Establishing a Historical Landmark - 1818 Lincolnway West

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1818 Lincolnway West Historical Context This property is located on the southwest corner of North Brookfield and Lincolnway West, in South Bend, Indiana. It is described as being lot 4 of Moon's First Addition of South Bend. This wood frame American Four Square, style house, was built in 1907 for Francis L. and Mary Alward. Mr. and Mrs. Alward lived in this house until the nineteen -teens when they began to rent the house out. They returned to the house during the 1930's at which time they shared the dwelling with their daughters, Margaret and Miriam. , both of which were teachers at Ardmore School. Francis L. Alward was born in Union Township in 1875, to Francis M. and Sarah Alward. Mr. Alward taught in various rural schools for eight years before attending Vories Business School in Indianapolis. Upon his graduation Francis became a cashier for the Singer Manufacturing Company, thirty -one years later he was promoted to head bookkeeper. Mr. Alward also served as president of the St. Joseph County Council in 1936. He married Mary Ream in 1905 and had five children, two sons and three daughters. Francis died tragically in 1944, he was struck by an automobile while on his way to the grocery store. Mrs. Alward sold the property a month later to Etta and William J. Donat. William Donat was born in Topeka, Indiana in 1866. He married Etta Gibson in 1889 and had four children. The family moved to South Bend in 1921 at which time Mr. Donat became a buyer for Sanders Lumber Inc., on Walnut Street. Mr. and Mrs. Donat resided in this house with their daughter, Veda Kinney until their deaths. Mrs. Kinney, widow of Clayton Kinney, was an inspector with the Bendix Corporation until her retirement in the 1960's. Veda remained owner and occupant of this house until 1992 when the house was sold to John and Deanna Bowalds, who in turn sold it to the current owner, Rebecca Cronk, in 1999.