ABSTRACT OF THE HOUSE AT 401 HIGHLAND, WALNUT
From Present Owner Linda Nash
Abstract of Title to Lots 15, 16, 17, and 18 in Block 17 in the Town of Walnut.
(Lot 18 is at the corner of Highland and Pacific Streets and the other lots are to the south.)
The Original Entry, dated 5 Apr. 1856, is United States to John Eliot. The S1/2 SW1/4 Sec. 9, Layton Township was 80 acres, bounty land warrant #17,240 under Act of 1855.
It was patented on 16 May 1859 and recorded in Vol. 276, page 46, Records of U. S. General Land Office at Washington, D. C.
The SW1/4 SW1/4 Sec. 9 was sold 2 May 1864 for taxes of 1860 and 1861 and conveyed by the Treasurer of Pottawattamie County, Iowa to Dexter Reynolds.
It was conveyed by Dexter Reynolds and wife, Catharine M. to Ira Cook on 1 Feb. 1869 by a quit claim deed of $200.
A quit claim deed of $200 on 16 July 1869 transferred the land from Ira Cook and wife, Mary C., to Benjamin F. Allen.
It sold on 3 Oct. 1870 for tax of 1869 to J. D. Edmundson, who assigned the certificate of sale to B. F. Allen on 4 May 1871.
The next entry is Benjamin F. Allen and wife, Thusia M., and Daniel H. Noe and wife, Mary, to the Public.
This land was platted and the streets and alleys dedicated to public use.
The plat was approved and ordered of record 20 Feb. 1871.
Benjamin F. Allen sold lots 10-18 in block 17 (the west half of the block) to Moses Shinn on 17 June 1873 for a contract of $500.
On 1 Nov. 1873, Moses Shinn assigned the contract to E.R. Hinckley for $1000.
S.O. Roark claimed a Mechanic’s Lien on lots 15-18 for $260 on 7 May 1874.
On 8 May 1874, Moses Shinn and Alvin Bernethy mortgaged lots 10-18 to Council Bluffs Iron Works for $4,063.
It was additionally secured by chattel mortgage on the steam mill and machinery situated on said lots.
On 13 Aug. 1874 Shinn and Bernethy mortgaged the lots, all buildings and mill fixtures in and about a certain flouring mill on said lots to John L. Davis and Son for $700.
Marginal note: Foreclosed in Dist. Court April 27, 1875.
On 12 July 1875, in District Court, Benjamin F. Allen was declared bankrupt.
In District Court cases on 4 Jan 1876 against Moses Shinn & Alvin Bernethy, S C O’Roork, Administrator of the estate of Strothes O’Roork, deceased was awarded judgment of $286.60 @ 6%. (This was assigned to Officer & Pusey on 15 March 1876.)
E. R. Hinckley was given a judgment of $739.53 @ 6%.
At a Sheriff’s sale on 22 Feb. 1876, W H M Pusey bought lot 15 for $20, lot 16 for $20, lot 17 for $25 and lot 18 for $25.
E. R. Hinckley and Frances E. Hinckley sold the property to William R. Honeywell for $1,000 on 18 Dec. 1876.
It was subject to a claim of $70 and 10% interest to Officer & Pussey and subject to taxes of 1876.
On 6 Jan. 1883, William R. Honeywell and wife, Mary, sold lots 15-18 to Athaliah Honeywell for $700.
Athaliah died on Dec. 8, 1888 without a will, leaving as her sole heirs: Wm. S. Honeywell, her widower, and four children, John G. Honeywell, a widower; Wm. R. Honeywell; Wallace B. Honeywell and King S. Honeywell, a bachelor.
These heirs, in addition to Mary, wife of William R. and Laura, wife of Wallace B., sold the 4 lots to Claus J. Johannsen on 11 Dec. 1893 for $550.
Claus J. Johannsen and wife, Friedericke, sold the 4 lots to Peter Thomsen on 27 August 1898 for $2,175.
On 15 January 1918, Peter Thomsen sold N1/2 Lot 16 and all of Lots 17 & 18 in Block 17 to Fred Glissmann. (Taxes of 1917 on Lot 15 and S1/2 of Lot 16 were assessed to Hugo Burmeister.)
Fred Glissmann and wife, Emma, sold the property to George I. Mertz on 26 February 1946.
George and his wife, Evelyn, sold it to H. C. Cordes on 3 September 1948.
Herman Cordes died on 1 February 1976, leaving the property to his sons, Henry H. and Hugo E. Cordes.
Hugo and Hilga Cordes, husband and wife and Henry and Lorene Cordes, husband and wife sold the house to Robert P. Vander Meulen and Carol L. Vander Meulen, husband and wife on 4 March 1970. (They had rented the house for 2 years before this.)
A dissolution of their marriage was filed on 19 December 1980.
Carol lived in the house at 401 Highland Street until 1990 when it was acquired by Linda Nash.
It has been a rental property since that time.