Wasem was treasurer and general manager of the Wasem Plaster Company which was organized here in 1909. It was a Wasem family venture—13 brothers and sisters comprising the owners of the company. The Wasem plant was located southeast of the city on a 160-acre tract of land undermined by gypsum rock. Operations began in 1910 and continued in the original mill until it was destroyed by fire in 1918. A new fireproof plant was then built and put into operation in 1920. The company manufactured and sold hollow gypsum tile and marketed gypsum board from other plants under the Wasem brand. Otto Wasem was the first general manager of the company and continued in that capacity from 1909 until the early 1930s. Henry Wasem, first secretary of the company, was president of the firm in the 1930s. In 1950 the Wasem Plaster Company was sold to the Celotex Corporation which built the large new modern plant along the Coalville blacktop in 1956. The Wasem plant was then closed and dismantled, but the structure still stands. Mr. and Mrs. Wasem moved to Phoenix, Ariz., where they resided for a number of years. Both are now deceased. THE KEMPLEY HOME [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.