J.H. McGraw
Named in 14 stories. Back to all names
- Mar 24, 1885The Intellectual Life of Old SeattleBefore the University of Washington became a sprawling research giant, its faculty and students spent their terms reading Virgil, hosting public lectures on modern civilization, and balancing academic rigor with rowing, military drills, and long walks on the beach.Seattle, WA
- Aug 18, 1885The Sheriff's Auction at the Courthouse StepsA legal notice from the August 1886 Seattle Daily Post-Intelligencer reveals the stark reality of property forfeiture and the machinery of debt in pioneer-era Washington.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
- Sep 10, 1885Chinese Hop Pickers Murdered by White Mob in Squak ValleyA violent, racially motivated attack on Chinese hop pickers leaves three dead as anti-Chinese hostility intensifies in the territory.Squak Valley, Issaquah, WA
- Oct 7, 1885The Sheriff Who Refused to Enforce Mob RuleIn 1885, as anti-Chinese sentiment gripped Seattle, Sheriff J.H. McGraw defied a mass meeting of local citizens by refusing to join an exclusionary committee, citing his oath of office and the rule of law.Seattle, WA
- Jul 12, 1886The Political Brawl for the Soul of Pioneer SeattleAs the city approaches a high-stakes municipal election, a local newspaper mounts a vitriolic defense of the business class against a 'People’s' movement they claim will bring anarchy and mob rule.Third Ward, Seattle, WA
- Aug 9, 1888The Salvage Diver Threatens Dynamite in Seattle HarborA wreckage contractor, locked in a legal battle over a sunken steamer, vows to use explosives to clear the waterway despite an injunction.Seattle Harbor, Seattle, WA
- Mar 5, 1889The Changing of the Guard at the King County CourthouseAs a new Republican administration takes office in 1889, retiring officials hand over the keys to a bustling, rapidly growing county.King County Courthouse, Seattle, WA
- Mar 17, 1889The Denny Hotel: Seattle’s Grand Bet on ItselfAs the city raises nearly $100,000 to build a luxury hotel, workers break ground for excavation, signaling a new era of civic ambition and commercial confidence.Wallingford, Seattle
- May 21, 1889The False Alarm at the Tacoma RegattaTwo young Seattle women return home from a weekend of festivities only to find themselves arrested and cleared in a bizarre case of mistaken identity.Seattle waterfront, Seattle, WA
- Aug 19, 1889The Political 'Boodle' That Nearly Toppled Seattle's Republican PartyA look back at the chaotic 1889 Republican primaries in King County, where internal factions, broken promises, and the 'boodle' system turned a local race for the U.S. Senate into a full-scale political scandal.Seattle, WA
- Sep 18, 1889The Great Seattle Land-Grab ControversyA political advertisement from 1889 exposes a list of prominent Seattle figures accused of inflating real estate prices and manipulating the local land market.Seattle, WA
- Jan 23, 1891The Senator’s Farewell: Mrs. Squire’s Lobby Battle and a Pledge to 'All the People'As Watson Squire prepares to leave Seattle for Washington D.C., his wife recounts the chaotic reality of their election victory at the Olympia hotel, while he pledges impartial service to the entire state.Rainier Club, Seattle
- Apr 24, 1892The Navy Was Coaling in British Ports, Ignoring Seattle's MinesWhen local business leaders discovered U.S. warships were bypassing Puget Sound coal for Canadian supplies, they triggered a federal investigation and a new policy.Seattle, WA
- Mar 23, 1895The Governor Vetoes Debtor Relief—and Warns It Would Speed ForeclosuresGov. McGraw kills a bill meant to shield struggling debtors, arguing it cannot apply to existing contracts and may trigger the mortgage sales it was supposed to prevent.Washington State Capitol, Olympia, WA