History of 532 Washington Street, Walla Walla, WA

Legal Description (abbreviated):

lots 7 and 8 of Block B in Hawley’s Addition to the City of Walla Walla. (Plat Book B, Page 52)

Title and Occupant History:

August 28, 1869–Alvin B. and Martha Roberts, husband and wife, sold about 10 acres of A. B. Roberts’ land claim in the S.E quarter of the S.E quarter of Section 20, Township 7 N., Range 36 E, including the property in the legal description, to Sarah Jane Hawley for the recorded consideration of $1. (Deed Book F, page 505, hereinafter F/505)

A. B. Roberts came to Walla Walla from Portland in 1859 and bought large tracts of land south of Main St.

Philip L. and Sarah J. Hawley of Illinois came across the plains to Walla Walla in 1861. (W. D. Lyman, Lyman’s History of Old Walla Walla County, Vol. II, Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1918, p. 123)

April 24, 1891–Hawley’s Addition to the City of Walla Walla was filed by W. B. Hawley, the county auditor, and L. R. Hawley, the deputy county auditor. (Plat Book B, Page 52 in Walla Walla County Auditor’s Office, Walla Walla County Courthouse)

W. B. and L. R. Hawley were sons of Philip and Sarah Hawley. With their brother P. B. Hawley, they purchased, sold and farmed much land in Walla Walla County. (Lyman, p. 123)

June 1, 1892–L. R. Hawley, W. B. Hawley, P. B. Hawley, and Henry H. Hawley (all unmarried men) and Frank W. Rees and Sarah Hawley Rees (formerly Sarah D. Hawley) [with the exception of Frank Rees, these are the heirs of Sarah J. Hawley who died intestate in 1892, see 52/34] sold lots 7 and 8 to Thomas B. Hawley for $600. (52/39)

The city directory for 1898 lists Thomas B. Hawley as a clerk with a residence at the corner of Washington and Howard.

February 14, 1898–Thomas B. and Martha E. Hawley, husband and wife, sold lots 7 and 8 to Wm. B. Hawley for $2200. (62/423)

W. B. Hawley is listed in the city directory of 1900-1901 as the deputy county assessor with a residence at “132 Washington (should be 532).” From 1902-1911 he is listed at the address with the occupation changing over the years: deputy county treasurer, county treasurer, capitalist, and farmer. In the 1911-1912 directory, Stella M. Hawley, widow of Wm. B., is listed at the address.

Construction of the House: the county assessor lists the building date as 1900. Thomas B. Hawley bought lots 7 and 8 from the heirs of Sarah J. Hawley in 1892 for $600 and sold lots 7 and 8 for $2200 in 1898. This together with the fact that he is listed in the 1892 directory as residing at 606 E. Alder and in the 1893-94 directory as having a residence at 130 Washington (which is equivalent to 530 with the change of address noted in the 1900-01 directory). In the 1898 city directory, Thomas B. Hawley is listed as residing at the corner of Washington & Howard and William B. and Philip B. Hawley are listed as residing at 130 Washington after the February, 1898 purchase of lots 7 and 8 by W. B. Hawley from Thomas B. Hawley [this would be 530 Washington with the renumbering noted in the 1900-01 directory]. 130 Washington would seem then to have been renumbered 532 [there is no 530 today] and would have been built by Thomas B. Hawley in 1892 or early 1893.

But since William B. Hawley is first listed in the 1900-01 directory as having a home at 532 Washington: on the property he purchased from Thomas B. Hawley in February of 1898, he could have built a new house next to the one listed as 130 and then the probable building date would be either 1898 or 1899. However, none of the Hawley family is listed at 130 Washington, or 530 Washington, after 1898 and it is somewhat unlikely that the house listed as 130 would be torn down only six years after it was built. Still, this is the most probable date.

August 15, 1911–W. B. Hawley “in consideration of his love and affection for Stella M. Hawley, his wife� granted and conveyed to his wife the ownership of lots 7 and 8 and other properties. (1261235)

September 17, 1928–Charles Retzer, as surviving spouse of Stella Hawley Retzer, quit claimed lots 7 and 8 to Philip L. Hawley and Cathering Hawley Woodman for $1 “and for the purpose of disclaiming and interest…in and to the lands and premises… “(Deed #175298)

October 27, 1928–Philip L. and Thelma Hawley, husband and wife, and William H. Hawley, a bachelor, sold their interests in lots 7 and 8 to Catherine Hawley Woodman for $10 “and other valuable considerations.” (#217692)

In the 1930s the city directories list tenants at 532 Washington.

December 5, 1939–Harry E. Woodman, formerly the husband of Catherine Hawley Woodman, quit claimed his interest in the property to Catherine Hawley Woodman for the listed consideration of $1. (#247008)

December 8, 1939–Catherine Hawley Woodman sold the property to Marshall C. and Susan Handley, husband and wife, for $1,100. (#247009)

The 1946 city directory lists Marshall C. Handley at 532 Washington.

February 28, 1950–Sophronia Lathen, as the executrix of the will of Susan Alice Handley, deceased, sold the property to Boyd Myron De Bunce and Jeanne M. De Bunce, husband and wife, for the listed consideration of $10. (#332970)

The 1951-52 city directory lists Boyd M. De Bunce as a salesman for Prudential Insurance Co. of America with a home at 409 1/2 E. Main.

September 12, 1950-Boyd Myron De Bunce and Jeanne M. De Bunce sold the property to James B. and Helen M. Huntington, husband and wife, for $10 “and other good and valuable consideration.” (#337050)

The 1951-52 directory lists James B. Huntington as the owner of the General Supply Co., an office supplies store located at 16 E. Alder, with a home at 1231 2nd Ave. 5., in 1953 his residence was listed at RD3.

October 20, 1956-James B. and Helen M. Huntington sold lots 7 and 8 to Earle Orville Lacey and Emma Belle Lacey, husband and wife, for $10 “and other valuable consideration.” (#390843)

The 1958 directory list Earle O. Lacey as a well driller for the Yager Well Drilling Co. and as residing at 532 Washington. He was listed as living at 532 Washington in the 1953 directory also.

May 31, 1967 -Earle O. and Emma B. Lacey sold lots 7 and 8 to J. G. and Alberta McCallum for $3000. (#486206)

The 1968 directory lists J. G. McCallum as the owner of McCallum Mobile Homes in Milton-Freewater and residing at 326 N. Bellevue.

August 16, 1967 –J. G. and Alberta McCallum sold lots 7 and 8 to Lynn and Genevieve M. Kenworthy, husband and wife, for $6500. (#559255)

The 1969 directory lists Lynn Kenworthy as an insurance agent for Bankers Life and residing at 532 Washington.

September 28, 1973–Lynn K. and Genevieve M. Kenworthy sold the property to Norval B. and Rose R. Shaw, husband and wife, for $7000. (#532525)

The 1974 and 1975 directories list Norval B. Shaw as a general contractor and Rose R. Shaw as a registered nurse working at Walla Walla General. Hospital, both residing at 125 S.W. 9th in College Place.

November 5, 1976–Norval B. and Rose R. Shaw sold the property to George H. Smith, III, and Billye Jo Smith, husband and wife, for $15,000. (#559197)

The 1978 directory lists George H. Smith as a carpenter with Fleming Construction and Billye Smith as a teacher at Walla Walla Community College, both residing at 532 Washington.

February 20, 1980–Billye Jo Smith quit claimed her interest in lots 7 and 8 to George H. Smith, III, as a settlement of property rights [divorce). (#8002041)

August 18, 1980–George H. Smith, III, sold the property to Robert J. and Vicky M. Cowan, husband and wife, for $45,500. (#8006582)

The 1981 directory list Robert J. Cowan as a guard at the Washington State Penitentiary and Vicky Cowan as a teacher at Davis School, both residing at 532 Washington.

April 4, 1983–Robert J. and Vicky M. Cowan sold the property (subject to Deed of Trust of August 18, 1980 in favor of Sherwood and Roberts, Inc., see #8006583 and #8009439) to Donald and Oma Shapley, husband and wife. (8302254)

July 20, 1984–John A. Gose, trustee in the matter of the Deed of Trust above, transferred the property by a trustee’s deed to the Federal National Mortgage Association. (#840554, see also #8402420, Notice of Trustee’s Sale)

July 23. 1984–The Federal National Mortgage Association sold lots 7 and 8 to the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs for $42,500. (#840555)

November 17, 1984–The Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs sold the property to Ronald J. Gardner and Stormy K. Gardner for the listed consideration of $1. (#8608234)

Ronald J. Gardner is not listed in the 1985 directory.

August 4, 1992–Ronald J. Gardner and Stormy K. Gardner assigned the real ‘estate contact of December 17, 1984 to Claude B. Wilson, Jr., and Grace Wilson, husband and wife, and Gary B. Wilson. (#9207458, see also #9310882 fulfillment of real estate contract)

December 18, 1992–Gary B. Wilson, Claude B. Wilson, Jr., and Grace Wilson sold lots 7 and 8 to Melvyn H. Clancey and Nancy J. Clancey, husband and wife.

 

prepared by Michael W. Smith, 5/95