The Legal Scramble for Maynard’s Land
A bitter newspaper feud reveals the messy reality of early Seattle’s land titles, where a complex divorce and a 'lost' first wife sparked a struggle over ownership in the city’s heart.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The black mail press of this city renews its volunteer and malicious assault upon the private and professional character of Col. Larrabee. The article in vindication of Col. Larrabee was but a simple act of justice to a slandered man. Col. Larrabee found a large portion of this town held by an imperfect title; the donation claim was made in the names of David S. and Lydia Maynard, and conveyed in the names of David S. and Catharine Maynard. The first wife was subsequently divorced by act of the Oregon Legislature without her knowledge or consent, and the last married by David S. before his donation claim was completed; no patent having issued to either.
He was retained by a purchaser of a portion of the claim to perfect title. His client subsequently went East to find the heirs of the first wife, but instead of heirs found Lydia still living. At Lydia’s request he purchased her entire claim, taking a deed in the names of Larrabee and Messrs Ledlie and Devoe. It was then, in view of all the facts, that Col. Larrabee demanded that the substantial interest of the divorced wife should be protected, which demand was promptly acceded to. Now Mrs. Maynard has the certificate of title issued to her, to be followed by the patent in the event her claim is recognized by the Land Department and the Courts. Upon the hearing before the Land Officers the east half was awarded to Lydia, and upon this half there is not a settler, a substantial improvement of any kind, or an acre held but for speculative purposes.
“The contest at Washington if resulting in Lydia's favor will deprive a large number of our citizens of their hard-earned property... The contingency most to be deprecated is that in the contest to defeat the claim of the first wife, the whole claim will be lost, and the land thrown open to a scramble.”
The story highlights the chaotic origins of downtown Seattle’s real estate, where 'donation claims' and divorce laws created legal gray areas. Much like today’s disputes over displacement and housing density, these early land battles determined who could afford to stay in the city and who was treated as a speculative asset.
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