Spindletop Unwound: A True Story of Greed, Ambition and Murder in the First Degree
Through a Mexican land grant in 1834, William Humphries obtained a parcel of land near Beaumont, Texas. Although his purported heirs claim that land was never sold, in 1883, through a strange set of circumstances, W.P.H. McFaddin became the landowner of record.
At the turn of the century Captain Anthony Lucas, an immigrant from Austria, leased the land and on January 10, 1901, brought in the well that would be regarded as the "mother of all gushers." Spindletop's gusher drew more people to the oil patch than the California or Klondike gold rushes, and the Texas oil industry leaped into life. Spindletop attracted big names and big money. And the fortune produced by Spindletop fueled a ninety-year attack for ownership and mineral rights to the Humperies original parcel of land. There was Texas-sized trouble brewing.
At the turn of the century Captain Anthony Lucas, an immigrant from Austria, leased the land and on January 10, 1901, brought in the well that would be regarded as the "mother of all gushers." Spindletop's gusher drew more people to the oil patch than the California or Klondike gold rushes, and the Texas oil industry leaped into life. Spindletop attracted big names and big money. And the fortune produced by Spindletop fueled a ninety-year attack for ownership and mineral rights to the Humperies original parcel of land. There was Texas-sized trouble brewing.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:1556225504
ISBN13:9781556225505
Release Date:July 1997
Publisher:Taylor Trade Publishing
Length:278 Pages
Weight:0.88 lbs.
Dimensions:0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"
Customer Reviews
4 ratings
It ain't over....yet.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Its true my family was sucked into this Pelham Humphries deal. But, my family has been trying to get this inheritance since the 1920's. My uncle, Wayne Hodge,has taken up the charge since Brown Peragoy was handed his hat by the Texas judiciary. He sends out notices every once in a while and is still asking for money so they can "take it to court". I say all this to let everyone know that it ain't over for everybody. NOW: I really enjoyed the book and read it from cover to cover in about two days. I learned a lot about the Meaders and their own set of problems. I would have liked to have gotten more story line rather than all the documentation. Most of the documentation and maps I had seen before over the years.
The Original Texas "Land Deal"
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
"What a tangled web we weave, when we practice to make a quick buck!" If you like dealing in real estate, you're going to love this book. Shaffer's surgical precision in slicing this juicy story open slowly and humorously was impressive. I now know more about the conveyance of real estate, East Texas history, and lawyers' greed than I ever thought I wanted to know! But after reading this book, now I am curious about what is next door to Spindletop. More oil? More killings? Maybe Shaffer will tell us in another book?
Texas heritage and history are interestly refreshed.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 26 years ago
We, as Texans, take pride in our culture. Without the efforts of our descendants and immigrants, the land granted in 1834 to Pelham William Humphries from Empresario Lorenzo de Zavala may have never occured. History came alive in Spindletop Unwound. Thanks from Marilyn Early.
I loved it
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 27 years ago
The famous Spindletop gusher spewed more than oil. It's a tale of the real scams and dangers that go hand in with big money, with cast of REAL CHARACTERS you can really sink your teeth into
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