History of 660 Balm Street, Walla Walla, WA

Legal Description:

lot 12 in Block 4 of Bryant’s Addition to the City of Walla Walla.

 Title and Occupant History:

September 15, 1880– John and Viretta Bryant, husband and wife, platted Bryant’s Addition to the City of Walla Walla. (Walla Walla County Auditor’s Office, Volume A of plats, page 75)

September 22, 1883–Viretta Bryant released her interest in lots 9, 10. II, 12, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, & 24 in Block 4 and other lots in Bryant’s Addition to John Bryant, her husband, for the consideration of $1. (Deed Book 29, Page 539, hereinafter 29/539)

January 26, 1889–John and Viretta Bryant sold lots 9, 10, II, 12, 21 and 22 in Block 4 and lots 15 & 16 in Block 3 and lots 7 & 8 in Block 6, all in Bryant’s Addition, to Charles Henry for $1000. (43/10)

Charles Henry is listed in the 1889 city directory as a dealer in real estate residing at 626 S. 2nd.

September 1, 1889– Charles and Lydia Henry, husband and wife, sold lots II & 12 in Block 4 for $250 to Daniel Stewart. (44/548)

Daniel Stewart is listed in the 1889 city directory as the postmaster and in 1892-4 as a farmer with a residence at 334 Whitman.

November 7, 1890– Daniel and Margaret Stewart, husband and wife, sold lots II and 12 to Frank E. Reynolds for $375. (49/408)

Frank E. Reynolds is listed in the 1892 directory as a printer living at 523 Locust.

September 29, 1891–Frank E. Reynolds quit claim deeded, and abrogated the contract for sale of, lots 11 & 12 to Daniel Stewart for $50. (49/437)

February 23, 1892– Daniel and Margaret Stewart, husband and wife, sold lots 11 & 12 to W. F. York for $375. (51/35)

The 1892 directory lists F. W. York as an agent for Gilbert Hunt & Co. with a residence at the corner of Chandler and Whitman streets; in 1904 he is listed as a traveling salesman for G. Hunt Co. with a residence in Spokane. He is not listed in the 1893-1902 directories for Walla Walla.

July 23 1903– W. F. and Bertha A. York, husband and wife, sold lot 12 to Ducan McGillivray for $200. (88/215)

 The 1905 directory lists Duncan McGillivray as the secretary and treasurer of the Walla Walla Brick & Tile Co. with a home at 350 Palouse.

January 6, 1906– Duncan and Mary A. McGillivray sold lot 12 to B. M. Huntington and M. E. Cutting for $400. (99/434)

M. E. Cutting is not listed in the 1904 or 1905 directories, but the latter lists Bert M. Huntington as a carpenter residing at 415 7th.

April 13, 1906– B. M. and Edith Huntington, husband and wife, and M. E. Cutting, a bachelor, made a contract for deed with S. E. Harris for lot 12 for $1950. (1031131)

October 13, 1906– B. M. and Edith Huntington, husband and wife, and M. E. Cutting sold lot 12 to S. E. Harris for $1950. (105/94)

The 1907 and 1908 directories list Scott E. Harris as a clerk, then a druggist, for Tallman Drug Co. with a residence at 660 Balm.

Construction of the House: From the above information is seems likely that the Huntingtons and Cutting built the house in 1906.

July 18, 1908– S. E. Harris, a bachelor, sold lot 12 to Abram and Noah Graybill for $3200. (111/86)

The 1908 directory lists both the Graybills as cigar makers residing in the Mountain View addition.

January 23, 1909– Abram and Amelia Graybill sold their interest in lot 12 to Noah Graybill for $1400. (111/481)

March 15, 1912– Noah Graybill, a bachelor, sold lot 12 to Riley E. Rucker for $2800. (128/410)

Riley E. Rucker is not listed in the city directory for 1911-12.

March 22, 1912– Riley E. and Ida E. Rucker, husband and wife, sold lot 12 to Mary Schwartz for $4000.

Neither Jacob nor Mary Schwartz is listed in the 1910-12 city directories.

July 19, 1912– Jacob and Mary Schwartz, husband and wife, made an agreement to sell lot 12 to T. O. and Mary E. Goodman, husband and wife. This involved a swap of the Goodman1s land in Umatilla for the lot and a $200 payment by J. and M. Schwartz. (129/374)

July 24, 1912– Jacob and Mary Schwartz sold lot 12 to T. O. and Mary E. Goodman for $1 “and other good and valuable considerations.” (129/561)

The Goodmans are not listed in the directories for 1908-17.

July 15, 1918– T. O. Goodman transferred lot 12 to his wife, Mary E. Goodman, for $1 “and other money considerations.” (147/212)

January 13, 1920- T. O. and Mary E. Goodman sold lot 12 to Henry T. Torkelson for $10 “and other considerations not here named. �� (Deed #104998)

Henry T. Torkelson is not listed in the 1921-22 city directory.

July 14, 1920– Henry T. and Eva Torkelson, husband and wife, sold lot 12 to T. N. and Mamie E. Glass for $1 “and other valuable considerations.” (#109849)

October 30, 1920– T. N. and Mamie E. Glass, husband and wife, sold lot 12 to Stanford I. and Mary Newbill, husband and wife, for $1 “_and other valuable considerations. II (#112668)

Stanford I. Newbill is listed in the 1921-22 directory as a farmer with a home at 660 Balm.

December 26, 1941– S. I. and Mary Newbill sold lot 12 to Alice B. Newbill, a spinster, for consideration of “love and affections by way of gift.” (#374851)

Alice B. Newbill is listed as living at 660 Balm from 1921 and in 1958 is listed as a dietician at the Veterans Administration Hospital.

January 20, 1959–Alice B. Newbill sold lot 12 to Rex J. Vance with no consideration listed. (#408951)

Rex J. Vance is listed as living at 660 Balm from 1960-76 and as being a refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic at the Veterans Administration Hospital.

August 4, 1976–Rex J. and Aileen I. Vance, husband and wife, sold lot 12 to Charles C. Bray for $25,500. (#557085)

Charles C. Bray and his wife, Louise, are listed in 1977 as being co�owners of Anderson’s Market at 700 Pleasant and as residing at 660 Balm.

June 23, 1979–Charles C. and E. Louise Bray sold lot 12 to Kenneth D. and Susan D. Butherus. (#7905924)

prepared by Michael W. Smith. 3/95