[Illustration: The Saunders home
1108 4th Avenue North]
Dr. C. J. Saunders, a well-known Fort Dodge physician, who came to the
city in 1893, built this spacious home at 1108 4th Ave. N. in 1907.
During the following 23 years it was the home of the Saunders family
until sold in 1930 to Dr. C. J. Jensen, a local chiropractor, and his
wife, Agnes.
Dr. Jensen, who died in 1970, had his office in the house for many
years. His widow now owns the property and lives in one of the
apartments in the house.
When built in 1907 the Saunders house originally had living room,
library, dining room and kitchen on the first floor; four bedrooms and
bath on the second floor and two finished rooms on the third floor. The
house has been enlarged and remodeled in past years and now has six
apartments.
Dr. Saunders was born in Iowa City in 1862 and graduated from high
school there as valedictorian of his class. He studied medicine at the
University of Iowa, graduated from medical school in 1885 and began his
practice in Iowa City. In 1886 Dr. Saunders opened an office in Audubon
and practiced there for one year, moving then to Clare where he was a
widely-known doctor for six years. At Clare he also operated a drug
store and helped organize a bank.
In 1893 Dr. Saunders came to Fort Dodge and had his first office in the
newly constructed Oleson Building. After the First National Bank
Building (now the Beh Building) was constructed in 1908 he moved his
office there. He was a radiologist and had one of the first X-ray
machines in the city.
Later Dr. Saunders had offices in the Carver Building and was associated
with a number of doctors. He continued practice here until his death in
1928 at the age of 66 years.
Active in medical circles he served at one time as president of the Iowa
Medical Society. He was interested in a number of Fort Dodge enterprises
including the Fort Dodge Telephone Company, First National Bank, Oleson
Land Company and the Street Railway System.
Dr. Saunders was married in 1907 to Lucy Merrill of Bangor, Me., and
they were parents of a son and two daughters. They are: Merrill
Saunders, Fort Dodge realtor; Miss Katherine Saunders, a Chicago
librarian; and Mrs. Robert (Helen) Thackaberry, a university instructor
in Akron, Ohio. Mrs. Saunders died in Fort Dodge in 1949 at age 72.