[Illustration: The Jacob Brown home
510 3rd Avenue South]
Jacob Brown Sr. started a grocery business in Fort Dodge in 1870 that
continued for a record breaking 95 years and in 1896 built this home
near the business district—at 510 3rd Ave. S.
The Brown Grocery began operations in a store building at 15 S. 6th St.
and continued in that location until 1965 when it ended nearly a century
of service to customers in the city and surrounding area. During this
time it was always operated by members of the Brown family.
The Third Avenue South home is now owned and occupied by Miss Rose
Brown, one of only two members of the family still living.
Brown came to Fort Dodge in 1864 from Germany and shortly after arrival
here enlisted in Company F of the 11th Iowa Infantry and was in service
until the close of the Civil War. Returning to Fort Dodge after the war
he bought the South Sixth Street property where he first had a
blacksmith shop. Later he gave up this work and opened the grocery store
in 1870. The two-story brick building which housed the store is now
owned by Mrs. Doris Brown, widow of John Brown.
In 1864 Brown was married to Wilhelmina Schultze and they were parents
of six children—Jacob Brown Jr., Louise Brown, Mrs. Kate Etzel, Mrs.
Nettie Brown, Frank Brown and Mrs. Minnie B. Leiss. Two years following
Mrs. Brown’s death in 1885 Brown married Henricha Becker and they were
parents of five children—Rose, Anna, Amelia, John and Christine, now
Mrs. Harris of Pittsburgh, Pa. She and Rose are the only survivors of
the Jacob Brown family.
The two-story brick home at 510 3rd Ave. S. has a living room, dining
room, bedroom and bath and large kitchen on the first floor; four
bedrooms and bathroom on the second floor. In the basement is a large
brick kettle built into the chimney which was used for heating water
needed in washing clothes and making soap. There is also a cyclone cave
in the basement.
Brown died in 1915 at the age of 71 years. Members of his family recall
that on his arrival in Fort Dodge he first made his home with the
Christopher Arnold family in a log cabin located near the Wahkonsa
School (now the school administration office building). This cabin is
now at the Fort-Museum here.