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William Nathan Barrett purchased this lot in 1887 for $840. Subsequently, in 1912, he had this Transitional American Foursquare style residence built to replace an earlier house located on the site.
Barrett was the son of a carpenter and was born in Washington County in 1855. He attended the Tualatin Academy, graduated from Pacific University in 1879 and began professional life as a teacher. By 1882, however, he was working in Thomas H. Tongue's law office and was admitted to the bar two years later.
Over the years, Barrett became a prominent figure in Washington County. He held the position of Deputy District Attorney followed by District Attorney for Oregon's fifth judicial district and later served in the state's House of Representatives. Then, in 1908, he was elected to the Oregon Senate. Additionally, he served three separate stints as Hillsboro's mayor.
William Nathan Barrett and Lucretia Parrish were wed in 1882 and they had three sons: Ira, William and John. William, also known as “Diamond Bill,” eventually became quite an infamous character. He was pursued internationally by Scotland Yard and gained notoriety as a swindler and a thief.
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