Ionia County native John Carveth, born in 1841, settled in Middleville in 1867 to read law, was admitted to the bar in 1868 after completing his studies, and established a practice there. He served one term as state senator for Barry and Eaton Counties in 1885-86 and built this elaborate Queen Anne house in 1886. Its asymmetry, spindlework, broad arches, and bull's eye motifs typify a style popular during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, while highly decorative Eastlake designs accent the interior trim, windows, and fireplace. In 1891 the Middleville Sun boasted that Carveth "now has hot and cold water throughout his house." Carveth moved to Grand Rapids in 1895 and sold the house to his brother-in-law and former law partner Aaron Clark, a wealthy landowner and founder of the Bank of Caledonia. This residence was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.