It is with pride that after searching the history of Milford Township in Story County, Iowa, since 1990, many positive finding have been discovered. Milford Twp was declared the most rural township in Iowa in 1948. A good percent of the population are land owners and the families of Scandinavian, German and English decent are known to have strong work ethics. The following includes some of the careers Milford graduates, or Milford Twp residents, found for their niche in life (The year of graduation is identified by: `yr.): Also see pages 237,307, 321, 336, 340.
CAREER FARMERS -who must be the `jack of all trades' or `Doctor of many Trades/Skills' to be successful- with roots in Milford Township (Longevity is an educated estimation): Phil Allen'22 51yrs; Don Book; Herman Sorensen; John Sorem 30; Magnus Simonsen 50+yrs; John Hereim'27 40+yrs; Marion Gilreath'29 40+yrs; Max ArraSmith'32 60+yrs; Lester Brooks'32 45yrs; Joe Alfred'32 40+yrs; Jeff Rasmusson'32 45yrs; Floyd Twedt'32 50+ yrs; Erwin Alfred'33; Jeff Jacobson'33 45+yrs; Amil Twedt'33 35yrs; Otis'33 and Argyle Cole'34 55+yrs; LaVerne Jacobson'35 30+yrs; Myron Larsen'35; Bob Watson'46 40+yrs; Virgil Brooks'36 50+yrs; Edward Sorensen'37; Richard Sorensen'37 (A CENTURY FARM in 1990) 40+yrs; Leonard Tendall'37 40yrs; Ben Durby'39 45+yrs; Raymond Sorensen'39 45yrs; Lavern Brooks'40 30yrs; Robert Cooper'40 55yrs; Curtis Jacobson'40 40+yrs; Ed Larsen'40 (A CENTURY FARM in 1983) 50yrs; Marvin SmithJr'41 30+yrs; Bill Christy'42 40+yrs; Arnold'Arnie'Munson'42 50+yrs; Leo Tjelmeland'42 60yrs; Carl Buttry'44 40+yrs; Clayton Clifford'45,ISC, 28yrs; Wesley Warren'45 50yrs; Loren Rierson'46 40yrs; Richard Couser'47 50yrs; Kenneth Watson'47 1947-'57 10yrs, also see Transplants Farmers; John Wakefield'51 50+yrs; Robert'Bob'Williams'51 50+yrs; Art Sorem'52 27 yrs; Dale Hughes'55,OU,Texas Tech,51yrs; Duane Brodie'56 40+ yrs; Loyd Hughes'56 (A CENTURY FARM in 1976) 45yrs; Art Borton'57 45 yrs; Bob'Jake'Jacobson'57 50+yrs; Gene Roberts'62N 45+yrs; Loren Book'64N 35+yrs; Larry Sorensen'66N 40yrs; Marvin Smith III'65,IU'70, 20+yrs; Dean Tjelmeland'76 30+yrs; Brad Brooks'77 30+yrs. Eric Jensen`96N, Sec 33, age 27, started circa 2000, who has lived in Milford since age 3. The last young farmers to start farming in Milford Twp are, perhaps, Lucas Tjelmeland'08N, 17, and Paul Meyers of the Hughes family. The Morfey-Carleton farm became a CENTURY FARM in 2011. See page 86.
OTHER MILFORD TWP FARMERS, those who are farming in Milford Twp in the 2000's but started elsewhere: Glen A.Anderson 25+yrs; Fred D.McCoy 20yrs; Dennis P.Smith 20+yrs; Dave Stensland 25+yrs; Orland Stensland 25+yrs; Ron Stensland 25+yrs; Flynn Bro. 20+yrs; Mark and Justin Hansen, Grandsons of Betty Arneson `40. John Matters 30 years, Harold Matters, and Elzen Watson.
AGRI-BUSINESS:
`81 Boyd Brodie, ISU, Agronomist at Heart of Iowa in Roland. See page 70
`80 Chris Brodie, ISU, Agronomist at Creston,IA
TRANSPLANTED MILFORDITE FARMERS, those from Milford Twp whose farming careers are elsewhere: George Allen'27; Ray Danielson'27 Richland Twp 40yrs in Richland Twp; Virgil Burley'29; Robert Harlow'30; Lowell Burley'32; Caroll Louks'32; Marion Olinger'34; Walter Dale'36; Leonard Dueland'36 Nevada Twp; Earl Lee'36; Lester Shickell'36; Harvey Beal'37; Fritz Eller'37; Lester Molde'37 in WI 50yrs; Galen'Fritz'Stratton'37; Clifford Thomsen'37; Mervin Brooks'38 Richland Twp; Welden Kingsbury'38 Grant Twp 50yrs; James Matters'38; Walter Jacobson'39 in MO; Curtis Jacobson'40 Hardin Co; Wm'Bill'Brekke'41 45yrs Howard & Pocahontas Co's; Stanley Egland'41 Richland Twp 50yrs; Harlan Harper Jr'41 near Radcliffe 50+yrs; Guy Wakefield Jr'42 Franklin Twp 50yrs; Glen Egland'43 Howard Twp 50yrs; Earl Johnson'43 near Napier; Glen Sampson'43 Richland Twp 50+yrs; Harold Tjelmeland'43 Howard Twp 62yrs; Wally Tjelmeland'45 New Albany; Roger Harper'46 near Harlan 45+yrs; Don Morfey'46 30+yrs in MN; Ken Watson'47 Grant Twp&Boone Co 50+yrs; Eugene Mortvedt'50 Lafayette Twp 50yrs; Rodney Hansen'52 Warren Co(see "Chapter VI- People", he won the 1966 National "Big Plow" Plowing Contest); Eddie Allen `58 had a Coae Fish Farm in NE; Jerry Book'59 26yrs in Lucus Co.; Keith Tjelmeland'61,UNI, Howard Twp 20yrs; John `61R and David `64R Shold Howard Twp 45+yrs; Dennis Book'62N 40+yrs in WS; Larry Donaldson `63N 40+ Richland, Craighton Kaltenhauser, Rusk,WY, see page 70, Doug Sampson `73N in Richland. Bill Couser'73N has always farmed in Milford Twp and has had his `mail box' in Milford Twp but he lives across the road in Richland Twp on the Elmer Paul farm. The cattle feedlot was started in 1898 with 35 head of cattle and has grown to 5000 head. Bill won the 2011 National Award for Farm Environmental and Conservation Practices.
IOWA FARM MEDIATORS assigned to help with the farm crisis (Iowa was the first state to mandate mediations under Iowa State Coordinator, Mike Thompson) beginning in 1985: Jurine Borton Moore'56, IWC'60, Drake, in Decorah, West Union & Cedar Rapids; Jerry Book `59, Drake, in Albia. (worked with Patty Judge as his district coordinator)
`44 Mrs Gorden Bivens--Muriel Bivens, Washington Co Home Ec. 2 yrs, (1951-1953) See page 208.
`44 Mrs Fred Matters-- Lorine Matters, Tama Co. Home Economics 23 yrs.
`48 Richard Warren, ISC BS,MS, Clayton Co Assoc Extension Director 4yrs. See page 208.
`50 James'Jim'Christy,ISC BS&MS, (husband of Dorothy Olson'50), Story County Extension Youth Director 1953-'55 and Extension Director 1955-'95; ISU Ext Prof 1995-'02.
`52 Florine Borton Smalley, ISC BS'56&MS, she and husband, Merrill, were Master Gardeners in Johnson County.
`56 Jurine Borton Moore,IWC'60, Iowa Co, 1959-'62, and Linn Co, summer of 1976, ISU Extension. See page 211.