Brookfield comprises all of that territory known as congressional township 99 north, range 21 west, of the 5th principal meridian. It has Hartland on the north, Kensett on the east, Danville on the south, and Bristol on the west, for its boundaries. The land is generally of a black, unctuous loam, interspersed, here and there, by some patches of drift or gravel. Elk creek enters the township from Bristol, on section 18, and traversing the entire breadth of it, passes out at the southeast corner of section 24. Considerable timber is found in this locality, and the "burr oak openings" are well known throughout the county.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

There is frequently a difference of opinion as to who was the first settler, but as near as could be ascertained, Edmund Wright settled at what was afterward called Glenmary, in the spring of 1855. Here he remained until the following spring, when he emigrated to Hartland township, in company with his brothers. A nephew, Chester Wright, came with his uncle Edmund, and is still a resident of the county, living in Northwood township. Another account says that Ole Amundsen was the first settler within the present limits of Brookfield township. He came in the spring of 1855, and located on the northeast quarter of section 15, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in 1865.

Almost at the same time in 1855 came also Amos Helgeson and Nels Leverson, two brawny sons of old Scandinavia. Helgeson made a claim to the northeast quarter of section 14, and built him a cabin. Here there was born that fall a girl, whose name was Julia, the first white child born in the county. Mr. Helgeson died that same fall.

Nels Leverson settled upon the southeast quarter of section 15, but remained but a short time, removing to Mitchell county. During the late civil war, he enlisted among the brave "boys in blue," and died in the service of his adopted country.

Ole Peterson was the next settler, coming in the spring of 1856, and locating on the southeast quarter of section 15.

This same season a party by the name of Edward Wright settled on the northwest quarter of section 25, with his family, and built the first frame house in the township. He continued to make this farm his residence until 1859, when he found a purchaser and sold out, emigrating to the State of Missouri.

Andrew Henryson, or Hendrickson, as it is in his native tongue, was also an arrival of the year 1856. Amos Leverson, a young unmarried man, also located upon the southwest quarter of section 14, during the year 1856. The following year, after erecting his house, he was married. He and his family now reside upon section 2, of this township, of which he has almost always been a most prominent citizen.

With this it seemed that the emigration ceased to turn this way, and there was no settlement until a much later date.

ORGANIC.

The township of Brookfield was organized on the 13th day of October, 1863, the first election taking place at the school house east of Glenmary, when the following officers were chosen: Amos Leverson, clerk; Aslak Torsen, Ole Amundson and M. V. Bentley, trustees.

The present township officers are as follows: Nels Erickson, A. O. Harmon, Ole Amundson, trustees; Amos E. Nelson, clerk; Knudt Mustrum, assessor; Ole O. Tenold, justice.

FIRST THINGS.

The first school was taught during the summer of 1862, by Anna Cox, in a little log cabin on Ole Amundson's place. The first school house was erected in 1863, on the land of Ole Amundson.

The first marriage in the township was that of Levi Leverson and Mary Johnson, in the spring of 1857. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. C. L. Clausen, of St. Ansgar.

Levi Leverson bought the southwest quarter of section 10, in 1855, but did not locate upon it. He continued to reside in this township until 1858, when he sold out and removed to Bristol township, where he died in 1872. The wife is still living. There were seven children, the issue of this marriage.

The first birth was that of Julia, the daughter of Amos Helgeson, who first saw the light during the fall of 1855. This girl grew to be about twelve years of age, when she died.

The first male child born in the township was Peter, a son of Ole and Gertrude Peterson. The date of the coming of this little stranger was the 24th of March, 1857. He was brought up on the farm of his father, receiving a common school education, and has always lived within the limits of the township.

The first death that occurred was that of Amos Helgeson, one of the pioneers, who was called home shortly after his settlement in the township. He came in the spring and in the fall of 1855 died.

The first religious service was held in the spring of 1857, at Glenmary, by Walter Stott, of North wood, a licensed preacher of the Methodist Episcopal persuasion.

EDUCATIONAL.

During the summer of 1862, the first school taught within the limits of the present Brookfield was opened in a log house formerly occupied by Ole Amundsen, who had built him a more commodious and elegant mansion, and who had moved therein, leaving the old one vacant. In this, then, was taught the first school in the township. The attendance was about ten, and Anna Cox presided over the destinies of the school.

The following year this old building, not being very convenient, was torn down and in its place was erected a frame structure, 16x24 feet in dimension. The lumber for this building was drawn from Bristol.

There are now four school districts in the township, with a good substantial school house in each, costing on an average, $500. In educational matters, Brookfield township may be rated as above the average.

POSTOFFICE.

Tenold postoffice was established May 28,1881, and Ole O. Tenold was appointed the first postmaster. The first mail was received in June. Mr. Tenold and his neighbors brought the mail from Northwood, as it happened, until the 1st of July, 1883, when a mail route was established from Northwood to Fertile village, by way of Tenold and Hirondelle postoffices.

RELIGIOUS.

The first religious services were held, as has been said, in the spring of 1857, at Glenmary, by Walter Stott, in the log cabin built by Edward Wright. Regular services were held by him, at the same place, for some time, when, finally, the whole matter was allowed to drop, and services were held no longer. The first to hold services of the Lutheran faith was the Rev. T. A. Torgeson, who, in 1865, commenced to gather his fellow-countrymen into the folds of their mother church. He was after a time succeeded by Rev. B. Gelarker, and in the spring of 1878, by the Rev. O. Nelson. Services were held in the school house in sub-district No. 2, every three weeks. In the early part of the year, 1882, the congregation erected a fine church building. This edifice measures 30x52 feet, and was built at a cost of about $2,000. The building stands upon the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 27. Rev. Mr. Nelson still continues in charge of the flock, which now numbers something like 275. There is also a Sabbath school in connection with the Church, which meets every other Sunday, and is in a very flourishing condition.

A cemetery, or as the Germans call it " Gott's acre," is in connection with this church, and here are buried the young and old who pass the dark and silent river.

VILLAGE OF GLENMARY.

The ambition of all new villages throughout this section seems to have been to be the county seat, and this fever broke out quite early in Worth county. There not being villages enough, in 1857, G. B. Buttles and Martin V. Bentley laid out a bran new one, on the northeast quarter of section 24, and called the future metropolis Glenmary. This was almost a geographical center of the county, and the owners felt convinced of the almost certainty of having the seat of county government located therein. But " the best laid plans of men and mice oft gang aglee" sang Robert Burns, and thus it was with this scheme. Here, in the future commercial center of Worth county, the dreams of the sanguine proprietors of long rows of palatial stores, the ceaseless hum of machinery and the noble mansions of the wealthy, which were to enliven the spot and convert this wilderness into a city, were doomed to disappointment. No business of any kind was ever done, except that the proprietors, at their house, on the town site, sold a few goods which they had hauled in there to meet the rush of emigration expected. No people settled, however, in this spot, and soon the scheme was abandoned and the plat was vacated. Golden grain and bending corn now fills the place of marts of commerce, and the streets and alleys of the deserted village re-echo only to the low of kine, or plow-boy whistle as he homeward plods at even tide. Mr. Buttles lived at Iowa City until August, 1883, when he died, and his partner, Bentley, died at Northwood some years ago.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, July 27, 2008