You can ask the oil company that question, but in addition to that you need to be figuring out when and where (what city and county) your great grandfather and grandfather died in so you can look at their probate files (containing their last will and testament) to see if there is any mention of the royalties in either of their files. IF there is no mention in either of their files or in your mother's file, then it means probate will need to be retroactively done to determine exactly who the legal heirs are that the payments will be going to in the future. You will also want to consult with a local landman and/or an attorney who specializes in mineral rights for advice about how to proceed properly and to have them review any relevant paperwork before you sign. tiekh@yahoo.com Probate Researcher