The Final Division of the Terry Estate
After twenty years of shared ownership, the heirs of Seattle pioneer C.C. Terry divide the family’s downtown real estate holdings.
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.
On the 18th of the present month, Charles C. Terry attained his majority, and being the last of the heirs to reach this milestone under the provisions of the will of the late C. C. Terry, who died nearly twenty years ago, it became optional with the heirs whether they should leave the estate intact or divide it up. After discussing the matter, they decided to divide all the inside productive property at once, leave the outside town property for future division, and hold the farms in common. The final division of the inside property took place yesterday. Charles C. Terry takes the corner of Washington and Commercial streets, known as the Diller corner, which yields about $175 rent per month. E. L. Terry takes a lot of 50 feet on Commercial street and a water lot of the same size in the rear. Mrs. H. H. Lewis takes property on Mill and South Second streets, as well as the residence occupied by her. Miss Mary C. Terry received frontage on Commercial street near the Diller corner, while Mrs. J. G. Scorry takes the old homestead on the corner of Third and James streets. Since the death of C. C. Terry, who accumulated all the above property in and about Seattle, the estate has been managed by executors Franklin Matthias and E. M. Struthers, and guardian David T. Denny. By their wise policy, the estate was kept together until it became very valuable, providing for the support and education of the family throughout the years.
“By the wise policy of the executors the estate has been kept together all these years, until now it is very valuable.”
This 1885 division of the Terry estate reveals how Seattle's downtown core was fundamentally shaped by the private, concentrated wealth of a few pioneer families. Today, the names 'Denny' and 'Terry' still anchor the city's geography, even as modern debates over land use, density, and public access to urban space continue to grapple with the legacy of these original, massive land grants.
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