Brooklyn

By Herman A. Mueller

About 1850 and earlier there came to Madison County from Ohio the Guiberson family who took quite an active part in the early days in the up-building of this country. Edwin R. Guiberson was County Judge and Representative of Madison County. Israel Guiberson was a lawyer and held the office of Recorder, dying early. Nathaniel Guiberson was a prosperous farmer in Union Township, dying a few years ago. John W. Guiberson was a farmer and Methodist preacher in Walnut Township. On May 29, 1855 he had William Davis, the County Surveyor, plat the Town of Brooklyn which plat was signed and dedicated September 6, 1855 and approved by Judge Pitzer April 15, 1856 and plat ordered and recorded. It is described as follows: beginning at the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of Section 14-74-27 thence running south 30.40 chains, east 16.75 chains, north 15.75 chains, east 3.15 chains, north 14.58 chains, west 19.90 chains to the place of the beginning. The town consisted of eleven blocks of eight lots each, each block seventeen rods square, and there were also nine out-lots. The land is at present owned by Leroy Clifton.

The town was located on the main traveled road from Winterset to Osceola and the stage stopped here. I have been told that from 1855 to 1860 Brooklyn was quite a thriving town. There were two general stores run by John W. Guiberson and William Mills respectively; one blacksmith shop operated by Abe Roberts, a brick-yard by William Quick. The Methodist circuit rider, Rev. J. B. Rawls lived here, also John Hilton, Lee Nunn, David Drake, a Mr. Gillespie, Smith Jones, son-in-law of J. W. Guiberson, William Rhyno, Mr. Flanagan, father of the late John Flanagan, deputy auditor under G. W. Poffinbarger. J. Vance Walker tells me that he taught singing school two winters in this village. A Post Office was established February 19, 1857 with William Quick as the first Postmaster, followed in succession by William Mills, John W. Guiberson, and D. D. Drake under whose incumbency it was discontinued June 15, 1860.

About this time, Mr. Guiberson moved to California. Later it was discovered that the title to the lots was not good on account of an encumbrance that was against the land before it was platted. The original plat is on file in the Recorder’s office at Winterset, but does not appear to be made a matter of record. During the “sixties” the village began to decline. People began to leave, some taking the buildings away, others abandoning them or disposing of them the best they could, until finally all the buildings were removed. Mr. Fred Beeler says that he bought the last building left standing and moved it to his farm. The last transfer of lots was made by William Quick to Margaret Hilton, April 12, 1865. Today scarcely a trace can be found where back before the “War” once stood a thriving village of fifty or more souls.