History of 210 Dixon Road, Box 119, Touchet, WA
Legal Description:
Lot 207 of First Addition to Gardena Contoured Tracts.
Title and Occupant History
June 4. 1897 – Power of Attorney was given by Christian H. Stein of Spokane to J.J. Schlotfeldt of Ellensburg to enter to take possession of land in N.E. quarter of Section 8 in Township 6 N. of Range 33 E.W.M., which Stein had received from the federal government in exchange for land in a public forest in Idaho. (Deed Book 101,Page 533. hereinafter 101/533)
July 28, 1905 – the Walla Walla Irrigation Co., a corporation (E. C. Burlingame, president and F. W. Paine, secretary), platted the First Addition to Gardena Contoured Tracts. (Plat Book C. Page 57. Walla Walla Country Auditor, Walla Walla Courthouse)
June 23, 1908 – Christian H. Stein. and wife, of Spokane sold 160 acres in the N.E. quarter of Section 8 in Township 6 N. of Range 33 E.W.M. to F. W. Paine and J. G. Paine for the recorded consideration of $1. (114/151) Frank W. Paine came to Walla Walla in 1862. In 1866 he and his younger brothe John went into the clothlna business and in 1868 purchased the Baker-Boyer Store. With Miles C. Moore as a partner, the firm was called “Paine Brothers and Moore” and carried general merchandise at first, later specializing in farm implements and machinery. After dissolving the partnership in 1878. Frank Paine built the three-story building on the southeast corner of Second and Main. He was elected superintendent of the school district in 1880 and re-elected until 1906. He also served on the city council and as the first superintendent of the State Penitentiary. (R. A. Bennett, Walla Walla: portrait of a Western Town. 1804-1899, 98)
July 16, 1908 – John G. Paine, a bachelor, Frank W. Paine and Ida B. Paine, husband and wife. Frank W. Paine and John G. Paine, co-partners under the firm name of Paine Brothers of Walla Walla sold the east half of Section 8, south half of Section 9, and other tracts–all in Township 6 N. of Range 33 E.W.M.–to the Walla Walla Irrigation Co. for the recorded consideration of $1. (111/121)
December 15, 1909–in a warranty deed for land and water right, the Walla Walla Irrigation Co. sold lots 206 and 207 in the First Addition to Gardena Contoured Tracts and the use of water from their canal, pipes, etc., for irrigation purposes between April 1 and October 30 each year for $1.50 per acre, to Levi M. Monroe for the recorded consideration of $1. (117/215) L. M. Monroe is listed in Polk’s Walla Walla City and County Directory for 1910-11in the rural residents of Walla Walla County section as living near Touchet. He is not listed in the directories for 1908-10 or 1912-15.
June 9, 1917 –Grace E. Sweet, formerly Grace E. Monroe, and A. L. Sweet, her husband, sold lot 207 to T. D. Read for $1 and other valuable consideration. (142/485) From 1916-1920 Polk’s Walla Walla City and County Directories list T. D. Read as a hay farmer, farming 10 acres, in the Gardena Tracts. He is not listed in the directories for 1909-1915.
April 26, 1920 – Elmer L. Owenby, as guardian of the person and property of Josie Evelyn Read and Ethel Erma Read, minors, sold their interest in lot 207 to John Brynes for $1200. (Deed #108448)
April 27, 1920–Millie Read Ashbaugh, Elsie Read Owenby and Ina Read Bymea-sold an undivided three-fifths interest in lot 207 to John Byrnes for $1800~ (#108447) In Polk’s 1921-22 directory John E. Byrnes is listed as a farmer of 72 acres, raising hay, with a home in Gardena Tracts.
Construction of the House: The Walla Walla County Assessor lists 1920 as the year built. The first mention of a house is in Polk’s 1921-22 directory, however the directory information is sketchy prior to the 1920s and, also, John Byrne may have owned other tracts in Gardena. The sale of lot 207 in 1925 for the same amount ($3000) as it sold for in 1920 indlcates that the house was not built between those dates. The type of construction could give more clues to either a pre-1920 or a post-1925 construction date.
November 21, 1925 – John and Magara Byrnes, husband and wife, sold lot 207 to Jess W. Dixon, whose wife was Daisy Dixon, for $3000. (#155840, see also 156406) Jess W. Dixon is listed in White’s 1928 Rural Directory of Walla Walla County as a hay farmer on Rt. 2 who owns 9 acres, lot 207 1st Addition Gardena Contoured Tracts. and owns a car. Polk’s directories in the mid to late 1930s and early 1940s list J. W. Dixon. Touchet, on the county residents rolls.
October 19. 1948–Daisy Dixon sold lots 202, 204, 205, 206, and 207 in the Gardena Tracts to Iva Irene Smith for $1 “and other valuable consideration.” (#315977)
November 23, 1951 – LouisA. Smith and Iva Irene Smith, husband and wife, sold lots 202, 204, 205, 206, and 207 to Joel W. and Ina L. Byrnes, husband and wife for $10 “and other valuable conslderatlon.” (#349661) Louis A. Smith is listed in Polk’s directory for 1935 as a county taxpayer living near Touchet. He is not listed in the 1940s directory or in the directory for 1951-52. Joel W. Byrnes is listed in the 1948-50 directories as a county resident living near Touchet. He is not listed in the 1951-52 directory.
December 17, 1951 – JoelW. and Ina L. Byrnes, husband and wife, sold lot 207 to Joseph C. and Eva Meyer, husband and wife, for the listed consideration of $10. (#362865) Joseph Meyer is listed in the 1953 directory as a county resident living near Touchet. He is not listed in the 1949-52 directories.
Michael W. Smith. April 1995
