Spindletop Unwound: A True Story of Greed, Ambition and Murder in the First Degree

456 Pages·1997·8.93 MB·English

by  Roger L. Shaffer

title: Spindletop Unwound
author: Shaffer, Roger L.
publisher: Republic of Texas Press
isbn10 | asin: 1556225504
print isbn13: 9781556225505
ebook isbn13: 9780585262413
language: English
Trials--Texas, McFadden family, Humphrey
family, Petroleum industry and trade--
subject
Texas--Beaumont Region, Inheritance and
succession--zTexas--Beaumont Region.
publication date: 1998
lcc: KF228.M388S53 1998eb
ddc: 364.15/23/09764145
Trials--Texas, McFadden family, Humphrey
family, Petroleum industry and trade--
subject:
Texas--Beaumont Region, Inheritance and
succession--zTexas--Beaumont Region.
Page i
Spindletop Unwound
Roger L. Shaffer
Page ii
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Shaffer, Roger L. (Roger Lee), 1941-.
Spindletop unwound / Roger L. Shaffer.
p cm.
includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-55622-550-4 (pb)
1. TrialsTexas. 2. McFadden family. 3. Humphries family.
4. Petroleum industry and tradeTexasBeaumont Region.
5. Inheritance and successionTexasBeaumont Region. I. Title.
KF228 M388S53 1997
364 15'23'09764145dc21 97-12739
CIP
Copyright © 1998, Roger L. Shaffer
All Rights Reserved
Republic of Texas Press is an imprint of Wordware Publishing, Inc.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means
without permission in writing from Wordware Publishing, Inc.
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN 1-55622-550-4
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
9707
Page iii
Oct 1850
I certify these to be 64 pages & a piece of free
inhabitance & done as near in acordance with my
oath as I could do it the people was hard to get
along with
H Swearingen A M
Page v
Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Preface xi
A Cast of Characters
The Killing 1
In the Beginning 9
Gunfight at Nacogdoches 20
Family Values 21
Tribulations and the Trial 25
Money Matters 28
Party Time 32
Get Thee to a Nunnery 38
Credibility and Credit Ability 40
From Party Barn to the Big House 41
The Lawsuits
A Primer 49
Lawyers Relief: The Humphries Lawsuits 54
Generations of Humphries Claims 59
The Humphries Trilogy 67
Brown Peregoy 69
Rule 11 74
Other Irrational Claims and Claimants 79
Page vi
Daddy's Always Told Us That
East Texas Idiosyncrasies 83
Pelham or William 87
Joseph Humphries 95
Meet The Family 103
Brown Peregoy: Wrong Again 108
Regulators, Moderators, and McFaddens 110
The Heirs of William Humphries 117
Polly 118
Jane 120
Amanda 124
Thomas E. Anderson 124
Holland 125
Mahaley 125
Sorting it Out: Greed And Grasping
The Heirs at Law Postgusher Claims 127
Seven Affidavits: Uncle Pel's Best Case 131
Transfers of Spindletop, 1834-1883 137
William's Transfer Documents 139
The Definitive Answers: Yes and No 144
"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers" 149
Appendix A, 151
A Chronology
Appendix B, 193
A Selected Abstract of Title
Appendix C, 207
Selected Documents
Original Spanish Petition 208
English Translation of Spanish Petition 212
Benjamin Lindsey Certificate of Character 215
Page vii
William Humphries Bond for Title 216
Benjamin Strickland Survey 219
Joseph Humphries Petition for Remainder of Headright 221
Entitlement
Estate of Joseph Humphries, Sarah Humphries and S.P. 225
January Administrators
Deed from "Pelham Humphries" to Snively 226
Deed from "Pelham Humphries, Jr. and William 227
Humphries" to Dozier
Guardianship of the Heirs of William Humphries 228
Case 682 Settlement with W.P.H. McFaddin 229
Deed from Jane (Humphries) McFadden to Thomas 231
Russell et al.
Deed from Jane (Humphries) McFadden Wilkerson to 232
J.G. Hazelwood
Deed from Hazelwood to McFaddin 233
Deed from Carswell to McFaddin 234
Deed from Ring to McFaddin 235
Deed from Houghton to McFaddin 236
Deed from Thomas Anderson to McFaddin 237
Deed from Boren to McFaddin 238
Deed from Russell to McFaddin 239
Deed from Ingalls to McFaddin 240