A Wonderful Gift and a Fascinating Record!

Toni Ramsey, who lives in Arizona, contacted FORC after finding original documents over 100 years old that were related to her great grandparents’ home at 6302 17^th Avenue NE. This home, which is a contributing historic resource in the Ravenna-Cowen North National Historic District (NHD), was constructed in 1912 by the Long Building Company. Toni’s great grandparents, Orville W. and Carrie I. Loomis, purchased the home in May 1919, and among the documents Toni had found were their warranty deeds, mortgage note and coupons, Seattle property tax receipts, and an amazingly detailed title report, all from that era!

The Fidelity Abstract of Title (title report) dated May 22, 1919, included historical data and maps of the property going back to when the property was homesteaded in 1883, and then listed the changes in property ownership up to 1919. These records trace development of our neighborhood area in the late 19^th and early 20^th century. There were more real estate transactions than we expected between when Naomi and Samuel Young platted the lot as part of their University Scenic Addition plat in 1906, and when the Loomis family bought the house in 1919. Also, mortgage interest rates shown in these documents were higher than today.

This collection of documents had been passed from Toni’s great grandparents to her grandmother, Donna E. Matson, when she inherited the home in 1957. Donna Matson sold the house around 1962, when she moved to Arizona. The documents passed generationally again and then were recently found Toni’s mother’s estate. Interestingly, the O.W. Loomis was a State Agent for the National Reserve Insurance Co. in Seattle, and thus likely was concerned about retaining documents.

While many folks would have simply recycled the old papers, Toni kindly offered to share this snippet of history and even bring it to Seattle! FORC Boardmember Lani Johnson met Toni at the Circle Park so Toni could provide documents to FORC. FORC is scanning these documents so they can be added to historical records for 6302 17^th Ave NE and shared. Our goal is to have the documents accepted by a responsible public archive—we are working on that too and will update as soon as we have further information.