The Saunders home 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. |