History of 41 South Palouse Street, Walla Walla, WA

Legal Description (abbreviated):

Northerly 26 feet of lot 12 and Southerly 10 feet of lot 13 in Block 2 of Boyer Grove Addition to the City of Walla Walla.

Title and Occupant History:

December 5, 1864-Andrew J. and Emma R. Cain, husband and wife, sold a tract of land in the N.W. quarter of the S.E. quarter of Section 20, Township 7 North, Range 36 E.W.M. to O. S. Baker for the recorded consideration of $1. (Deed Book 0, Page 344, hereinafter 0/344; see also H/572 of October 17, 1871)

A. J. Cain surveyed Cain’s Addition to the City of Walla Walla in 1862, but didn’t record it until November 5, 1865. He moved to Dayton and began publishing a weekly Democratic newspaper, the Dayton News, in September 1874. He was a leader in the movement to form Columbia County and became know as the “Father of Columbia County.” (Frank T. Gilbert, Historic Sketches of Walla Walla Whitman, Columbia and Garfield Counties. Washington Territory. Portland, Oregon: A. G. Walling, 1882, pp. 303-304, 362.)

Dorsey S. Baker, famous as the founder of the Baker Boyer Bank and builder of the earliest railroad in the valley, bought most of Cain’s Addition at a Sheriff’s auction October 18, 1867 that resulted from a court case, O. S. Baker, plaintiff. v. A. J. Cain and E. R. Cain. defendants. (E/564)

January 29. 1885–John F. and Sarah E. Boyer, husband and wife, quit claimed and conveyed their interest in real estate in several areas, including N.W. 1/4 of S.E. 1/4 of 20-7-36, to Dorsey S. Baker. (611114)

Dorsey S. Baker and his brother-in-law (Sarah E. Baker married John F. Boyer in 1853 in Illinois) and banking partner were exchanging interests in shared properties and clearing titles.

February 10, 1899–the executors of the will of John F. Boyer [he died in 1897] filed the plat for the Boyer Grove Addition to the City of Walla Walla. (Plat Book C, Page 13, Walla Walla County Auditor’s Office, Walla Walla County Courthouse)

January 16, 1900–Miles C. Moore, Henry C. Baker, W. W. Baker, executors of the will of Dorsey S. Baker, deeded several properties, including lots 12, 13, and 14 of Block 2 in the Boyer Grove Addition, to the Baker Loan & Investment Co., a corporation [set up by W. W. Baker], for the recorded consideration of $10. (72/617)

December 28, 1902–The Baker Loan & Investment co., a corporation, sold lots 12, 13 and 14 in Block 2 of the Boyer Grove Addition to M. A. Caris for $375. (95/591, same as 84/591)

The 1904 city directory has an advertisement for �M. A. & C. F. Caris, Contractors of Grading, Excavating & Hauling. Also House Moving. Railroad Work a specialty. Rock Crushing. 524 Balm St.” The 1902 and 1904 directories list C. F. Caris as residing at 524� Balm and M. A. Caris at 611 Catherine in 1902 and at 605 Catherine in 1904.

December 29, 1902–M. A. and Maria M. Caris, husband and wife, sold C. F. Caris an undivided half interest in lot 12 and the southerly 10 feet of lot 13, a total of 60 feet of frontage, for the recorded consideration of $1. (85/167)

October 1, 1903-M. A. and Maria M. Caris, and C. F. and Annie F. Caris, husband and wife, sold lot 12 & 10 feet of lot 13 to E. M. Broughton and A. Tiderington for $1000. (88/571)

The 1904 directory lists E. M. Broughton as a farmer with a residence at 54 Madison; A. Tiderington is not listed.

October 13, 1904-E. M. and Agnes Broughton, husband and wife, and A. and Lottie Tiderington, husband and wife, sold lot 12 & 10 feet of lot 13 to Layfayette A. Woodward for $1300. (94/157)

Layfayette A. Woodward is not listed in the 1904 or 1905 directories.

May 29, 1905–Layfayette A. and Frances P. Woodward, husband and wife, sold lot 12 and 10 feet of lot 13 to C. A. Matt for $1500. (98/447)

The 1905, 1907 and 1908 directories list C. A. Matt as a renter of furnished rooms at 224 E. Main, residence the same. He founded the Walla Walla Candy Company in 1892.

Construction of the House: although the county assessor lists the year built as 1900, the prices the lots sold for suggest that it was built after 1905 and before 1908 by C. A. Matt. Since the building permits, exist for 1907 on and C. A. Matt is not listed in 1907, the probable construction date is 1905 or 1906.

March 2, 1908-C. A. Matt signed an Agreement For Deed with Mrs. Fanny

Dantzscher wherein she agreed to pay $50 in gold coin + $2950 (at 8% interest) in payments of $20 each on the first of each month beginning April I, 1908 for the property in the legal description. (113/247)

The 1908-1911 directories list Mrs. Fanny Dantzscher, Spirella Corsets Made to Order, Hair Switches and All Kinds of Hair Work, 43 S. Palouse, home the same [the numbering may have changed]. The 1911-13 directories list her at 14 N. Palouse; 1914 at 51 S. Palouse; 1915 at 10 N. Palouse; 1916-17 at 14 N. Palouse; and in 1918-1933 she is listed at 41 S. Palouse with her profession variously as hairwork, hairdresser and hair goods provider.

August 31, 1915–Fanny Dantzscher made an Assignment of Contract, relating to the agreement above, to Peoples State Bank of Walla Walla. This transferred all title and interest and rights under the contract bearing the date March 2, 1908 executed by C. A. Mott. The listed consideration was $10. (138/434)

November 13, 1917–Mrs. Fanny Dantzscher took out building permit #2526 for builder Chas. Raedel to repair dwelling at 41 S. Palouse. (Building Permit Book 1913-1917, page 116, Whitman College Archives)

June 11, 1920–Clifford H. Mott, B. Elmer Mott, and Lillian A. Hite, children and heirs at law of Margaret R. Mott,’ deceased, convey and quit claimed all interest in several properties, including that in the legal description, to C. A. Mott, surviving spouse of said Margaret R. Mott, deceased, for the recorded consideration of $1. (Deed #109067)

January 18, 1921–C. A. Mott deeded the property in the legal description to Fanny Dantzscher, a married woman, for the recorded consideration of $10. (#115881)

March 28, 1921–Peoples State Bank, a corporation, conveyed and quit claimed all interest in the above property to Fanny Dantzscher for the recorded consideration of $1. (#115880)

December 7, 1934–W. O. Dantzscher, “who was the only husband Fanny Dantzscher had since prior to March I, 1908, 11 and Minnie Alma Toole sold the property in the legal to Iva M. Royse for the recorded consideration of $10. (#211302)

The 1935 and 1937 directories list Iva M. Royse at 41 S. Palouse with no vocation listed; in 1939-1946 there are two people listed at the property; in 1948 three are listed in apartments 1 and 2 and at 41 S. Palouse; and in 1964 Iva M. Pound [formerly Iva M. Royse] is listed in apt. Apparently Iva M. Royse and Sebren Porter Royse divorced and she go the property. S. P. Royse purchased 216 Newell [next door to the Boyer home] in 1943 and lived there until it was sold in 1971.

October 30, 1936–S. P. Royse conveyed and quit claimed all interest in the property to his wife, Iva M. Royse for $1 “and other valuable consideration.�(#223982)

May 18, 1937–Iva M. Royse deeded an interest in the property to S. P. Royse so that “This property [is] to be known as community property II for the consideration of $100. (#227433)

December 16, 1963–Iva M. Pound, formerly Iva M. Royse [widow of George Pound], sold the property to Earl Royse for the recorded consideration of $10 “and other good and valuable consideration.� (#493413)

The 1964 directory does not list Earl Royse.

September 23, 1977 –Earl and Ruth O. Royse, husband and wife, sold the property to August G. and Vera M. Linke, husband and wife, for the consideration of $10 “and other valuable consideration.� (#568979)

The 1978 directory lists August G. Linke as the owner, and Vera M. Linke as a clerk, of Linke’s Shoe Service, 41 S. Palouse. with a home at 60 S. Howard. Linke’s Shoe Service is listed at 41 S. Palouse from 1973-1992.

November 25, 1992–Vera M. Linke sold the property to Charles Potts for $28,000. (#9210627)

November 30. 1992–Ann Weatherill. wife of grantee, “for and in consideration of making separate estate” conveyed and quit claimed all interest in the property to Charles Potts, husband of the grantor. (9210684)

June 22, 1994–Charles A. Potts and Ann M. Weatherill, husband and wife, transferred the property to a family trust, the Charles Potts and Ann Weatherill Family Trust, in a quit claim document. (#9407318)

April 28, 1995–Charles A. Potts and Ann M. Weatherill, as trustees of the Charles Potts and Ann Weatherill Family Trust, sold the property to Douglas B. and Malinda M. Saturno, husband and wife, for $45,000. (#9503961)

 

prepared by Michael W. Smith, 2/96