[Illustration: The Leon Vincent home
1024 3rd Avenue South]
The large brick residence at 1024 3rd Ave. S.—known in earlier years as
the Leon Vincent home—was built by a pioneer Iowan who was a civil
engineer, railroad builder and gypsum industrialist. The house dates
back to 1896 when it was erected and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Leon
Vincent.
The house, of exterior brick construction, now has three rooms and bath
on the first floor, four rooms and two baths on the second floor, two
bedrooms on the completely finished third floor and a large finished
basement area.
Ownership of the house has changed several times since it was built by
Vincent. At one time it was owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Vincent and later by Mr. and Mrs. Shirley Thornton. In 1965 the
Thorntons sold the property to Mr. and Mrs. Paul C. Eide who now, with
their family occupy the home.
Leon Vincent, a first cousin of Webb and Beth Vincent, came to Iowa in
1867 and as a civil engineer worked in laying out the Sioux City and
Pacific Railroad, now part of the North Western system. He continued in
this work until 1873 when he came to Fort Dodge.
In 1881 Vincent was employed as assistant cashier of the Merchants
National Bank until its merger with the early-day First National Bank
here. He was secretary-treasurer of the Iowa Plaster Association in 1891
and was identified with gypsum operations here for many years. In 1899
he rebuilt and re-equipped the Central Gypsum mill, first of the
early-day gypsum plants here. When the U. S. Gypsum Company took over
the Iowa Plaster Association in 1902, Vincent remained as manager of the
Blanden mill.
Vincent was active in many affairs, one of which was designing and
building of the present St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, which replaced an
earlier edifice destroyed by fire. He also helped in laying out and
beautifying of Oleson Park and in designing of 17th Street as a
boulevard.
In 1911, Leon Vincent and the brothers Harry S. and Donald Vincent, sons
of Webb Vincent, founded the Vincent Clay Products, Inc., which operated
its big plant at Shady Oaks until recent years. Many of the plant’s
machines and processes were inventions of Leon Vincent.
In failing health for many years, Leon Vincent died in 1916 at age 69.
Mrs. Vincent died in 1928 at age 81. Mr. and Mrs. Vincent were
grandparents of Al Loomis, photographer for most of the houses shown in
the book.