History of 204 Newell Street, Walla Walla, WA
Legal Description (abbreviated):
lots 7 & 8 and easterly 10 feet of lot 6 in Block 13 of Roberts Addition to the City of Walla Walla.
Title and Occupant History:
January 20, 1871– A. B. Roberts and Martha E. Roberts, husband and wife, platted Roberts Addition to the City of Walla Walla. (Plat Book A, Pages 21 & 22, Walla Walla County Auditor’s Office, Walla Walla County Courthouse)
June 3, 1871–A. B. and Martha E. Roberts sold lots 7 & 8 in Block 13 of Roberts Addition to Hyalmar Roos for $1025. (Deed Book H, Page 302, hereinafter H/302)
August 28, 1871–A. B. and Martha Roberts sold lots 4, 5 & 6 in Block 13 to Lyda Ann Kay for $150. (H/516)
January 5, 1877 –Andrew J. and Lydia A. Kay, husband and wife, sold lots 4, 5 & 6 to John F. Adams for $133. (N/610)
January 15, 1878–John F. Adams sold lots 4, 5 & 6 to Maxmillian Baumeister for $200. (P/253)
Max Baumeister was for many years a prominent figure in the real estate, insurance and loan businesses in Walla Walla. He started in business with a barber shop in. 1862 and later went into the aforemention enterprises and also engaged extensively in farming. His name lives on in the Baumeister Building and as the builder of Die Brucke.
September 10, 1878–Hyalmar and Minnie Roos, husband and wife, sold lots 7 & 8 to John H. Stahl for $250. (Q/264)
John Stahl was the operator Of the City Brewery which he purchased in 1870; his wife Catharine ran the business after his death in 1884.
May 4, 1880-John H. and Catharine E. Stahl, husband and wife, sold lots 7 & 8 to Charles S. Boyer for $500. (T/240)
Charles S. Boyer was the oldest child of John F. and Sarah E. Boyer.
He is listed in the 1881-82 city directory as a partner in Chapman & Boyer, real estate and insurance agents, with a residence at 428 Birch. In the 1883-84 directory he is listed as an accountant at Baker & Boyer1s Bank with a residence at the corner of Dr. Newell & Catherine Streets.
July 28, 1882–Hyalmar and Minnie Roos made a deed for the listed consideration of $1 in favor of Charles S. Boyer: “This deed is intended to convey all our right, title, and interest in and to the above described premises [lots 7 & 8] not conveyed to John H. Stahl and to Chas. S. Boyer by John H. Stahl and wife.” (Z/381)
Construction of the House: from the city directories it would seem that Charles S. Boyer had the house built between 1881 and 1883,’ that is, too late to be in the directory published in 1881 but soon enough to be listed in the 1883-84 edition (which could, have been published in, the late spring of 1883, judging from later editions). “The house is visible in the 1884 panoramic view of the City of Walla Walla on pp.l27-128 in R. A. Bennett�s Walla Walla: Portrait of a Western Town, see also same map in Whitman College Archives.
July 31 1885–Charles S. and Aurelia Boyer sold lots 7 & 8 and 160, acres of other property to John F. Boyer for $5000. (35/43)
The 1880 and 1883-84 directories list John F. Boyer with a residence on Boyer’s Avenue; the 1889 directory lists his as the president of Baker-Boyer National Bank with a residence on Dr. Newell Street, the southeast corner of Catherine.
July 16, 1887 –Max and Alvine A. Baumeister, husband and wife, sold the easterly 10 feet of lot 6 (10′ X 1501) to John F. Boyer for $100. (38/311)
August 12, 1887 –John and Sarah Boyer: Max’ and Alvine Baumeister; A. A. and E. J. Blanchard, husband and wife; Samuel and Catharine Johnson, husband and wife; and John L. and Adria Sharpstein, husband and wife, gave the right to the City of Walla Walla to construct a 16-foot alley through Block 13 for the listed consideration of $1. (38/500)
February 18, 1897 –the Will of John F. Boyer was filed in Superior Court of Walla Walla County. Sarah E. Boyer, widow of John F. Boyer, was granted free use of his undivided half of the Newell Street property during her lifetime and it was provided: “that no division or sale of the same be made during her life.� (64/253)
March 9, 1897 –Franklin D. Boyer, son of John F. Boyer, sold all his interest in the estate of John F. Boyer for $35,000 to Eugene H, Boyer and John E. Boyer as executors of the estate. (64/369)
May 13, 1897 –Charles S. Boyer sold all his interest in the estate for $15,000 to the estate through the aforementioned executors. (64/370) July 27, 1900–the heirs of John F. Boyer drew up a Partition” Deed listing the disposition of the estate. This was an indenture between Eugene H. Boyer and John E. Boyer, as executors of the will of John F. Boyer, deceased, and Sarah E. Boyer, widow of the deceased, Charles S. Boyer, Franklin D. Boyer, Eugene H. Boyer, Arthur A. Boyer, Annie I. Norton, John E. Boyer, unmarried, and Sarah I. Boyer, unmarried, heirs (the marriage partners were also mentioned). The property referred to as “The Newell Street Property” was recognized as the lifetime residence of Sarah E. Boyer, as provided in the will. Her half interest was also reiterated, with Annie I. Norton, John E. Boyer, Eugene H. Boyer, Arthur A. Boyer, and Sarah I. Boyer each having a 1/10th interest in their father’s undivided half interest in “The Newell Street Property.” The disposition of” the many other properties in the estate were also provided for. (76/403)
October 10, 1903–Eugene H. and Frances N. Boyer, husband and wife, quit claim deeded all their rights, interest and title in the 110′ x 142� lot, “which tract of land is designated and referred to as “The Newell Street Property,” to Sarah I. Boyer for the consideration of $1. (54/562)
March 17, 1904–Arthur A. and Kate C. Boyer, husband and wife, Annie I. and Harrison I. Norton, wife and husband, John E. and Louise H. Boyer, husband and wife, and Sarah I. Boyer, unmarried, sold the property to Thomas Lyons for $5500. (91/481)
The 1905 directory lists Thomas Lyons as a farmer with a home at 204 Newell.
April 23, 1918–John and Harriet Lyons, husband and wife, Thomas R. and Rose D. Lyons, husband and wife, Frank L. and Margaret Shaw, husband and wife, Matthew and Hannah Lyons, husband and wife, and James C. and Elizabeth Lyons, husband and wife, conveyed and warranted the property to Delia C. Lyons and Eleanor B. Lyons for $1 “and other valuable considerations.” (Deed #246098)
The 1920 directory lists Eleanor B. Lyons with a residence at 204 Newell.
March 5, 1940–Matthew Lyons and James C. Lyons, two or the heirs of Delia C. Lyons, their deceased sister, sold and conveyed all their interest in the 110� x 145′ property to James E. O’Reilly for $439.10. (#248810)
March 23, 1940–Thomas R. Lyons and Margaret Shaw, two heirs of Delia C. Lyons, their deceased sister, quit claimed and conveyed their interest in the property to James E. O’Reilly for $219.55. (#248809)
March 25, 1940–Harriet L. Lyons, John H. Lyons, Thomas J. Lyons, Mary Lyons, and Anne D. Lyons, heirs of John Lyons. deceased, conveyed all their interests in the property to James E. O’Reilly for $219,55. (#249882)
April 28, 1941–Eleanor F. A. Kiesewetter, Mary H. Lyons, and Thomas L. Lyons, they being all the children of Patrick Francis Lyons, deceased (a brother of Delia C. Lyons, deceased), conveyed and quit claimed all interest in the property to James E. O’Reilly for $219.55. (#257989)
James E. O’Reilly is listed as a farmer with a home at 204 Newell in the directories from 1921 to 1939, and during this time his wife is listed as Eleanor B. or Eleanor L O’Reilly. The 1946 directory lists him as a farmer with a home at 204 Newell, but lists his wife as Kathryn.
March 21, 1960–Cameron Sherwood, as executor of the will of James E. O�Reilly, and Kathryn O’Reilly, individually and as executrix of the will of James E. O’Reilly (died December 3, 1958) conveyed and quit claimed all interest in the property to Kathryn O’Reilly, pursuant to the terms of the will (Probate cause No. 45454 in Superior Court of Walla Walla County). (#4/9337)
The 1960 directory lists Kathryn Ann O’Reilly (widow James E.) residing at 204 Newell .
October 3, 1974–H. H. Hayner, as personal representative of the Estate of Kathryn A. O’Reilly – (died September 19, /973) sold the property to Ross G. and Blanche Stambaugh, husband and wife, for $25,000. (#540203)
The 1975 directory lists Ross G. Stambaugh as an employee of Harris Pine Mills in College Place with a residence at 204 Newell.
April 3, 1975–Ross G. and Blanche Stambaugh sold the property to Douglas C. and Karen R. Morton, husband and wife, for $31,500. (#543582)
prepared by Michael W. Smith, 10/95
