An early-day lumber dealer—Owen Conway—who came to the United States in
1845 from his native Ireland and to Fort Dodge in 1865 built the house
at 400 S. 8th St. in 1882.
Conway, who was in the hardware and lumber business here, resided in the
home with his family for many years. The house remained in possession of
members of the Conway family until 1946 when it was sold to John J.
Williams. It was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ray Howick who remodeled the
first floor into a spacious apartment for themselves. Mrs. Howick
continues to reside in the home following the death of her husband.
A large porch extends across the front of the house which faces the
east. Square columns standing atop railing posts support the porch roof
and are joined together with ornate wood trim. Windows of the house have
distinctive outdoor arched tops and there are pointed dormers with
windows on the four sides of the roof.
The home originally had a living room, parlor, dining room, master
bedroom and bath and kitchen on the first floor; six bedrooms and bath
on the second floor. The second floor has been converted into a large
apartment with three baths and there is also an apartment on the third
floor. Rooms downstairs are large with high ceilings, floors are of oak
and doors have double board casings.
Conway’s first business venture in the city was a hardware store and in
1869 he established a lumber business at First Avenue South and Fifth
Street that continued until 1939. Conway’s sons James and John, were in
business with him for many years. After the business was incorporated in
1914 as the Conway Lumber Company the firm included Owen, John, James
and Ed Conway, the latter a son of John Conway.
[Illustration: The Conway home
400 So. Eighth Street]
James, Dave and Eustace Conway, sons of the pioneer, operated a general
merchandise store at 612 1st Ave. S. and Dave, Eustace and Owen P.
Conway also had a general store and lumber yard in Moorland. Two other
sons, were in business in Clare—F. D. Conway, lumber and grain, and C.
P. Conway, general store. The elder Owen Conway died in 1916.
Two grandchildren of the founder of the Conway firms reside in Fort
Dodge. They are Miss Delores and Owen Conway. There are also two great
grandsons living here—Ray and Robert Conway.