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Three families owned home where Young Chief Joseph suggested medicineforAnna Wannassay he old, historic green house with the painted Indian on the wooden front door that once stood at the Mission Four Corners intersection will soon have an interpretive panel telling the history of the significant events and people that once lived in the home and contributed to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation's (CTUIR) tribal history. The home was owned and occupied by the Minthorn, Wannassay and Kipp families over the generations and visited by many more.
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History of Property Ownership The property was originally a 40-acre parcel allotted to Robinson Minthorn, Cayuse. He was granted a fee patent on April 17, 1918. By 1932, Julia Minthorn, Cayuse, was the owner of the property and sometime after her passing in 1942, 4.32 acres in the NE corner, consisting of four tax lots, were transferred to her niece, Nora McFarland Harrison and Lucy Red Heart Damion, (whose maiden name was McFarland. In September 1944, Nora and Lucy deeded their four tax lots to L Anna Minthorn (Cash i Cash) Wannassay. Prior to May 23, 1967, Anna transferred two tax lots and sold one to Louis Jones. Upon Anna's death in May 1972, the '-. P ' one remaining tax lot was in limbo until 1985, when it was deeded to Wilma Wannassay Anna Wannassay Kipp, Lita Lavadour, Fiona Stephenson, Timothy Wannassay, Vincent Wannassay, Pauline Wannassay, and Victoria Wannassay. In 1991, the tax lot became the property of Umatilla County after issues regarding payment of taxes. In 1992, the CTUIR purchased the property from the County and converted it to trust in 2010. '
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Tamastslikt Cultural Institute, in consultation with the Cultural Resources Protection Program and the Tribal Historic Preservation Office, will complete an interpreti ve panel that will be placed near the footprint of the house. The panel will describe the important people and events associated with the house.
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Bureau of Indian Affairs Umatilla Agency records as early as 1911, when it was stated that Robinson Minthorn "lives about a quarter of a mile from this agency, and has a nice home on his land." The house was built in American Foursquare style, two-stories tall, with a full, one-story projecting front porch and one story back addition. With the addition, it measured 26 feet by 38 feet and did not have a foundation. The house was previously yellow in color and was repainted green at a later date. There were several outbuildings, including a barn and a sweathouse. The front porch was supported by three turned spindle wood posts. The porch measured 20 feet across and was centered on the front of the house. The front door had a painting of an Indian figure '4' '=. on it created by Darryl Kipp when he lived there. Darryl is Wilma >~r' Wannassay Kipp's son and Wilma was one of Anna Wannassay's ,, lilI li' ri' , I daughters.
a wood stove, a cook stove in the kitchen, and one closet. There was a bedroom on the main floor and two upstairs. The addition in the back of the house was utilized as sleeping quarters. Social History of the House
The original owners of the home were Robinson and Julia Minthorn. Robinson was born sometime between 1848 and 1858 in Idaho. The 1900 Census states that Robinson and Julia were married in about 1879 and that by 1900 they had had six children, but only one was still 5' living. Robinson passed away on November 1, 1926 of lung cancer and a leg wound. Julia was born Julia McFarland in approximately1861 or 1862 I The House in Oregon, and she passed on in 1942. She was Nez Perce. According to records on file at Umatilla County, Robinson's cousin was Philip the house was built in 1900; however it is possible Cash Cash Minthorn. The Mintthat this is an estimate. The house is mentioned in horns were very active in the Utilities were integrated into the Tutuilla Presbyterian Church. 5 house in the 1950s and plumbing Robinson and his cousin Philip, was installed in 1959. Prior to the who was Anna's father, were both utilities being installed, water was elders in the church; Robinson obtained from a pump outside the was a member of the National house. A stone wheel in the barn I n 201 0 , Robert Nickerson of Hatley Co m m i t tee on Temperance in Construction in Pilot Rock removes the door, 1914. Likely due to both the famwas used for sharpening knives which was presented to members of the Kipp- .I ' and other implements. At one ommence in the churc Wannassay family. time, a fence surrounded the house and the fact that the house was but it was washed away in a flood, on the road from town to the church, many visitors probably in 1964. The house once had a garden, stopped by on their way to or from the church. planted by Wilma and Roberta Kipp and chickens Oral histories state that when Young Chief Joseph The green house at Four Comers was builtin American Foursquare were raised. style, two-stories tall, with a full, one-story projecting front porch Internally, the house had a large living room with H E OF HI T R Y o n 1TA and one story back addition. -
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Confederated Umatilla Journal
August 2016