History of 1204 Figueroa Street, Walla Walla, WA
Legal Description:
Lot 5 in Block 23 of Green’s Park Addition to the City of Walla Walla.
Title and Occupant History:
October 7, 1867–John Haley sold 19 1/2 acres, including the property, to William O. Green for $1500. (Deed Book E. Page 531. hereinafter E/531)
William O. and Mary F. Green were early pioneers. John W. Langdon. community leader and businessman. handled the business affairs of Mary F. Green and the Green Park Addition was one of his early developments. (R. A. Bennett, Walla Walla: A Town Built to be a City. 1900-1919, p. 91.)
December 30, 1895–Clarinda J. and Hugh Roland Smith, husband and wife; Anna B. and W. H. Barnett, husband and wife; Pilinda Green and Mary O. Green quit claim deeded their interests in several tracts of land. including the property, to Mary F. Green, a widow for $1. (60/224)
September 8, 1903–Mary F. Green, a widow, sold lot 5 in Block 23 of Green�s Park Addition to Marion May Minion for $400, with the provision:
“This deed is made upon condition that the party of the second part [Minion] … shall build a dwelling house at an actual cost of not less than fifteen hundred dollars ….” (88/431)
The 1904 city directory lists Marion May Minion as a nurse boarding at Madison, corner of Figueroa. Neither she nor Robert Minion is listed in 1905. There is no 1906 directory in the Whitman College Archives. The 1907, 1908 & 1909-10 directories list Robert H. Minion as a carpenter with a house at 1204 Madison. The 1909-10 directory lists Marion May Minion as a nurse who boards at 1204 Madison.
Construction of the House: from the above it seems clear that the Minions built a house at the corner of Madison and Figueroa, probably in 1906 or late in 1905.
May 31, 1910–Marion May Minion, a single woman, sold lot 5 to George W. Whitehouse for $3070. (123/150)
George W. Whitehouse is listed in the 1911-12 city directory as the president of Whitehouse-Crawford Lumber Co. with a home at 808 S. Palouse.
April 20, 1912–George W. and Emma K. Whitehouse sold lot 5 to William P. Huntsman for $1 “and other valuable consideration.� (128/464)
William P. Huntsman is not listed in the directories of the time.
January 13. 1914–William P. and Fannie Huntsman, of Umatilla, Oregon, sold lot 5 to Alvah Prosser for $1 “and other valuable considerations.” (133/615)
Alvah Prosser is listed in the 1914 directory as a department manager for Farmers General Trading Co. withh a home at 1204 Figueroa.
December 21, 1915–Alvah and Caroline Prosser, husband and wife of Walla Walla, sold lot 5 plus several other tracts of land to M. Michelbook, of McMinnville, Oregon, for $50 and “other good, valuable and legal consideration.� (136/466)
Mathew and Ottelea Michelbook are listed in the 1925-26 city directory at 10 N. Touchet. They are not listed from 1916 to 1924.
April 3, 1919–Mathew and Ottelea Michelbook, husband and wife, sold lot’ 5 to Charles Williams for $4000. (Deed #167856)
Charles Williams is listed in the 1920 city directory as a millwright with a home at 1204 Figueroa.
June 3. 1921–Charles and Almira Williams, husband and wife, quit claim deeded lot 5 to George Frazer for $1200. (#117643)
George Frazer is listed in the 1921-22 city directory as a janitor at Green Park School and residing at 1204 Figueroa.
January 3, 1923–George and Rebecca Frazer, husband and wife, transferred their interest in lot 5 to Irvin D. Casey.
Irvin D. Casey is not listed in the 1925-27 city directories.
August 1, 1925–0ttelea Michelbook. et. al., quit claim deeded their interests in the property to Herbert Michelbook for $10. (#157657)
Herbert Michelbook is not listed in the 1926-27 directory.
September 8. 1927–Herbert Michelbook, a single man. transferred his interest in the property to I. D. Casey for $10. (#167857)
November 16, 1927–1. D. and Martha H. Casey, husband and wife. sold the property to North Pacific Mortgage Co .� a corporation, for $4500. (#169305)
August 8, 1931–North Pacific Mortgage Co. sold lot 5 to L. A. E. and Gertrude Clark, husband and wife, for $10 and other valuable consideration. (#194281 )
L. A. E. Clark is not listed in the 1933-35 city directories.
August 4, 1944–L. A. E. and Gertrude Clark sold lot 5 to Ruth Clark Benefiel for $10 “and other valuable consideration.�
Arthur L. Benefiel is listed at 1204 Figueroa from 1935-72. He is listed in the 1937 directory as a laborer with the Walla Walla City Street Department.
May 22, 1973–Arthur L. Benefiel sold lot 5 to Cecil and Carolyn Horn, husband and wife, for $6000. (#529390)
Cecil L. Horn is listed in the 1973 directory as a self-employed carpenter and contractor with a residence at 523 Fern.
September 6, 1974–Cecil L. and Carolyn Horn sold lot 5 to Kenneth J. and Janet R. Jackson for $10 and other valuable consideration.
The 1975 directory lists Kenneth Jackson as a teacher at Sager School and Janet Jackson as a teacher at Edison School, both residing at 1204 Figueroa.
January 9, 1987–Kenneth J. and Janet R. Jackson sold lot 5 to Merrill and Sandy Hightower, husband and wife, for $42,900. (#8700264)
The 1988 city directory lists Merrill Hightower as a salesman for Sears living at 1204 Figueroa.
February 2, 1990–Merrill and Sandy Hightower sold lot 5 to Fred Zack, Jr. and Lisa Zack, husband and wife, for $55,500. (#9000880)
The 1991 city directory lists Fred Zack, Jr. as a marketing director residing at 1204 Figueroa.
June 10, 1991–Fred Zack, Jr. and Lisa Zack sold lot 5 to Ronnie and Caroline Wardlaw, husband and wife.
prepared by Michael W. Smith. 3/95
