claim-jumper

American  

[kleym-juhm-per] / ˈkleɪmˌdʒʌm pər /

noun

1. a person who seizes another's claim of land, especially for mineral rights.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• claim-jumping
  noun

Etymology

Origin of claim-jumper

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

A frontier farm woman saves the life of a claim-jumper and persuades him to help her escort three insane women to a safe haven in Iowa.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2020

The claim-jumper dropped what was left of his burden and went hopping on, acquiring stone bruises with every leap.

From Rimrock Trail by Dunn, J. Allan, (Joseph Allan)

Men too sick to walk crawled out to their claims an' died there, scary lest some claim-jumper should seize their claims.

From The Boy With the U.S. Miners by Rolt-Wheeler, Francis

You make about the poorest kind of claim-jumper I ever ran up against, and I've handled quite a few in my time.

From A Damaged Reputation by Bindloss, Harold

Mr. Hames is what you could call a professional claim-jumper, and it’s fortunate that there’s a weak spot or two in his career.”

From The Greater Power by Dunton, W. Herbert