[Illustration: The Kempley home
905 6th Avenue North]
City assessor records show that this sturdy brick residence at 905 6th
Ave. N. was built in 1914 by James L. Kempley, a well-known real estate
dealer here for many years. It is the type of brick homes erected in the
city in the 1910-1920 era.
The Kempley family resided in the home until 1918 when it was sold to L.
W. Scheideman. The Scheidemans lived in the ten-room house until 1928
when it was sold to William F. Alpers. Edmund G. Engelhardt purchased
the house in 1944 and owned it until 1974 when Joseph C. Mosbrucker,
Fort Dodge realtor, purchased it.
The house originally had a front vestibule, living room with fireplace,
dining room, music room, sewing room, kitchen, laundry and half bath on
the first floor. The second floor had four bedrooms and bath and there
was a large attic used for recreation purposes. A large porch extended
across the front of the house. In past years the house has been
remodeled and it now has two apartments.
Kempley was the son of John Kempley, a native of England who came to the
United States in 1842 and settled in Racine, Wis. In 1864 the family
moved to a farm near Fort Dodge and later they came to Fort Dodge where
Kempley was active in the town, erecting buildings on south Sixth
Street.
James L. Kempley was one of the family of nine children. After attending
local schools he began work here and for many years was employed by the
Standard Oil Company as a tank wagon driver. His horse-drawn tank wagon
delivered kerosene to farms in the area.
In 1914 Kempley quit his work with the oil company and went into the
real estate business. Later he was associated with his son-in-law, Earl
C. Codner, in the real estate firm of Kempley & Codner. Kempley built
several homes in the city including 903 6th Ave. N., 905 6th Ave. N. and
1116 4th Ave. N.
Kempley and his wife were parents of six children—three boys and three
girls: Walter V. James, Thomas, Mrs. Charles (Marie) Klinger; Mrs. Earl
C. (Mae) Codner; and Mrs. Jay (Edna) Van Horn. Kempley died in 1942 at
age 82.