March 13 – May 29, 1878
The Price of Survival: A Snohomish Debt Crisis
Snohomish legal notices describe a board bill, a court summons, and conflicting dates.
9 reports in The Northern Star, March 13 – May 29, 1878.
The story
Between March and May 1878, The Northern Star of Snohomish City, W.T., published reports and legal notices about a district-court action over unpaid board, lodging, food, and in one account dry goods. The reports conflict on the year of the summons—one says 1877, most say 1878, and one says 1880—and only one report names the defendant, Daniel Leighton; two reports give the debt as $236. The items are brief, and they do not provide a consistent account beyond the unpaid boarding bill, a court summons, and in one report a default judgment.
Told from the 9 reports below. The reports are the record.
The archive grouped these reports automatically, by date, place and subject.
The reports 9
- The Northern StarThe Price of Survival: A Snohomish Debt Crisis
A legal summons from 1877 reveals the precarious reality of early Washington life, where a simple tab for board, lodging, and basic goods could land a resident in district court.
- The Northern StarThe Price of Staying Fed: A Frontier Eviction Debt
A legal summons from 1878 captures the harsh reality of pioneer life, where unpaid boarding bills for food and lodging resulted in formal court action.
- The Northern StarThe Cost of Survival in Early Snohomish
A legal summons from 1878 reveals the precarious nature of life for transient workers, as one man is sued for his unpaid tab for basic food and shelter.
- The Northern StarThe Price of a Roof and a Meal
A legal summons from 1880 reveals the precarious reality of boarding-house life, where a single debt for food and lodging could lead to a court-ordered default judgment.
- The Northern StarThe Price of a Bed and Board: A Snohomish Debt Lawsuit
In 1878, a Snohomish resident was taken to court over a $236 unpaid bill for room, board, and dry goods—a reminder of the precarious credit-based economy of the frontier.
- The Northern StarThe Price of Staying Fed and Housed
A legal notice from 1878 sheds light on the precarious nature of boarding house life in frontier Snohomish.
- The Northern StarA Debt of Board and Lodging
A legal dispute over a $236 unpaid bill offers a rare, granular look at the economy of 1878 Snohomish.
- The Northern StarThe Price of a Bed and Board
A legal dispute over unpaid bills reveals the precarious nature of transient life in early Snohomish.
- The Northern StarEvicted from the Table: A Frontier Debt Dispute
When boarder Daniel Leighton failed to settle his bill for food and lodging, he found himself named in a district court summons, revealing the precarious reality of daily life in the Snohomish territory.
From the pages8 of 9
The Northern Star · Mar 13, 1878
The Northern Star · Apr 10, 1878
The Northern Star · Apr 17, 1878
The Northern Star · Apr 24, 1878
The Northern Star · May 1, 1878
The Northern Star · May 15, 1878
The Northern Star · May 15, 1878
The Northern Star · May 22, 1878
Library of Congress, Chronicling America. Public domain.