family tree root reaches out to daniel boone b&w line art

Tapping Oil at the Roots of a Family Tree

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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The following piece by Janice Cole Hopkins ran September 6th & 8th on her blog Reflections – Past, Present, and Future with God. It is re-posted here with permission.

Out of the mountains of North Carolina and the plains of Texas comes an intriguing tale of a black sheep, oil fortunes, and poor mountain families. The story begins with Pelham Humphries, who had been born out of wedlock in the Watauga Settlement area of North Carolina, which would later become part of Tennessee. His mother married a Gragg when he was just a boy, but his childhood must have been rough, and I imagine he was called many names. His adulthood seemed to be rocky, too, because he tended to be drawn into fights.

Greene family members related to Pelham Humphries.
Greene family members related to Pelham Humphries.

Pelham married Sudie Bell, but got into a drunken brawl and stabbed a man. Thinking he had killed someone, Pelham took his wife and a friend, J. William Inglish, and fled to Texas using a flatboat on the Watauga River. He fought in the Mexican Army in 1829 in their war for Mexican independence and was given a land grant for 4,000 acres on the Nechos River in 1835, but Sudie Bell died of a fever not long after they were deeded the land. Later, Pelham was shot to death at a Jefferson County boarding house in a fight between him and Inglish. Pelham’s family back in the Appalachian Mountains knew nothing about what had happened to him, and he and Sudie had no children. Information on exactly what happened in the ownership of the property becomes very muddled and confused at this point.

the Lucas oil gusher

What we do know is that in 1901, long after Pelham’s death, oil was discovered on this land. Ever heard of Spindletop, the first oil discovered in Texas and the biggest producer of oil for years? Spindletop got its name from the heat waves rising in swirls from the prairie that made a grove of trees look like spinning tops when viewed from a hill above them. From here, many of the big oil companies got their start -Texaco, Gulf, Sun Oil, and Mobil. Today it’s owned by Chevron.

I found out who got the money for Spindletop, the controversy and questions that still exist today, and what happened when the mountain relatives tried to file a claim in the 1980s, and some more interesting information in my family tree, by being one of those distant descendants.

Martha Hamby Greene, Marie, & baby Geneva (my mother)
Martha Hamby Greene, Marie, & baby Geneva (my mother)

After Inglish shot and killed Pelham Humphries in an argument, the information gets sketchy and contradictory. Apparently in 1859, Inglish acquired the 4,000 acres of property in a transfer. However, instead of Pelham being the transferring party, the name of William, his brother had been inserted. Yet, according to the family and records back in North Carolina, William never went to Texas. This has caused speculation that Inglish may have forged the land transfer, as well as killed Pelham.

Some descendant of Pelham Humphries in the North Carolina mountains came across this story, and, in the 1980’s, a group got together, called a family meeting, and proposed hiring a lawyer to tap into the funds owed to them from the oil companies spinning off from Spindletop. Rumor had it that some of the oil companies had a trust fund set up for just such a purpose.The possible list of claimants was huge by this time. Since Pelham had no direct descendants, those coming from the branches of cousins, etc. had a claim. Several meetings were held over the next few years. Diligent people worked hard to put together genealogies that would prove their connections.

My mother’s family, the Greenes, were included. From a hard-working relative, I gained a written genealogy, which proved I was related to Pelham Humphries. It also gave me what I considered to be a more interesting bit of information. I am a direct descendant of Israel Boone, Daniel Boone’s brother. Can I blame my love of travel and wanderlust on Uncle Daniel? Oh, but that’s a story for another day.

Wedding picture of Chilo Greene and Martha Hamby
Wedding picture of Chilo Greene and Martha Hamby

Nothing ever came of the court case of the current descendants. The crucial events had taken place too long ago. I always thought this would be the case, but I found the family trees, genealogy, and information I found out about my family history much more important.

As a funny footnote, my dad had always pretended to be serious when he joked that he, I, and the Coles were related to Daniel Boone. Well, I was indeed related to the explorer, but it came from Mom’s side of my family and not his.

More articles on genealogy research that leads to surprises:

Finding Out The Truth – A Rude Genealogy Surprise(Opens in a new browser tab)

A forgotten piece of West Virginia history(Opens in a new browser tab)

21 comments

  1. I welcome you to visit my website (www.JaniceColeHopkins.com)any time. With my Appalachian heritage, several of my past posts may be of interest. I also welcome comments or questions. My historical novel, CLEARED FOR PLANTING, to be released in November is set in the Appalachians in 1804.

  2. I am the daughter of Willard G. Cole, newspaper editor who won the Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Service to Journalism in 1953. He was from Miller’s Creek in Wilkes County. Since you mention elsewhere that you are a native of Wilkes County and a Cole, I’m wondering if we are related. My father’s grandfather was Jonas Cole, an itinerant and errant Methodist preacher, and his son was Thomas Harmon Cole, who married Phoebe Mariah Bumgarner of Wilkes County when he came to preach there with his father. There were a number of Coles who came from Grayson County, VA to preach and/or settle, and I think it might be likely that you are descended from one of them. I look forward to hearing from you.

  3. Hello. I was told from a relative recently that it has been settled. So I’ve been doing some research to try to find answers. I grew up in the 1980’s hearing my parents and grandparents and other relatives talk about this. My granddad, my mother’s dad, had a genealogy done which proved we are descendants of William Humphries, pelman’s brother. I’m not sure how but I was always told he was my great, great, etc granddad. My granddad passed away in 1987. I’m not sure who has all the information now. I plan to find out what happened to all the research and results my granddad and his siblings had done. I would love to speak with you and talk about it all. It surprised me to find out we weren’t the only family that had been told this story.

  4. I have in my possession all Certified Court records concerning Pelham Humphries ,.also a never before seen Court Records dated 1832- 1839 that Proves that William and Pelham Humphries were in fact brothers from East TN. It was not William that received the Land Grant in Jefferson Co. Texas but Pelham. Pelham returned to Tennessee shortly after the Civil War, as noted by a sworn notarized statement by neighbor Nancy Larimer Feathers, who personally knew Pelham and William, she was born in Lick creek,Tn in 1822,

  5. I would Like to donate these records to any Legitimate History Library. along with my Book Heirs to Misfortune. The True Story about Pelham Humphries and the stealing of a fortune by Big Business and crooked Politicians.

  6. What wonderful history! William and Pelham Humphries were my great-grandmother’s, (Gertrude “Della” Humphries) uncles. I have enjoyed my family’s tales of bounty hunting, adventures, and Wild West fortunes since childhood. Someday, I would like to visit Johnson City and explore my father’s side of the family history.

  7. I’ve heard several of my family members mention this for years, i have a genealogy book that is very large but very interesting. I think my dad told me that my Uncle Bill “Haskell” Humphreys of Piney Flats put it together.

  8. I was told the story by my college professor, I asked my grandmother and she showed me the all the legal papers and family tree. At first I thought it was a joke until I seen all of that.

  9. Hello my name is Crystal Johnson. My grandma was Annie E Humphrey. Her dad John David Humphrey, from Texas, was a direct descendant to William Humphrey. I would like to see a pic. U know the true descendants will never see any money. Attorneys just take our money. We have a deed and all the origin.
    Please HD u r a real direct descendant I would like to set up a reunion (I’m in Anniston, Alabama.)

  10. Hello to all included in the Humphries family. I was told of this in the 80’s by my granddaddy William Humphries. I think his father was Albert Humphries. I’m embarrassed to say I dont know alot about my family’s history. I do remember being told I had a Great Aunt who lived in Tennesse that wrote poetry. I think it was my grandaddys sister. I would love to hear back from relatives. Was raised in North Carolina.

  11. “Many a man who does not care a fig (or persuades himself
    that he does not) for a respectable ancestry becomes
    immensely interested when he thinks there is a fortune at
    the end of it.”
    —Mrs. William Lawson Peel

  12. My mother and grandma talked about it for years also furnished birth certificates proving direct relation. They were required to send an application and 25.00 to a place in Chicago but never heard back. My grandmas mothers name was F. Humphries and her father was also a Humphries. My mother passed couple years ago and left me birth certificates and marriage license back from early 1900. Guess I’ll do a genealogy profile they can do a lot with DNA. Who would I get this information to for some validation?

  13. Im a descendant of this family as well and i actually have the land deed in spanish at my family’s home.

  14. I have my papaws and my dads papers where they were part of all of this …I often hurd them talk about this subject …my dad and papaw have sense passed on …but I still have many letters and documents from this

  15. My dad always talked about this growing up. His mom was Sarah Elizabeth Humphries. Since I was an associate of the Humphries heir trust, I have numerous letters and documents from the years. While doing more research I learned they even made a song about it. I still have newspaper articles that were saved and passed down.

  16. Pelham was my great grandmother’s uncle there has been a family Bible authenticated several years ago a lawyer for the oil company flew into Johnson city Tn to meet with my family but when it comes down to it the people over the trust are the ones calling the shots my belief they intended to keep the money right where it’s at I know they paid to the wrong family in Tx I remember that much I wish I would had paid attention when ever one was talking about it more I also have some papers and a couple of the land grant

  17. If you look into the Carter county historical book they made late 90s it shows that I’m direct descendants as well. My last name is Milhorn and Pelham was my papaw’s great uncle or something like that. All that herd lived in Doe Valley Butler etc. Is there anything I can do??

  18. Before the War for Texas Independence, Pelham, Sam Houston and Anson Jones were in partnership in a slave-running operation at Sabine Pass in Texas on Pelham’s land. It was illegal to own slaves in Mexico.

  19. My father always talked about the oils wells. We are Dilleshaw’s. His grandmother MAggie AManda Sprouse married a J.C. C. Humphries after her husband Mr. White passed away. She brought with her 4 children. My grandmother was one of the youngest. Mr. Humphries never adopted her children but always considered them as his. In a newspaper article it states that Mr. Humphries a very popular man at time in South Carolina. Stated His children were going to visit the White family. These were Aunts and Uncles of Maggie Amanda first husband that had passed away. My great Uncle Buddy had invested all his lifes savings in going to court to claim part of these oil wells as his direct relation was Pelham Humphries. My father died thinking one Day the Wells would go to the heirs that could rightly claim it. Fortunately my youngest son had made a success in Property Investments here in Australia where my husband and I had moved to in 1982. We no longer have to dream of the wealth the oil wells would bring in. We can enjoy a comfortable life. Elizabeth Dilleshaw

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