In the late 1920's, Billie C. Lewis, Sr. came to Del Rio from Kaufman, Texas. He had friends in real estate and learned the business from the ground up. First, Mr. Lewis became a clerk in the abstract business and then later in the 1930's, during the Depression, Mr. Lewis, Sr. took over the business in lieu of salary. He had a love for history that is very much reflected in the company today. The name of the company, "Southwest Abstract," reflects the history of property research. "Abstract" is a term that applies to the way property records were kept in past years. An Abstract is a history book of a tract of land. In the 1950's, the title industry changed, from issuing abstracts to issuing title insurance. This style of record keeping was much easier for the consumer to handle, although the research time is still as extensive. The sense of history in the family business is still very evident. There are maps ranging from the first surveys of the region (late 1800's) to the flood maps of the 1998 flood. Our company proudly houses court records that apply to all properties in the county. Each record reflects the individuality of the property being searched. Southwest Abstract Co., Inc., is a bonded title insurance company. The Lewis family and staff continue to strive for the highest levels of integrity and dependability that Mr. Lewis, Sr. was respected for. Our goal is to offer service and security to the residents of Val Verde County, while preserving the rich history that lies within this company.