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[edit] Spindletop OilOn January 10, 1901, prospectors struck oil at Spindletop, in what is now Jefferson County, Texas. The frenzy of oil exploration and the economic development it generated in the state became known as the Texas oil boom.[1] It didn't take long for another rush to begin, of people who claimed that, somehow, they had a right to some of the profits from the Spindletop oil. And following that, yet another boom, of entrepreneurs who recognized that oil was not the only source of money. It could also be made from would-be claimants, claimants who would pay to have their claims processed. And even more money could be made if people who didn't know otherwise could be convinced that they, too, had a claim through a link to an ancestor they weren't previously aware of. All they had to do was pay money to process that claim, and they would become instant millionaires. In the process, family stories and family histories were created. Like many successful scams--or frauds--the stories and genealogies often contained a mix of fact, rumor, and fantasy.[2] [edit] Spindletop ScamAlthough claims against the Spindletop revenues began shortly after the well came in,[3] the scam probably began about 20 or 30 years later, and has reappeared in force about every twenty years since.[2] [edit] Frequently Seen Family NamesProbably the name most commonly associated with the Spindletop Scam is that of Pelham Humphries,[4] also known as William Pelham Humphries, among other variants. Other names commonly found, in one form or another, are those of the Meador family[5] (also known as Meadors, Meadows, or Medders), particularly Reuben Meadors,[6][7] William Meadors,[8][9] and James Meadors.[8][10][9] [edit] Typical ApproachesBy the 1940s, "operators", as they were sometimes called, travelled thoughout the southern states, seeking individuals they could talk into pressing claims -- for a fee.[11] In the 1960s, newspaper ads appeared through the south calling for people named Meadows to contact a lawyer. They could be entitled to millions of dollars, and he could help them make a claim.[6] In the 1980s, newspapers throughout the American South heralded claims based on descent from Pelham Humphries or a supposed relative.[2] Organizations dedicated to proving descent from a relative of Pelham Humpries were organized in east Tennessee, west Tennesse, North Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia[2][12] [edit] Evaluation of the ClaimsNone of the claims have ever been successful, nor are any likely to be.[13] Genealogists and lawyers who have investigated the claims seriously all offer the same advice.
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