History of 130 East Alder Street, Walla Walla, WA
Legal Description (abbreviated):
East 25 feet of lot I in Block L of the original plat of the City of Walla Walla.
Title and Occupant History:
June 14, 1862–A. B. Roberts sold all rights. interests and title to lots I & II (lot II was east of lot I and adjoined Roberts’ claim) in Block L, original City of Walla Walla. to F. H. Chenoweth for $300. (Deed Book B. page 407)
August 11, 1862–A. B. Roberts sold a right of way for the purpose of digging and maintaining a mill race to conduct water from Mill Creek to A. J. Miller and L. S. Rogers,doing business under the firm name of Miller& Rogers, for $1500. (Deed Book B, page 626)
November 15, 1862–A. J. Miller sold all rights. title and interest to the property “known as a plaining [sic] machine building and machinery and all the fixtures thereto belonging together with the lots on which the same now stands,” lots I. 2, 3, & 4 in Block L city plat of Walla Walla and the water conduit right of way to Dr. Edward Sheil for $900. (Deed Book B. page 638; hereinafter B/638)
November 20, 1862–F. H. Chenoweth sold all rights and interests in lot I. Block L, to Messrs. Sheil and Rogers for $50. (8/630)
January 27, 1863~-L. S. Rogers sold all rights to lots I. 2. 3. & 4 and Planing, Sash Door, Grooving and Cabinet “Manufactory” to Edward Sheil for $580. (B/627)
Dr. Sheil was a physician and surgeon. (Washington Statesman, April 19, 1862)
March 8, 1864–A. B. Roberts sold all interests in lots I, 2. 3. & 4 and interests in ditch and flume by which water conveyed to the Sash and Door Factory and planing machine to Edward Sheil and L. S. Rogers for $450. (0/120, see also 0/531)
July 11, 1864–L. S. Rogers sold an undivided half interest in lots I. 2. 3 & 4 in Block L and in the machine shop and machinery known as the “Sash & Door Factory, II and a whole interest in the dwelling house on lot 2 in Block L and the water rights to William Glasford for $2500. (0/195)
February 23. 1866–A. B. Roberts sold water rights for flume on south side of Mill Creek to Edward Sheil and William Glasford for $500. (E/29)
The Walla Walla Statesman refers to Dr. Sheil’s Furniture Store in June 16. 1866!
September 14. 1866–A. Seitel. Sheriff of Walla Walla County. recorded the sale of an undivided one half of lots 1, 2, 3, & 4 in Block L “together with the undivided one half of the Machine Shop and Machinery thereon. which machine shop and machinery are known as the Sash and Door factory to William Glasford, high bidder at public auction for $1135. The sale came out of an court action which went against L. S. Rogers. (E/351, see also E/350)
January 21, 1867 –Edward Sheil sold an undivided one half of lots I �. 2. 3 & 4 in Block L “With the Machine Shop and Planing Mill thereon and all the Machinery and appurtenances to William Glasford for $2.666.66. (E/360)
The collection of city directories in the Whitman College Archives begins with that of 1880. The 1880 directory lists Wm. Glasford as the proprietor of Glasford’s plaining [sic] mill, south side Alder east of First Street. His advertisement in 1880 says. “Notice to Builders in connection with my Sash. Door & Planing Mills. I have just started a new saw mill near Weston, Umatilla County, Oregon … ” His company is listed in the 1881-2 and in the .1889 directories. but not in the 1892 directory or thereafter.
R. Bennett’s Walla Walla; Portrait of a Western Town, 1804-1899 has a picture of Glasford’s Planing Mill in 1885 on p. 120.
March 26, 1890–William and Agnes Glasford. husband and wife. leased lots I, 2, 3 & 4 in Block L and other properties to ‘Charles Cooper. G. W. Whitehouse and D. J. Crimmins. (45/616)
The Whitehouse and Crimmins lumber yard is listed in the 1892 directory on N. 3rd St.
October 14, 1892–Sheriff’s Deed recorded the sale of lots I. 2. 3. 4. 8. 9 & 10 in Block L and other properties and appurtenances at auction to M. C. Moore. E. F. Baker. W. W. Baker and H. C. Baker. executors of the will of Dorsey S. Baker, Deceased, for $20.000. The sale was ordered by Superior Court on April 29. 1891 because of an action by the above buyers against William Glasford, Agnes Glasford. Thomas Mosgrove and H. Lowe. (52/489. see also 50/579)
March 5, 1900–the above executors of the will of Dorsey S. Baker sold the easterly 25 feet by 120 feet of loti in Block L to Hattie E. Barber for $750. (73/346)
Polk’s 1902& 1904 city directories list George H. Barber as a bick contractor and mason.
W. D. Smith is listed as an undertaker and dealer in wholesale fruit and produce in the 1889 city directory. He is listed as an undertaker in the directories through 1905. His business address is listed as 22 Alder in 1889-1892 and his home address as 149 Alder near 1 St. In 1893-4 his business’ address is listed as 20 E Alder and his residence as 29 E. Alder. In 1898 his business is listed on the south side of Alder between 1st & 2nd. In 1900 he is listed as Winfield D. Smith, a commission fruit and produce merchant, hay, feed & grain with undertaking parlors at 119 E Alder and residing at 123 e Alder, in 1902 t 130 E Alder. In 1904 his business is listed as Smith & Hennessey and in 1905 as Smith & MacMartin. From 1907 -1932 the business is listed under MacMartin’s name as follows: 1907 -12, MacMartin& Co.; 1912-1920, MacMartin & Hill; and 1921-32, MacMartin & Charberlain-�all at 130 E. Alder.
The December 1909 issue of Up-To-The-Times Magazine (published by the Bulletin Co.) has a photo on p. 2366 of George MacMartin with a caption listing him as the president of the State of Washington Undertakers Association.
May 10, 1912–a building permit is listed in the 1907-13 book, p. 160 (Whitman Archives) for George Barber. George Barber is listed as the builder for an $8,000 remodel of the store building at 130 E. Alder.
November 14, 1914–George H. Barber and James H. Barber, sons of George H. Barber, Sr., now deceased, deeded all lands owned by George H. Barber at the time of his death to Hattie E. Barber in consideration of “Iove and affection they sustain and further.” (125/323)
From 1933-39 the city directories list the property as vacant.
February 17, 1938–C. A. Woodward, Sheriff of Walla Walla County, recorded a Sheriff’s Deed recognizing the sale of the easterly 25 feet of lot 1 in Block L to Alma E. Reeve. This resulted from a case of Mrs. I. B. Alexander, plaintiff, against Hattie E. Barber, et. al. Mrs. Alexander was high bidder on the property and in turn sold it to Alma Reeve. (Deed #232725, see also #231506)
February 26, 1938–Alma E. Reeve, a widow, sold the property to Leonard De Witt, a single person. (#245598)
From 1941-46 the De Witt Funeral Home, Leonard De Witt operator, is listed at 130 E. Alder. Leonard and Nellie De Witt are listed as living at 130 E. Alder in the 1946 city directory.
August 15, 1947–Leonard and Nellie M. De Witt, husband and wife, sold the property to Henry J. and Laurine Copeland, husband and wife. (#304582)
From 1948-79 the De Mers Beauty School is listed at 130 E. Alder in the city directories. Sandra L. Hopson is listed as the owner/instructor of the school. Her husband, Dale L. Hopson is listed as a carpenter/contractor.
November 30, 1966–Matt Ennis, Jr. and James Ferrel, executors of the will of Henry J. Copeland transferred the easterly 25 feet of lot I and another property to the Seattle-First National Bank, as trustee under a life insurance agreement. (#481725)
April 15, 1970–the Seattle-First National Bank, trustee, made a real estate contract selling the property for $21,700 to Marvin and Shirley R. Gardner, husband and wife. (#511486)
July 2, 1973–Marvin A. and Shirley R. Gardner sold the property to Dale L. and Sandra L. Hopson, husband and wife. (#530977, see also #531025 which records the sale price as $34,000)
August 19, 1977–0ale and Sandra Hopson quit claim deeded the property to the Allied Fidelity Insurance Co. (#568099)
September 9, 1981–the Allied Fidelity Insurance Co. quit claim deeded the property back to Dale and Sandra Hopson. (#8200739)
October 5. 1981–0ale L. and Sandra L. Hopson sold the property to The Salvation Army, a California corporation, for $80,000. (#8200740)
Harts city directories for 1980 and 1981 list the property as vacant. From 1982-88 the salvation Army Thrift Shop is listed at 130 E. Alder.
September 9, 1988–The Salvation Army sold the property to B.G.G. & S., Inc. a Washington corporation. (#8806157)
Hart’s city directory for 1989 lists Holly’s Flowers at 130 E. Alder St., where it continues to operate.
Pprepared by Michael W. Smith. 2/95
