The Foreclosure Auction: Snohomish’s Housing Crisis in 1876
As the Territory of Washington grapples with economic instability, three separate Sheriff's sales are scheduled for January 1877, putting local homes and land on the block for unpaid debts.
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.
NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE.
Foreclosure Mortgage. Default has been made in the sum of $600 dollars, which is claimed to be due at the date of this notice on a certain mortgage bearing date of March 12th, 1874, executed by John Johnson of Snohomish County, W.T., to James McNeil and Mary McNeil, heirs of his wife, of said place, and recorded in the Auditor's office of Snohomish County in Book No. 2 of Mortgages, at page 105 1/2, the 8th day of March, A.D. 1874. Which said mortgage has been duly assigned these J. McNeil, therefore notice is hereby given, that in pursuance of a decree of foreclosure and order of sale issued out of the District Court of Snohomish County, and at the statute in such case made and provided, the premises covered and described in said mortgage, to wit: The N.E. 1/4 of S.W. 1/4 of Section 24, Township 28 North of Range 5 East, together with Lots No. 1 and 2, and all that portion of lot No. 3 adjacent the slough crossing said lot situated within No. 11, Township No. 28 South of Range 5 East, containing 100 acres more or less at public auction to the highest bidder for gold coin of the United States, to-wit: Snohomish City, at the door of the Auditor's office, in said county, on the 15th day of January, A.D. 1877, at 4 o'clock P.M.
Dated at Snohomish City, this 27th day of December, A.D. 1876. BENJ. STRETCH, Sheriff of Snohomish County.
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NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE.
Foreclosure Mortgage. Default has been made in the sum of $960 dollars, judgment and costs, which is claimed to be due at the date of this notice on a certain mortgage bearing date of November 15th, A.D. 1874, executed by John Papely of Snohomish County, W.T., to William Peltman and recorded in the Auditor's office of Snohomish County, in Book No. 2 at Mortgages, at page 165, on the 16th day of November, A.D. 1874.
Now, therefore, notice is hereby given, that in pursuance of a decree of foreclosure and order of sale issued out of the District Court of Snohomish County... the premises covered and described in said mortgage, to wit: Lots numbered two, three and four, and the south half of northwest quarter of section numbered 11, in township number forty-seven north of range seven east, Willamette Meridian, containing one hundred and fifteen and 7/100 acres of land... will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder for gold coin of the United States, in Snohomish City, at the door of the Auditor's office, in said county of Snohomish, on the 15th day of January, A.D. 1877, at 4 o'clock P.M.
Dated at Snohomish City, this 27th day of December, A.D. 1876. BENJ. STRETCH, Sheriff of Snohomish County.
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NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE.
Foreclosure Mortgage. Default has been made in the sum of $950 dollars, judgment and costs, which is claimed to be due at the date of this notice on a certain mortgage bearing date of 20th January, A.D. 1874, executed by Wesley J. Finlayson of Snohomish County W.T., to Joel Leechman of King county, W.T....
Now, therefore, notice is hereby given, that in pursuance of a decree of foreclosure and order of sale issued out of the District Court of Snohomish County... the premises covered and described in said mortgage, to wit: Lots numbered one, two and three of lot thirteen, in township numbered thirty-one north of range numbered three east, in Snohomish county... will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder for gold coin of the United States, in Snohomish City, at the door of the Auditor's office, in said county of Snohomish, on the 15th day of January, A.D. 1877, at 4 o'clock P.M.
Dated at Snohomish City, this 27th day of December, A.D. 1876. BENJ. STRETCH, Sheriff of Snohomish County.
This page captures a moment of intense economic precarity in early Snohomish. The simultaneous foreclosure of multiple properties—including homes and large tracts of land—highlights how quickly the 'boom' could turn to bust for settlers in the Territory. It mirrors modern housing crises where debt, interest rates, and market volatility can rapidly displace families from their homes.
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