Tracing successors in title of Corporations

[T. S. Higgins]

Does anyone have any helpful hints or tips in regards to tracing successors to corporations? One item that comes up regularly in my area is reservation of easements to a variety of corporations around the late 1800s/early 1900s who bought vast swathes of land and then sold the parcels, with the reservation of easements for a variety of purposes. In most cases, we're not able to find any further mention of those easements in the documents, but the title to the easements must be held in some fashion.

I have no idea how to go about determining the successor to these organizations, but it stands to reason that at the time the corporation terminated or entered into a merger, there must be some record somewhere of a successor corporation or agency that gained title to those holdings.

Any thoughts?

[Warren Smith]

I would think the California Secretary of State's office. Corporations are required to file when changes occur.

[mpallamary]

I have done this. Warren is correct. They have all of these files in Sacramento. They are maintained in very old files and are retrieved by white gloved custodians. They are very cool to look at.

I have attached an example of one I researched.

[Dave Lindell]

I always knew them as "California Drip and Tingle." I guess that wasn't their official name.

[T. S. Higgins]

Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate the direction!