The Forgotten Wife of Seattle: Dr. Maynard’s Double Life

In the matter of the Donation Claim of Dr. D. S. Maynard and wife, before the Register and Receiver of the U. S. Land Office at Olympia, the history of the case is as follows: Dr. D. S. Maynard filed a notification in 1853, claiming residency in Oregon Territory since 1850. He had been married to Lydia A. Maynard until December 1852, when he claimed she deceased, and he subsequently remarried Catharine T. Brashears in January 1853. However, the Commissioner of the General Land Office later identified an error, revealing that Lydia A. Maynard was alive and the heirs or the woman herself were entitled to the certificate. Upon investigation, it was discovered that on December 22, 1852, the Oregon Territorial Legislature had dissolved the marriage between David and Lydia without her knowledge or notice, while David was in the West to dig for gold. Lydia and her children had never resided on the claim, while Catharine had lived there since 1853. The court ruled that the legislative divorce did not divest Lydia of her vested property rights. The certificate was ordered to be split, granting the West half to the husband and the East half to the wife, Lydia A. Maynard.