstracting.

Thanks for all of the input. I will try to find some old farm maps and maybe run up to Doddridge county this spring.

Doddridge online records

I found some entries with last name Walton, some that might be part of one or another of those original leases.

If you go there and see what you find (I found some from Eugene and Harold that seem to involve one or both of these tracts), make a list or a chart of the various parcels and acreage conveyed. Then see if the grantee (the one to whom the property went) has sold it. Etc.

When you have a good idea of this, see if it makes some sense.

I sent you a friend request, and if you accept I can send you some maps and maybe you can figure this out. Not as straightforward as would be idea!

Thank you, Nancy. I have seen those on that site, but am still having trouble piecing it all together as far as identifying exactly where the tract is. I really need to find some old farm maps, as Kyle mentioned.

Trying to trace the leases back looks like a daunting project.

On a side note, can working interests be treated as abandoned, as the Antero attorneys are suggesting?

Thanks.

If you want to accept my friend request, I can send you a scan of that part of the farm map that I think pertains to your interests. Not completely straightforward, since some of the acreage and owners have changed. You might need later tax maps or something but I don’t know if these exist. The farm maps were not tax maps. Re the working interest being abandonable, that is a question for a lawyer. Or at least not me!

Will do. I thought I already did, but will recheck. Thanks.

Hi Nancy- I checked, and I have already friended you. At least, that is what it is showing on my end.

Sorry, I didn't check. Just sent you a message. Good luck with the working interest question, and enjoy the search in the records and maps. Good brain exercise!

Thanks.I think that plot to the SW was I O Dix, which is a name that is mentioned in my deed property listing.

I will keep on looking, trying to match things up.

A good puzzle to solve.

You can try using the GPS locations of the wells too. I am not going to tell you for certain that it works because when I tried to find it with my phone, no service in the area so we weren't successful. I didn't realized that I needed to do more homework to find it that way. You can bet I will for my next trip, I will do a better job of triangulating before I head that way. I had the old maps that were free from Seneca Technologies (thanks to Nancy) but I also paid for the map with all of the wells on it. I took this with the farm map and had a decent idea of where we should look w/ the GPS coordinates. I got turned around and didn't make it to where they were but I think it is possible. I hope that makes sense? I emailed/linked in/fb and snail mailed all the folks I have found to be land owners. I never had any reply. =(