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busily occupied. Having an extensive practice and becoming weary of so much travel, he settled in
Seattle in 1864, and declined a reappointment, although he was not relieved until the following year. He was the first resident attorney who settled in Seattle, and for many years was on one side of nearly every case on the docket. John McGilvra served as the founding president (1886–1889) of the King County Bar Association. He practiced his profession in
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360:. He appeared before each committee of the Senate and House to which the various bills introduced upon this subject were referred, and made oral arguments and submitted printed briefs, and finally succeeded in restoring to settlement those lands, amounting to upward of 5,000,000 acres (20,000 km). Judge
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After retiring, McGilvra retained an office in
Seattle and continued to be involved in projects for the city's and state's improvement. In the early 1890s he was opposed to Seattle's then proposed system of parks and boulevards, which he saw as a massive government subsidy to real estate men. Despite
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donation claim, embracing 320 acres (1.3 km) now in the heart of the city, was declared to be vacant public land by the
Commissioner of the General Land Office. The city of Seattle applied to enter these lands under the town-site laws. As City Attorney, Judge McGilvra made the application and
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Franklin coal mines. That enterprise, which was undertaken at a critical time in the history of Seattle, had the effect to stay the confidence of the citizens, and assisted materially in building up the town in spite of all opposition, and the discrimination against it by the Northern Pacific
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State, and contained a population of less than 12,000. He traveled over the
Territory twice a year, attending courts, in many instances prosecuting for the Territory, and looking after such civil business as came in his way, as well as conducting the business of the United States, which kept him
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Company. He drew the articles of incorporation and all the papers and documents connected with that enterprise, and served as the attorney of the incorporation some two years without compensation. The people of
Seattle, entirely unaided by capital from abroad, constructed and put into operation
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In retirement, McGilvra spent much of his time traveling with his family, and visited nearly all portions of the
Pacific Coast of North America, from Alaska to Mexico CIty, also many portions of the interior and Atlantic coast as far south as Florida. He also visited England, Scotland, France,
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extended throughout almost the entire
Territory allowing them to block other rail routes, including the abandoned Skagit Pass route. In Seattle, this became the subject of public agitation. Funds were raised and Judge McGilvra was sent to Washington, where he passed two winters in an effort to
239:; Oliver C.; Lillian, and the youngest, Minnie, who died at seven years old. The young children are buried with their parents at Lakeview Cemetery in Seattle. He did not engage in politics except to show his colors in private conversation and at the polls; but, having known President
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and adjoining counties until about 1890, when he withdrew from the firm of McGilvra, Blain & DeVries, and retired from practice. He maintained a primary residence in
Seattle until his death in 1903, although he traveled extensively in the United States and Europe.
106:(1893) described him as "the oldest member of the legal profession in Seattle, Washington, both in years and practice" and "the father of the Seattle bar." McGilvra was a prominent early resident of Seattle and the McGilvra family home was on the west shore of
284:. This amount was supplemented by an appropriation of like amount from King County and by later appropriations and contributions the road was kept open, and for many years was the only means of communication across the Cascade Mountains north of the
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Ebenezer Peek, subsequently one of the Judges of the Court of Claims, and was admitted to the bar in 1853. He at once entered into practice, and was quite successful. He was married in Chicago in 1855 to Elizabeth M. Hills, a native of
387:, who affirmed the decision of the local land office. Subsequently, and after the expiration of Judge McGilvra's term of office, the case was complicated by the intervention of other parties claiming the right to locate the land with
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Among McGilvra's business partners in his law firms were James McNaught, who served in the 1890s as attorney for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company; and his son-in-law Judge Thomas Burke.
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McGilvra served one term in the Territorial Legislature of 1866–67, and during the session procured an appropriation of US$ 2,500 for a wagon road across the
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photographed it August 2, 1900. It was known as 'Laurel Shade' and served as a shipping terminal for the neighborhood before the extension of Madison Street.
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The Judge was offered every possible facility for doing effective work before Congress. He was given the privilege of the floor of the
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In 1876 the Northern Pacific Railroad abandoned its northern line, the Skagit Branch through Skagit Pass (now known as
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McGilvra's parents, John and Margaret (Grant) McGilvra, were natives of New York, and settled after their marriage, in
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Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Belgium. Letters written on his European trip were published in the Seattle papers.
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559:(Washington State Department of Transportation), September 1972, p. 4. Accessed online 12 September 2008.
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Obtaining a favorable decision from the Land Office, the case was appealed to the Commissioner of the
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McGilvra is the namesake for Seattle's McGilvra Elementary School and McGilvra Boulevard (both near
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McGilvra commenced the study of law in 1850, under the direction of Edward Gifford, a graduate of
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94:(July 11, 1827 – December 19, 1903) was a prominent lawyer and judge in late 19th century
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While he was City Attorney of the city of Seattle, in 1876 and '77, the east half of the
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procure a restoration of those lands to the public domain in the interests of settlers.
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HistoryLink Essay: Seattle Neighborhoods: Madison Park -- Thumbnail History
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McGilvra Family Photograph Collection - Special Collections, UW Libraries
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Portions of this article are taken either verbatim lightly updated from
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In 1864, McGilvra purchased 420 acres (1.7 km) of land bordering
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coal mines. Subsequently they carried another branch of road up the
571:, University of Washington Library. Accessed online 31 August 2008.
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Guide to the John J. McGilvra Papers 1861-1926 U of Washington
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for a number of years, he was appointed by him in 1861 as the
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The Territory then embraced the three northern counties of
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at Olympia. There were several contestants who had filed
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argued the case before the Register and Receiver of the
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Judge McGilvra, with others, proceeded to organize the
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United States Attorney for the Territory of Washington
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McGilvra's family was originally of Scottish origin (
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and constructed the Lake Washington wagon road, now
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478:Peiser photo description, University of Washington
586:An Illustrated History of the State of Washington
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469:Pioneer Historical Pub. Co., 1924, p 349.
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