Our story began over 150 years ago, when Obed Lewis married Cordelia Iles and built their family home on the corner of Seventh and Jackson Street, just one block west of the Lincoln home. The Lewis’ three children, William, Kate and Mary, became close friends with Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln’s children. Being the family home, it was passed down through the generations until the 1930s, when it was sold and converted into commercial office space.


In 2007, Obed and Cordelia’s great-great grandson and his wife, Court and Karen Conn, purchased the family property hoping to restore its 19th-century grandeur. Unfortunately the home had seen many additions that voided the once elegant home of all its charm.

Not being the type to give up on dreams, the Conns explored numerous ways to bring back the historic ambiance to the family property. Court and Karen made the difficult decision to raze the muddled family home in an effort to preserve another structure. With the help and cooperation of the City of Springfield, Springfield Clinic, the Heritage Foundation, and Expert House Movers, the Conn’s preservation effort to rescue a Lincoln-era home from demolition, included moving the Isaac Lindsey house six blocks to its present location at Seventh and Jackson.

Today the Isaac Lindsey home rests on the Lewis property, along with Obed Lewis’ original carriage house that was built around 1900. The original redevelopment plans for the Isaac Lindsey home called for building downtown Springfield’s first microbrewery, but after architectural renderings and budget forecasting began, the Conns realized the property was too small. With many discussions and exploring various options with Court’s sons, Casey and Adam Conn, the decision was made to expand by acquiring a dilapidated historic property adjacent to the Lewis family lot. 


In 2011 the Conn family purchased the once prominent historic home of the Booth-Grundendike family at Sixth and Jackson Street

The Conn family began to realize their dream of a Microbrew Pub in September 2011 when construction began on the restaurant and pub in the Booth-Grundendike house, and the brewery plant in Obed Lewis’ carriage house. Obed & Isaac’s Microbrewery & Eatery opened for business on February 12, 2012 and except for Christmas and Thanksgiving, has been open every day since.