Joseph and his brother William were industrialists in neighboring Davenport before their factory burned to the ground in 1902 and they moved their operation to the small town of Gilbert, which would rename itself Bettendorf the following year.

It was designed by Davenport architect Arthur H. Ebeling, who referred to Bettendorf as the "fussy one.

East of the main house was a swimming pool, which has since been filled in, and a bathhouse, which is now a private home.

[5] The house was sold to a religious order of men in the Catholic Church called the Marists in 1959.

[4] The Bettendorf house is considered a well-preserved example of the English Manor Style, and it was once described as "the finest mansion ever built in the Quad-Cities.

A grand staircase on the south side of the house leads through a terraced, landscaped garden, and is flanked by statues of guard dogs.

[4] Renovations in 1966 and 1973 increased the number of bathrooms, the library was converted into a chapel, and the bowling alley and the pool were eliminated.