History of 1210 Figueroa Street, Walla Walla, WA

Legal Description:

Lot 4 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 of land in sections 20 & 21 of Township 7 North, Range 36 East of the Willamette Meridian, including the property in the legal description, to William O.Green for $1500. (Deed Book E, Page 531, hereinafter E/53I).

William O. and Mary F. Green were early Walla Walla pioneers. In 1901, John W. Langdon, husband of Philinda Green, took over the business affairs of his mother-in-law 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; Philinda Green and Mary O. Green quit claimed and conveyed their interests in several tracts of land, including lot 4, to Mary F. Green, a widow, for the consideration of $1. (60/224)

April 7, 1905–Agreements for Deed were made in which Mary F. Green agreed to sell lot 4 for $500, lot 3 for $500, and lot 2 for $500, all in Block 23 of Green’s Park Addition. to H. C. Bryson.

The 1907 city directory lists H. C. Bryson as a lawyer in the firm of Cain & Bryson with offices in the Stencil Building and a home at 508 Catherine. (103/394-405)

August 14, 1906–Assignment of Agreement for Deed: H. C. and Daisy D. Bryson transferred the above agreement to W. M. Ely for $1 “and other sufficient valuable consideration.” (103/406)

The 1907 city directory list W. M. Ely as a physician with a home at 155 Thorn Avenue.

February 12, 1908–Mary F. Green quit claimed and conveyed her interest in parcels of land in Green’s Park Additon to the Green Investment Co. (1141108)

June 29, 1908–W. M. and Nora Ingle Ely, husband and wife, sold lots 2, 3, and 4 in Block 23 to James D. Stewart for $1 “and other consideration.” (113/511)

The 1908 city directory lists James D. Stewart as a laborer with a home at 610 1/2 W. Cherry.

September 16, 1908–Assignment of Contract: James D. Stewart transferred his interest in lots 2, 3, and 4 to A. J. Berry. (113/526)

The 1909-10 city directory lists A. J. Berry as an engineer employed by Whitman College with a home on the east side of Figueroa, one north of Madison.

December 4, 1908–The Green Investment Co. sold its interest in lot 4 to A. J. Berry for $500.

Construction of the House: The listing in the 1909-10 city directory, if it means 1 lot north of Madison on Figueroa, would indicate that the construction took place in 1908 or 1909; however, this type of listing often means 1 block north. Also, the type of construction seems to be that of the 1910-1920 era. Moreover, I have looked through the building permit books for the City of Walla Walla for 1907-1913 and 1913-1917, and I could only find one listing for 1210 Figueroa. That was permit #2533 on November 21, 1917 by Nick Wierck, who was also the contractor, for a garage to be built at a cost of $60. The county assessor lists the year built as 1915, and this perhaps would be the best estimate given the lack of any definite evidence to the contrary.

May 21, 1909–A. J. and Anna M. Berry, husband and wife, sold lot 4 to Mrs. L. F. Johnson for $1 “and other valuable consideration.” (112/124)

Neither Mrs. L. F. Johnson nor her husband, John A. Johnson, is listed in the directories for 1910-13.

May 5, 1913–Mrs L. F. and John A. Johnson, wife and husband, sold lot 4 to Nick Wierk for the listed consideration of $10. (132/251)

Nick Wierk is listed in the 1911-18 directories as a building contractor with a home at 1305 Isaacs Avenue. He built many homes and did a lot of remodeling in Walla Walla during the years of 1907-1917.

June 3, 1919–Nick and Amelia Wierk, husband and wife, sold lot 4 to Samuel S. Wiseman for $2600. (Deed #99902)

Samuel S. Wiseman is not listed in the directory for 1920.

December 23, 1920–Ella M. Wiseman, the sole devisee and heir at law of Samuel S. Wiseman, deceased, sold lot 4 to Minnie E. Penny for $10 “and other considerations not here named.” (#115171)

The 1921-24 directories list W. M. and Minnie Penny as having a home in College Place.

June 10, 1921–W. M. and Minnie Penny, husband and wife, sold lot 4 to Cora L. Kime for the listed consideration of $10. (#117559)

Cora L. Kime is listed in the 1923-24 as having a home in College Place.

September 14, 1923–Cora L. Kime sold lot 4 to Kyle McDaniel for the listed consideration of $1. (#136042, see also #141183)

The 1923-24 directory lists Kyle McDaniel as a dealer in real estate, firm of Noland & McDaniel, with a home on Home Avenue.

March 17, 1924–Kyle and Lotta McDaniel, husband and wife, sold lot 4 to J. C. and Mildred Schiffner, husband and wife, for the listed consideration of $1. (#140878)

J. C. Schiffner is listed in the directories for 1923-30 as a mechanic employed by A. C. Thomas, Inc., a dealer in automobiles, tractors and tires, with a home at 1210 Figueroa.

September 9, 1929–J. C. Schiffner quit claimed and conveyed his interest in lot 4 to Mildred Schiffner, who was formerly his wife, for $10 consideration. (#183465)

November 4, 1929–Mildred Schiffner, a single person, sold lot 4 to Charles H. Hooper. (#183466, see also #181944)

The 1931-32 directory lists Charles H. Hooper as vice-president of the Hooper Furniture Co. with a home at 537 Newell, and it lists 1210 Figueroa as vacant. Tenants are listed at the address in the 1930s and 1940s.

March 5, 1932–Charles H. and Josephine Jean Hooper, husband and wife. sold lot 4 to William Schreiner, a single man, and David Zier for the listed consideration of $10. (#197181)

William Schreiner is not listed in the 1933 directory.

July 25, 1936–William Schreiner quit claimed and conveyed his interest in the property, and in other properties, to David and Marie Zier, husband and wife, for the listed consideration of $1. (#224453)

The 1937 directory lists David Zier as a laborer with a home at 701 4th Ave. S.

January 28, 1943–David and Marie Zier, husband and wife, and John C. and Esther E. Kramer, husband and wife, sold lot 4 to Sarah E. Corn, a widow, for $10 “and other valuable consideration.” (#270319)

Sarah Corn is not listed in the 1946 directory.

February 2, 1951–Sarah Corn, a widow, sold lot 4 to Bruce C. and Ruth L. Louderback, husband and wife, for $10 listed consideration. (#355488)

The 1950-51 directory lists Bruce C. Louderback as an insurance agent with a home at 1210 Figueroa.

June 22, 1959–Bruce C. and Ruth Louderback sold lot 4 to Donald C. and Ethel E. Fine for the listed consideration of $10. (#412593)

The 1960 directory lists Donald C. Fine as a meat cutter at Storrer’s Grocery with a home at 1210 Figueroa.

June 15, 1961–Donald and Ethel Fine sold lot 4 to Donald R. and Betty J. Elder, husband and wife, for $11,000. (#430619)

The 1962 directory lists Donald Elder as a custodian at Wa-Hi and Betty Elder as a bookkeeper at Cox-Jones Insurance Co, both living at 1210 Figueroa.

March 22, 1965–Donald and Betty Elder sold lot 4 to Carl R. and Daphne J. Jenkins for $10,500. (#465388)

Carl R. Jenkins is not listed in the directories for 1966-69.

May 19, 1969–Carl and Daphne Jenkins, husband and wife, sold lot 4 for $10,500 to Gary E. and Sjofn Sasser. (#501590)

The directory for 1969 lists John E. Sasser as a packaging machine operator for Tomlinson’s Dairy living at 1210 Figueroa. In 1981 he is listed as the owner of Four J’s Dairy and Sjofn Sasser is listed as the bookkeeper for Four J’s Dairy, both living at 1210 Figueroa.

May 20, 1983–Gary E. and Sjofn Sasser, husband and wife. sold lot 4 to Lynn I. and Barbara K. Clark, husband and wife, for $46,000. (#8303836)

The 1984 directory lists Lynn I. Clark as an agent for Farmers Insurance Co. and Barbara K. Clark as employed by Radiology Associates.

May 19. 1989–Lynn I. and Barbara K. Clark sold lot 4 to Julie A. Selbo, a single person. (#8903159)

prepared by Michael W. Smith, 5/95