Washington Land Title Association records, 1869-2006

Overview of the Collection

Collector
Mjelde, Michael Jay
Title
Washington Land Title Association records
Dates
1869-2006
Quantity
8.8 cubic feet (10 boxes)
Collection Number
5592 (Accession No. 5592-001)
Summary
Records of the Washington Land Title Association (WLTA), a non-profit corporation founded in 1905 as an association, composed of trade professionals that promote high quality land title evidencing and title insurance services in the State of Washington.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users.

Material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Additional Reference Guides

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Michael Jay Mjelde is an author, maritime historian, and a member of the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society. In addition to writing on maritime history, he also researched title insurance in Washington.

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

The Washington Land Title Association (WLTA) formed as a non-profit association in 1905. In 1975, it was incorporated as a non-profit Washington corporation. The association is composed of trade professionals that promote high quality land title evidencing and title insurance services in the State of Washington. The organization promotes sound and ethical business practices; provides educational opportunities for members and facilitates effective communication within the Land Title Insurance industry. The WLTA is governed by an Executive Committee from its membership, including the elected positions of President and Vice President and the Immediate Past President and Chair of the Agents’ Committee.

A title insurance company is considered an underwriter; whereas, a title company is a title insurance agent or broker which issues policies for a certain underwriter, utilizing the approved forms supplied by that underwriter. The American Land Title Association (formerly American Title Association) has enabled the title industry.

In the 1920s there were four major title insurance companies in Western Washington: Washington Title Insurance (King County), Lawyers Title Insurance (King County), Puget Sound Title Insurance (King County) and Commonwealth Title Insurance (Pierce County). Also, in the 1920s there was one major underwriter in Eastern Washington, better known as Northwestern Title Insurance Company. In all of the smaller counties were title agents which issued policies as brokers for a major underwriter.

Title agents such as Bremerton Title Company and Thomas Ross Abstract Company in Kitsap County were underwritten by Washington Title. Land Title Company of Kitsap County, formed in 1968, was initially underwritten by Security Title (later renamed Safeco Title in 1973) as a policy-issuing agent. Kitsap County Title Company (now absorbed into Fidelity National Title) was formerly named Kitsap County Abstract Company and was formerly a policy-issuing agent for Puget Sound Title Company which was formed in 1926 at Seattle. There were similar arrangements in other counties in Western Washington where either branch offices of the major insurers or title agents operated, most of which have changed hands multiple times, or been absorbed by the major insurers.

Financial ‘meltdowns’ over the decades have caused major mergers and liquidations. Fidelity National Title as has now absorbed Washington Title, Chicago Title, Transamerica Title, Commonwealth Title, and Safeco Title. The major meltdowns occurred in 1991 when Ticor was purchased by Chicago and in 2008 when Transnation was acquired by Fidelity. The remaining major title insurance underwriters in the State of Washington are Fidelity National Title, First American Title, Old Republic National Title, and Stewart Guaranty.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Materials collected and researched by Michael Jay Mjelde related to the Washington Land Title Association (WLTA) as well as various title insurance companies and title companies throughout Washington State. These include Bremerton Title Company, Osborne Temper and Company Inc, Puget Sound Title Company, Safeco Title Insurance Company, Seattle Title Trust Company, Security Title Insurance Company, Thomas Ross Abstract Company, Ticor Title Insurance Company, and Washington Title Insurance Company.

Documents include scrapbooks, clippings, brochures, abstracts of title, photographs, title insurance policies, correspondence, WLTA Bylaws and Code of Ethics, meeting minutes from annual conventions and executive committees, treasurer's reports, examiner's manual, membership dues, membership rosters, committee member lists, newsletters from WLTA and other land title insurance groups, annual convention invitations and programs, correspondence, news clippings, publications by WLTA and other land title insurance groups, historical documents, and ephemera.

Every title insurance company is required by the State Insurance Commissioner’s office to file title insurance rates for all products issued which have to be approved by that office. This collection contains rate schedules dating back to the 1920s which were similar to all rates for title insurance products in the state.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The creators' literary rights have been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged into 4 series:

  • Records of Washington State Title Insurance Companies
  • Other Title Insurance Materials
  • Research and Teaching Materials
  • Records of Washington Land Title Association

Acquisition Information

Donor: Michael Jay Mjelde; 2010 and 2016

Processing Note

Processed by Deborah Hamilton; processing completed in 2010.

Separated Materials

1 Box of photographs transferred to the Visual Materials collection in the Repository.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Series 1:  Records of Washington State Title Insurance CompaniesReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Bremerton Title Company (agent of Washington Title Company)
1943-1959
Box/Folder
1/1
Correspondence
1944-1948
½
Correspondence
1943-1959
1/3
Correspondence and Memos
1940s
Osborne, Tremper, and Company, Inc. (agent of Washington Title Company)
1869-1909
Box/Folder
1/4
Title Abstracts
1869-1909
Port Orchard Abstract Company (later Transamerica Title Company)
1892-1949
Box/Folder
1/5
Title Abstracts and Correspondence
1892-1949
Puget Sound Title Insurance Company
1926
Box/Folder
1/6
Title Reports and Policies
undated
Real Estate Title Insurance and Abstract Company
1872-1924
Box/Folder
1/7
Title Abstracts
1872-1924
Safeco Title Insurance Company (formerly Security Title Insurance Company)
1974-1984
Box/Folder
1/8
Continuing Education Manuals
1977-1980
1/9
Examinations of Documents (Deeds, Mortgages, Contracts, and Agreements)
1977-1978
1/10
Form Book Manual
1974
1/11
Introduction to Recorded Instruments Manual
undated
1/12
Newsletter - "Quality Control Bulletin"
1984
Security Title Insurance Company (later Safeco Title Insurance Company)
1962-1969
Box/Folder
1/13
Newsletter - "The Layout"
1962
1/14
Premium Rating Procedures Manual
1969
Tacoma Title Company
1902-1925
Box/Folder
1/15
Title Abstracts
1902-1925
Thomas Ross Abstract Company (later Bremerton Title Insurance Company)
1905-1911
Box/Folder
1/16
Title Abstracts
undated
1/17
Volume 3 of Plats
1905-1911
5/1
Volume 1 Base Examinations
1915-1945
Ticor Title Insurance Company (formerly Washington Title Insurance Company)
1998-1999
Box/Folder
1/18
Newsletter - "Pacific Northwest Region News
1998-1999
Title Insurance and Trust Company
1967
Box/Folder
1/19
Newsletter
1967
Washington Title Insurance Company
1911-1992
Box/Folder
1/20
Title Abstracts
1914
1/21
Mortgage Policies
1911
1/22
News clippings
1930, 1957
1/23
Correspondence and Policies (Photocopies)
undated
1/24
Compilation titled "Points and Authorities on Real Property Law of Washington"
1934
2/1
Index Code Book
1950-1992
2/2
Brochures
undated
2/3
Land Measurement Manual
1962
2/4
Land Measurement Manual
1962
2/5
Form Book Manual
1956-1959
2/6
Form Book Manual
1956-1959
6/1
Scrapbook
1919-1949
6/2
Scrapbook
1950-1957

Series 2:  Washington Land Title Association, 1902-2006Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
7/1
Bylaws & Code of Ethics
1954-2005
7/2
Amendments to Endorsements
Meeting Minutes
Box/Folder
7/3
Annual Conventions
1905-1918
7/4
Annual Conventions
1918-1926
7/5
Annual Conventions
1931-1938
7/6
Annual Conventions
2000
7/7
Executive Committee
1951-1955
7/8
Executive Committee
1956-1959
7/9
Executive Committee
1959-1962
7/10
Executive Committee
1971-1974
7/11
Executive Committee
1975-1977
7/12
Executive Committee
1977-1979
7/13
Executive Committee
1978-1981
7/14
Executive Committee
1981-1982
7/15
Executive Committee
1983-1986
8/1
Executive Committee
1987-1988
8/2
Executive Committee
1989
8/3
Executive Committee
1990-1991
8/4
Executive Committee
1992-1994
8/5
Executive Committee
1992-1994
8/6
Executive Committee
1995-1996
8/7
Executive Committee
1997-2000
8/8
Executive Committee
2001-2003
Box/Folder
8/9
Treasurer's Reports
1964-1994
8/10
Examiner's Manual (sections)
undated
9/1
Membership Dues
1949-2005
9/2
Public Disclosure Forms to Washington State
1991-2003
9/3
Meeting Reports
1992-1993
Newsletters
Box/Folder
9/4
Title Tales
1952-1954
9/5
Washington Land Title Association Newsletter
1955-1959
9/6
Washington Land Title Association Newsletter
1962-1964
9/7
Washington Land Title Association Newsletter
1965-1968
9/8
Washington Land Title Association Newsletter
1969-1972
9/9
Washington Land Title Association Newsletter
1973-1977
9/10
Washington Land Title Association Newsletter
1978-1981
9/11
For Land's Sake
1982
9/12
Newsletters from Misc. Land Title Companies
1956
Annual Conventions
Box/Folder
9/13
Notices of Annual Convention
1947-2006
9/14
Annual Convention Programs
1964-2006
9/15
Biographical Materials related to Conventions
10/1
Annual Convention Programs
1915-1965
10/2
Annual Convention Programs
1973-16978
10/3
Annual Convention Programs
1978-1982
Box/Folder
10/4
Correspondence
1915
New clippings
Box/Folder
10/5
Title Companies
1951-1966
10/6
Individuals
1953-1967
Box/Folder
10/7
Brochure for 50th Anniversary
1979
Historical Documents
Box/Folder
10/8
Puget Sound Title Insurance Company
1875-1961
10/9
Land Survey
1943
10/10
Bill of Sale for Commonwealth Title and Trust Company (photocopy)
1902
Box/Folder
10/11
Commemorative Pins
undated
10/12
Committee Member Lists
1966-1973
10/13
Membership Rosters titled Who's Who Among Washington Title Men
1916-1982

Series 3:  Other Title Insurance Related Materials, 1912-1966Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/7
Misc. Title Abstracts, Policies, Legal Cases, and Correspondence
1912-1950
2/8
Misc. Title Abstracts, Policies, Legal Cases, and Correspondence
1937-1948
2/9
Manual belonging to A.W. Erickson
1966
2/10
Notes belonging to A.W. Erickson
1962
2/11
Ephemera
undated
5/2
Records by County
undated

Series 3:  Research and Teaching Materials, 1940s-1990sReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2/12
Land Surveying
1970s
2/13
Rate Schedules
1940-1980
2/14
Plats
1980s
2/15
Excise Tax
1987-1990
2/16
Minimum Standards
1962-1990
2/17
Underwriting and Resurance
1987-1990
2/18
"Title Tips"
1960s
3/1
History of Title Insurance as of 1989
1989
3/2
History of Title Insurance as of 1989
1989
3/3
Historic Survey
undated
3/4
Indian Land Titles
undated
3/5
Tideland, Shoreland, and Oysterland Issues
1944-1994
3/6
Tideland Boundaries
1983-1989
3/7
Materials related to Legal Description Course
1990
3/8
Materials related to Legal Description Course
1989-1992
3/9
Materials related to Legal Description Course
undated
3/10
"Introduction to Searching" Manual
1972
3/11
Materials used in Washington Land Title Seminar
undated
3/12
Materials related to "Title Insurance in Brief"
1989
3/13
Chicago Title Insurance Document Packet
undated
3/14
Examples of Audits
1983-1994
3/15
Exhibits and Maps for Shotwell v. Transamerica
undated
3/16
Correspondence and Exhibits
1989-1992
3/17
Examples of Titles and Policies
1983-1985
3/18
Materials related to Short Plats
1987-1991
3/19
Hand Drawn Sketches and Maps
undated
3/20
Field Inspection Manual
1965
3/21
Misc Manuals
1965
3/22
History of Surveyor Liability
1978-1992
3/22
The Rectangular System of Survey by P.C. Templeto
undated
4/1
Title Insurance in Washington by George N. Peters Jr.
1988
4/2
Washington Water Boundaries by Jerry Broadus
undated
4/3
Title Insurance, Legal Descriptions, and Real Estate Forms
1965
4/4
Misc. Publications
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Title companies--Washington (State)

Corporate Names

  • Washington Land Title Association--Archives
  • Washington Land Title Association--Committees
  • Washington Land Title Association--Congresses
  • Washington Land Title Association--Manuals
  • Washington Land Title Association--Newsletters

Form or Genre Terms

  • Business correspondence
  • By-laws
  • Handbooks and manuals
  • Newsletters
  • Records (Documents)
  • Scrapbooks

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Mjelde, Michael Jay, (collector,)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)