Charles Kemper, (1848-1927) and the original owner of this home, was one of ten children of Simeon Kemper (1799-1883), and the only one to survive to maturity.  Simeon was a surveyor by profession who chartered the route of the Hannibal-St. Joseph Railroad linking the city with the East and in 1846 was elected surveyor of the city.  Simeon submitted a plan for the original city of St. Joseph with wide streets and parks similar to European cities, but the plan was rejected by Joseph Robidoux in favor of that proposed by a rival surveyor, Frederick Smith.

Charles, who was arrested at the age of 14 for yelling “Hurrah for Jeff Davis” to a group of federal soldiers going past his house, was an officer in the Richardson Dry Goods Company, and partner in Kemper, Hudley, and McDonald.  In 1873, Charles married Mary Robinson (1855-1937).

This Queen Anne style house was designed by Eckel and Mann with 3,444 sq feet of space, 10 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 9 stained glass windows, and 7 fireplaces.

One of the principal architectural features of the house is the exterior treatment of an interior staircase with three stepped stained-glass windows and accompanying brickwork visible on the north side of the home.  The west side of the home features a second-floor oriel with curved windows toped with the third-floor balcony that has been reconstructed from the original blueprints.   

The land for the house was purchased in 1881 for $3,500, and the building permit was issued in 1889 for $8,000.  Construction was completed in 1892.

Charles and Mary had one son and five daughters; three of the daughters never married and lived in the home until the death of the last, Mary Lee (d. 1974).  In 1975, the house was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Miller for $21,500.  The Millers offered tours of the home throughout the 1980’s for $2.50 as the Kemper-Miller house. 

In September 1990, the frame home next door being renovated by Pam and Lee Cone was destroyed by arson, taking the oriel, roof, and much of the Kemper house with it.  Pam and Lee purchased the house to save it from demolition.  The property was acquired in 1993 by the current owners (Connie Westhoff and Dwane Wylie, and Mary Lou Wylie and Lennis Echterling) and has undergone a complete rebuild and renovation.        

Turn right and walk to the next house to find the VanDeventer House.