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Mathias Ham was born in Knox County, Tennessee, April 12, 1805. He visited Dubuque quite often. Mathias finally moved to Dubuque in 1833. In 1837, he went back to visit Kentucky and he married Zerelda Marklin and moved back to Dubuque. His first son Felly, was born on November 21 of 1839. In 1840, his second child was born it was a girl her name was Lewisan. In 1841, his third child was born it was a boy and his name was Sidney. Two years later his fourth son was born his name was Thomas Benton. His fifth child’s name was Zerilda Jane. Then the last child to be born was Sarah Hetherington. His wife Zerelda died in 1856, aged 43 years and 9 months leaving five children. After his wife died, he built the 23 room mansion in 1857. |
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| On September 9 of 1957 Mathias Ham married Margaret Mclean. They had 2 children, Mathias and May. Margaret May was born in 1897. Margaret Mclean Ham died in August, 1874. Mathias Ham died at his residence on Friday, March 8, 1889. Sarah Ham was the last member of the family to occupy the house. She died on May 15, 1921. | |
| The house was finished when Mathias lost almost all of his money in the financial crash of 1857. He worked the rest of his life trying to make up for what he had lost in the financial crash. The city of Dubuque purchased the Ham House from Sarah Ham in 1912 for 10,000 she had to sell the house because she didn’t have any credit left to borrow money. The house is massive on the outside and highly decorated on the inside. The ceilings of the home are 14 feet high. For a time the mansion was rumored to be haunted. Even a murder was rumored to have taken place in the house. | |
| The house is magnificent on the inside and massive on the outside. Windows extend from the floor to the ceiling. The ceiling of the home are 14 feet high. The third story isn’t an attic as in most homes. The spiral stairway leads up to the most fascinating rooms of the home the lookout tower. | |
