History of 1706 J Street, Walla Walla, WA (original location 1286 North Clinton Street)
Legal Description
Wilson’s Addition, E 19.5’ of Lot 6 Blk 1 Lots 7 & 8 Blk 1
Full Legal Description
The East 19.5 feet of Lot 6, all of Lots 7 and 8 in Block 1 of Wilson’s Addition to the City of Walla Walla, according to the official plat thereof of record in the Office of the Auditor of Walla Walla County, Washington, situated in the County of Walla Walla and State of Washington.
Title and Occupant History
Washington Territory was created in 1853. In 1854, the new territorial legislature created Walla Walla County, which stretched from the crest of the Cascade Mountains to the crest of the Rocky Mountains in the present states of Washington, Idaho and Montana. In 1855, Isaac Stevens, governor of Washington Territory, held a council on the banks of Mill Creek at the present site of Walla Walla with representatives of regional Indian tribes to purchase land from them. The Yakamas, Cayuses and Walla Wallas were dissatisfied with the treaties and the intrusion by whites into their lands before the treaties’ ratification, and war followed. Missionaries, former French-Canadian employees of the Hudson Bay Company trading post at Wallula, and soldiers at the military Fort Walla Walla were the primary European occupants of the area prior to 1859, when the treaties were finally ratified and the land was opened for settlement. The transfer of ownership occurred by virtue of a treaty signed on June 9, 1855 in Walla Walla and ratified on March 8, 1859 by President James Buchanan, in which all of the land in the Walla Walla area was acquired from the Cayuse and Walla Walla Indian tribes.
The town of Walla Walla was originally laid out by County Surveyor Hamet Hubbard Case in 1859, prior to its formal incorporation as a city in 1862, as a one-quarter mile square with its eastern side centered on the point where Main Street crossed Mill Creek (at roughly the point where it does now). The original plat was lost, probably in the fire of 1865. Thus, the earliest plat on file is one made by W. W. Johnson, City Surveyor, in July 1865 that claims to have made corrections to Case’s survey. Johnson’s survey was made the official plat of the City of Walla Walla on September 25, 1866, was filed and recorded July 5, 1867.
Daniel Stewart obtained patents for five parcels of land in Walla Walla County between 1870 and 1892, and later sold the land that would be platted as Wilson’s Addition to George M. Wilson in 1890
Stewart was born in 1825 in Ohio of Quaker parents. He first came to Walla Walla in 1848 when he fought in the Cayuse War. He returned to settle in 1861 where he owned 800 acres on Dry Creek. He married Margaret Fruit and they had eight children. He was elected a Councilman several times, but became strongly opposed to both political parties and worked to oppose monopolies, which he felt was “the great cause of the day.”
10/25/1890, Warranty Deed, Daniel Stewart, a widower, grantor; George M. Wilson, grantee, “commencing at a point 10 rods West of the Southeast corner of the Southwest quarter of Section 16, Township 7 N. R., 36 East Willamette Meridian, thence in a Northly [sic] direction 80 rods, thence in a Westerly direction 40 rods; thence in a Southerly direction 80 rods; thence East along the Section line to the place of beginning, all this described land except the right of way sold to the W. and C.R.R. Co. [Washington and Columbia River Railroad] in Walla Walla County, State of Washington,” $1,000 in gold coin.
12/21/1904, Indenture, George W. Wilson, grantor; Robert Lee Cochran, grantee, “…commencing at a point 10 rods West of the Southeast corner of the Southwest quarter of section 16 in township 7 North of range 36 East of the Willamette Meridian and North 20 feet; thence North 20 rods; thence West 8 rods; thence South 20 rods; thence East to the point of beginning,” $400.
3/21/1905, Quit Claim Deed, Daniel Stewart, a widower, grantor; George M. Wilson, “Beginning at a point on the South line of the South half of the Southwest quarter of Section 16, Township 7 North, Range 36 E.W.M. 10 rods West of the Southeast corner of said South half; thence Northward parallel with the East line of said South half; thence Westward along the North line of said South half 40 rods; thence Southward parallel with the East line of said South half 80 rods to the South line of said South half; thence East along the South line above described 40 rods to the place of beginning,” $1.
The survey establishing Wilson’s Addition to the City of Walla Walla was examined, signed and filed October 4, 1905. Information on George M. Wilson is difficult to locate or substantiate. There is but one George M. Wilson listed in a Walla Walla city directory and only in the 1902 edition, a printer with residence at 4 North 4th, which would indicate some type of rooming house or hotel. He was not listed in any previous or subsequent editions of the city directory. A George Marshall Wilson was born in Monroe County, Iowa on 7/27/1848, and traveled west with his parents on the Oregon Trail in 1864. He died 2/1/1908 and is buried in Columbia County, WA. It cannot be established for certain that this is the man who platted Wilson’s Addition to the City of Walla Walla, and is described on deeds as a widower and on the survey of Wilson’s Addition as a single man. An Affidavit dated 1/7/1910 (see Page 3) testified to the fact that Wilson was divorced from Jean Wilson in 1897.
10/16/1906, Indenture, George M. Wilson, a widower, grantor; Hans V. Lindberg, Lot 8, Block 1, $200 in gold coin.
10/16/1906, Indenture, George M. Wilson, a widower, grantor; Gus Lindberg, grantee, Lot 7, Block 1, $200 in gold coin.
3/2/1908, Warranty Deed, George M. Wilson, a widower, grantor; Alberta Manns, grantee, “the strip of land off the East side of Lot 5, 13 feet wide, and all of Lot 6 in Block 1 of Wilson’s Addition…” $264.60.
3/31/1908, Warranty Deed, Robert Lee Cochran, a bachelor, grantor; James Taylor, grantee, “Lot numbered 6 in Block numbered 1 of Wilson’s Addition…” $250.
2/24/1909, Indenture, Alberta L. Manns, “a maid [spinster] resident of Elgin, Oregon,” grantor; Evereard G. Noyer, grantee, “Lot number 6 and the East 13 feet of Lot number 5…” $250.
5/28/1909, Indenture, Evereard G. and Sophia Noyer, grantors; Clara E. Gallaher, grantee, Lot 6 and 13 feet of the East side of Lot 5, $325.
1/7/1910, Affidavit, Oscar F. Wilson to The Public, to establish that he “is a cousin of G. M. Wilson who died” in the year 19… “that he was divorced from Jean Wilson in 1897 and never remarried.” This establishes that George Wilson was not a widower. (The Affidavit did not give the specific year Wilson died.)
6/15/1932, Warranty Deed, Clara Gallaher, a widow, grantor; Henry M. and Mary Berreman, grantees, Lot 6 and Easterly 13 feet of Lot 5, $325.
7/30/1940, Warranty Deed, Henry M. and Mary Berreman, grantors; Frederick Walter and Grace G. Sams, same as above Warranty Deed, $300.
8/27/1941, Warranty Deed, Hans V. Lindberg, Executor of the Estate of Hilda Lindberg, deceased, grantor; Arthur W. and Evelyn Lindberg, Lots 7 and 8, $100.
3/10/1969, Statutory Warranty Deed, Evelyn Lindberg by David Lindberg, her attorney, grantor; C. Gregg and Carole E. McKown, grantees, East 19.5 feet Lot 6, all of Lots 7 and 8. This transaction marks the point at which the house was moved onto the property from its earlier location at 1286 North Clinton Street, to be discussed below.
4/4/1969, Quit Claim Deed, Roberta Lindberg, a single woman, grantor; C. Gregg and Carole E. McKown, grantees, East 19.5 feet Lot 6, all of Lots 7 and 8.
4/7/1969, Quit Claim Deed, Karl and Margaret Lindberg, grantors; C. Gregg and Carole E. McKown grantees, same as QCD of 4/4/1969.
5/10/1969, Quit Claim Deed, Bob and Elizabeth Lindberg, grantors; C. Gregg and Carole E. McKown, grantees, same as QCD of 4/4/1969.
1969 (month/day missing), Lis Pendens, First Federal Savings and Loan of Walla Walla vs. C. Gregg and Carole E. McKown and David and Jane Doe Lindberg, regarding a mortgage of 5/26/1969 on the East 19.5 feet of Lot 6 and all of Lots 7 and 8.
6/19/1972, Sheriff’s Deed, Arthur Klundt, Sheriff to First Federal Savings and Loan, East 19.5 feet of Lot 6, all of Lots 7 and 8, $9,975.96.
7/1/1972, Statutory Warranty Deed, First Federal Savings and Loan, grantor; Shannon and Joan Tompkins, grantees, East 19.5 feet Lot 6, all of Lots 7 and 8, $10 and other valuable considerations.
4/9/1975, Statutory Warranty Deed, Paul and Thelma Dodson, grantors; Shannon and Joan Tompkins, East 19.5 feet Lot 6, all of Lots 7 and 8, $10 and other valuable considerations.
3/4/1976, Quit Claim Deed, Joan Tompkins, grantor; Shannon D. Tompkins, grantee, subject to a first mortgage in favor of First Federal Savings and Loan, $12,100.
6/8/1977, Statutory Warranty Deed, Shannon D. Tompkins, a single person, grantor; Walter D. and Jessie Ann Johnson, $10 and other valuable considerations.
11/16/1979, Quit Claim Deed, Walter D. Johnson, grantor; Jessie Ann Johnson, grantee, pursuant to a decree of dissolution of marriage.
12/13/1993, Statutory Warranty Deed, Jessie Ann Johnson, grantor; Patricia Ann Passantino, grantee, as her separate property.
10/30/1997, Statutory Warranty Deed, Patricia Ann Passantino, a single woman, grantor; Teri R. Crawford and Kam E. Johnson, grantees, $10 and other valuable considerations.
5/15/2005, Quit Claim Deed, Teri R. Crawford, grantor; Kam E. Johnson, grantee.
Construction of Building
The house at 1706 J Street originally was located in the Garden Heights Addition to the City of Walla Walla on North Clinton Street, precisely in the center of what is now U. S. Highway 12. The Assessor’s Office lists a build date for the house as 1910. David Savage, son of the last owners of the house before it was sold to the State of Washington in 1968 for the expansion of Highway 12 from two lanes to a freeway and moved from Clinton to J Street, has stated that it was constructed in 1906. (David Savage of Seattle has been a personal friend of this researcher for some 20 years.) For a number of years the address was simply listed as Garden Heights Addition; it was not assigned its street number, 1286 North Clinton Street, until 1953.
Although no patent could be found for the land on which this house was built, the first transaction involving it was by the same grantor for the property on which the house is currently located, Daniel Stewart. This report focuses on the land in Wilson’s Addition, but in order to try to determine who constructed the house itself, early deeds involving land in Garden City Heights Addition were also researched and are listed below.
2/20/1895, Agreement for Deed, Daniel Stewart, grantor; H. M. Borngesser, grantee, “10 acres in 16-07-36 beginning north of the Washington and Columbia River Railroad tracks,” $605.52 in gold coin.
1/28/1899, Quit Claim Deed, Daniel Stewart, grantor; Henry M. Borngesser, grantee, 10 and 6/10th acres, $450.
4/5/1901, Quit Claim Deed, the eight children of Margaret Stewart, deceased; grantor; H. M. Borngesser, grantee, 10 and 6/10th acres, $1.
9/28/1901, Warranty Deed, H. M. and Mary F. Borngesser, grantors; Joseph C. Ryan, grantee, 5½ acres, $1,500.
3/14/1903, Warranty Deed, Joseph C. and M. Julia Ryan, grantors; Max Lowman, grantee, 3¼ acres, $487.50.
4/4/1905, Warranty Deed, Max and Ruth Lowman, grantors; W. H. Stevenson, grantee, 3¼ acres “more or less,” $350.
4/16/1906, Warranty Deed, William H. and Margarete Stevenson, grantors; Robert and Georgieanna Affleck, grantees, 3¼ acres “more or less,” $350.
5/10/1906, Deed, Robert Affleck, grantor; Mrs. Robert Affleck, grantee, “all real estate owned in my name to sell, give or dispose of as she sees fit.”
Garden City Heights Plat Map
William H. Stevenson was a painter. The Walla Walla city directory for 1904 noted that he “bds 106 E Maple” [boards at 106 E. Maple Street]. The following year his residence was listed as “Garden City Heights.” His last city directory listing was in 1907. Robert Affleck was also a painter. His first Walla Walla city directory listing was in 1906, residing at Garden City Heights. Also included at the same address were William R. Affleck, a drug clerk, and Robert J. Affleck, a messenger; both were shown as “boarders,” possibly sons of Robert Affleck. The senior Affleck was still listed as a resident of Garden City Heights Addition in the 1910 city directory.
5/10/1906, Deed, Robert Affleck, grantor; Mrs. Robert Affleck, grantee, “all real estate owned in my name to sell, give or dispose of as she sees fit.”
Walla Walla building permits are not preserved earlier than September 1907. The County Assessor dates the house to 1910, but their dates are more often than not estimates. Since the property consisting of 3¼ acres sold for only $350 in 1905 to Willliam Stevenson who resided elsewhere, and the deed to Robert Affleck in 1906 is for the same price, yet Affleck is listed as residing in Garden City Heights that year, it is most likely that Robert Affleck constructed the house in 1906. David Savage’s statement to this writer that the house he last lived in was built in 1906 also supports this conclusion. Note the caption to 1909 Atlas illustration on Page 6 for the original location of the house.
Further deeds no longer exist between 1935 and 1968 when the late James and Marybelle Savage sold the house to the State of Washington. Attempts to locate the missing deeds has been unsuccessful and they are not seen as germane to this report.
Barbara Savage Buttice of Walla Walla, daughter of James and Marybelle Savage, was able to provide the following documents that fill in the missing years between 1953 and 1968.
Garden City Heights from the 1909 Atlas of Walla Walla County. The vertical street on the far left is North Clinton Street. Chester Street extended East Sumach Street beyond Clinton Street since been renamed East Sumach Street. Belle and Star Streets between Chester and old Highway 12, the horizontal road near the top of the map, still exist. Note in the upper left corner the parcels owned by R. Aflick [sic] and A. W. Stevenson [sic]. Aflick’s [sic] is the closest to the intersection of North Clinton and old Highway 12 and is thus seen as the most likely location of the house when it was located at 1286 North Clinton Street.
The 1925-26 Walla Walla city directory listed William T. Nelson, farmer, and his wife, Frances M. Nelson residing at RFD 4, Dixie, WA. Dana Bronson, Associate Archivist at Whitman, was able to confirm electronically that in the 1929-30 edition W. T. Bert Nelson was listed as a farmer residing in Garden City Heights Addition, Walla Walla. His last listing in a Walla Walla city directory was in 1939. The following year his widow, Frances, was residing at 378½ Park Street. Frances Nelson retained ownership of the property until selling it to the Savages in 1951. It could be assumed that she most probably leased the land during the interim years.
8/27/1968, Warranty Deed, James M. and Marybelle P. Savage, grantors; the State of Washington, grantee, $10 and other valuable considerations. “The grantors herein agree to surrender possession to said real estate on or before November 1, 1968.”
The Savages were the first of several nearby neighbors to accept the price offered by the State of Washington because, as Dave Savage reported, his father thought it was a fair offer and the State’s offer was non-negotiable, but that this angered some of the neighbors who were holding out for a better offer.
The Savages were not involved in moving the house; the State of Washington appears to have sold it to C. Gregg and Carole E. McKown who moved both the house and carport to its current location on J Street (see Statutory Warranty Deed of 3/10/1969 above)
The house itself is a simple foursquare of two stories with a hipped roof. While its builder was a painter by vocation, the house was located in a rural area when built and it reflects the simple, unadorned farmhouse style it maintains to date and that belies its unusual history of having been moved. The only obvious change to its exterior is the siding that was more likely originally clapboards or shiplap.
Resources
- TitleOne (formerly Pioneer Title)
- Walla Walla County Auditor’s Vault Indexes of recorded deeds
- Cindy Fazio, Cadastral GIS Technician, Walla Walla County Assessor
- Whitman Archives, and in particular Dana Bronson, Associate Archivist, on online assistance with city directories
- Walla Walla City Directories, various years
- Standard Atlas of Walla Walla County Washington Including a Plat Book of the Villages Cities and Townships of the County, Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1909
- Gilbert, F. T., Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia & Garfield Co’s. W. T. Also Umatilla Co. OR., A. G. Walling, Portland, 1882
- Mary Meeker, former Lead Researcher, Walla Walla 2020 Historic Properties and Plaque Project
- genealogytrails.com
- David Savage, Seattle, son of the last owners of the house when located at 1286 North Clinton Street
- Barbara Savage Buttice, Walla Walla, daughter of the last owners of the house when located at 1286 North Clinton Street
