An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., 
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 497-498

	JOHN Y. OSTRANDER, one of the active practitioners ofí the Seattle bar, was
born upon his father's donation claim on the Cowlitz river, Cowlitz county,
Washington, April26, 1857, and was the eighth child and only son in the family
of eleven children. A detailed sketch concerning his father, Dr. Nathaniel
Ostrander, appeal's elsewhere in this history. John Y. remained with his parents
upon the farm and attended the schools of the locality up to 1872. He then
removed to Olympia and attended the city schools for three years, when he began
reading law in the office of Judge B.F. Dennison, and after one year went to
Portland and into the office of Judge William Strong, remaining about two years,
when he returned to Olympia, and being too young for admission he assisted John
P. Judson with his practice up to July, 1878, and was then admitted to the bar.
Mr. Ostrander then entered partnership with Judge Dennison, which association
continued one year, when the Judge went to Portland and our subject operated
alone.
	He was married in April, 1880, to Miss Fannie F. Crosby, a native of
Tumwater and daughter of Captain Clanrick Crosby, a pioneer of 1849. After
marriage Mr. Ostrander removed to Dayton, Washington, and engaged in the
practice of his profession. In 1881 he became editor and proprietor of the
Dayton News, which he published one year, when the office was destroyed by fire
and the paper discontinued. In November, 1882, he was elected Probate Judge, and
re-elected in November, 1884. During this period he acted as City Attorney for
eighteen months and City Magistrate for a like term, and at the same time
continued a general practice. In May, 1886, he resigned the office of Probate
Judge to accept the appointment by President Cleveland as Registrar of the
United States Land Office then located at Olympia. In December, 1887, Mr.
Ostrander removed the office to Seattle and continued as Registrar up to May,
1888, when he resigned that be might engage actively in the practice of his
profession. His resignation was accepted but his release was not secured until
December, 1888, since which time he has followed a land-law practice before the
Land Department and the United States courts. His practice has been one of the
most prominent in the State, and he has been connected with many of the most
prominent in the State, and he has been connected with many of the most
important land litigations. He was one of the incorporators and has continued as
Vice-President of the Commercial National Bank of Seattle, and also possesses
valuable real-estate interests about the city. Socially, he affiliates with the
F. & A. M., being a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of Mystic Shrine,
also prominent as a K. of P., having served two years as Deputy Grand Chancellor
of Eastern Washington.
	In politics the Judge is Democratic and takes an active interest in every
campaign. He was honored by his party as the nominee to the first State
Legislature, and though running several hundred ahead of his ticket was
defeated, the county casting a strong Republican vote.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.