Northwood township is one of the best, if not the best, in Worth county. It is the most thickly populated, having 1,308 inhabitants, or nearly twice as many as any of its sister townships. The land is level prairie, with but a slight tendency to roll. The soil is of the same dark alluvial loam, with the sub-soil of drift, that characterizes the entire county.

Owing to the north line of the county being identical with the State line between Iowa and Minnesota, the township was cut short of its full complement of sections. This is a usual proceeding with all surveyors to run short on the north and west lines, and in this instance it deprives Northwood of six sections. The township is technically known as township 100 north, range 20 west. The river Shell Rock traverses it in a general southeasterly direction, and with its affluents tends to drain, and at the same time water the country, and seems to indicate that the true business of this section lies in stock raising. Equally well adapted to all kinds of grain, it is no wonder that the farmers, as a rule, are in a prosperous and happy condition. The Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad passes through this township in a north and south direction and connects the farmer of this section directly with the markets of the world.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The earliest settlement of Northwood township is identical with that of the county, for, within its limits, the first of the pioneers pitched their tents. The oldest inhabitant of the county, G. O. Mellem, came here in the summer of 1853, and built a cabin on land that he claimed, which was subsequently found to be the northeast quarter of section 32, a tract now lying within the corporate limits of the town of Northwood. A full detail of Mr. Mellem may be found under the head of "Early Settlement" in the general county history.

The next to locate in the township were Simon Rustad, Christian Ammandsen, Ole Solimetien and Andrew Peter Nelson, who, in the spring of 1854, followed their countryman to this county. In the fall of that year A. P. Nelson died, being the first recorded death in the township, although some doubt exists in regard to this—see chapter on early settlement of the county. The only thing remarkable in regard to this man Nelson was the fact that he dug his own grave. He came to the county, and, preparatory to erecting him a log cabin, commenced work by digging a cellar where his house was to stand. This he had only partially finished, when he sickened and died and his neighbors and friends ' buried him in the excavation and covered him with the soil that he had thrown out, a melancholy end of all his hopes and aspirations. He left a widow, a Swedish woman, who could not talk a word of English, but was a neat, tidy housekeeper and very fine looking withal. After the time for mourning for the dead husband had passed,William Burgert admired her, and, being himself a widower, aspired to wed her. But here came the difficulty, she could not speaker understand the English language, the only one known to Burgert. But necessity knows no law, and in those pioneer days, delicacy was something left behind at the settlements and Mr. Burgert applied to one of his neighbor's wives, who was of the same nationality as Mrs. Nelson, who went with him when he went courting and acted as interpreter. He and Mrs. Nelson, by this means, having talked the matter over, found out their mutual feelings and finally drove over to St. Ansgar settlement and were made man and wife. This was in the fall of 1855.

The William Burgert spoken of was an arrival of the fall or winter of 1854, and settled north of the village. He was a trapper and hunter, and was widely known as the man of many oaths, a relish with which he garnished all his conversation. He is now in California to which State he emigrated some years since.

John Hart and his brother made a claim and settled at Phelp's grove, as it was afterwards called, in the fall of 1854. They remained here a short time, when they sold out to Phelps and Bliton, who came the following year, and moved elsewhere.

The year 1855 brought a new era to this section, and as the great tidal wave of emigration swept over Iowa, part was directed this way. A large number settled in this township, of whom it would be impossible to mention all. Among the most prominent, however, of that year, were: David Phelps, T. McWithy, Hiram, Wlllard and Permeno Bliton, John S. Mark, Aslak Lee, S. Syverson, Ole H. Anson, Halvor Halvorson, Abraham Christopherson, G. Jorgenson and Arthur T. Bolton.

Among the arrivals of 1856 were many whose names are familiar to all. The most prominent were: Isaac M. Bolton, S. D. Green, Samuel Egbert, Kittel Olsen, Joshua W. Thomson, Nelson W. Emery, William Senior, John Elliott, Ole Torstenson, William H. Pritchard, Jerry Epworth, Benjamin Eyre, Chauncy Bliton, Madison Rice, John Bickel, Thomas Lothian, Francis Cope, David Ayres and Edward Ripley.

In July, 1856, Isaac M. Bolton settled in the northern part of what is now Northwood township. He took up a claim and at once entered upon the career of farming, a course which he has most successfully pursued to the present day. Mr. Bolton is the present chairman of the board of supervisors of Worth county, and is a representative man of the people.

Kittel Olsen, also known by his farm name of Klabbo, located on the northwest quarter of section 33. This land he entered, afterwards, at the land office, April 7, 1857, and during the summer of the game year sold out to Dr. D. D. Franklin. He afterwards enlisted in the 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, during the war of the rebellion, and on his discharge, settled in Hartland township, this county. Joshua W. Thomson has left this section, and is, at present, believed to be in the State of Kansas. Nelson W. Emery, another of these pioneers, after living here several years, was called to that land from whose bourne no traveler ever returns. He made several attempts at suicide, and in 1862, at Mitchell, succeeded in making way with himself by driving a tenpenny nail in the back of his head with a stone for a hammer.

Ole Torstenson entered the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 32, but afterwards sold out to some eastern parties, from whom G. O. Mellem purchased it. This land lies the other side of the bridge at Northwood, about a quarter of a mile from the river.

Thomas Lothian, some years since, left Worth county and Iowa, and emigrated to that new Eldorado, New Mexico, and has been lost sight of.

Francis Cope, having entered the service during the active and unhealthy dispute with the southern States, laid down his life upon the altar of his country, a martyr to an accursed rebellion.

Charles Wardall was the original founder of the town of Northwood, under which head will be found a more detailed account of his settlement.

Samuel Egbert was one of the men also closely identified with the embryo village that has now grown into a flourishing town.

In 1857 a still larger number of emigrants came to this vicinity, and among the best remembered of these were: Lemuel Dwelle, Charles Wardall, B. H. Beckett, D. D. Franklin, S. H. Franklin, Asa Franklin, Edwin Stevens, William Dixon, Enos Smith and G. H. Atwood.

William Dixon, from Westmoreland Co., England, settled on section 20, in Northwood township, in 1857. He "bached it" here for several years, partly engaged in farming, partly in trapping, in partnership with William Burgert, camping out at times, they spent many a lonely hour, months passing by when they did not look upon the face of a white man, except one another. He was married in the fall of 1864, and settled down to domestic happiness on the farm he now resides upon, about three miles from the county seat. He has worked hard for what he has, arid although a hospitable man, he believes in taking care of the pennies.

Edwin Stevens settled in the county in the spring of 1857. He located on the farm now owned by L. and G. Gullickson at the grove. After farming for a few years, he sold out to the present proprietors, and embarked in business at Mason City. This venture not proving satisfactory, he moved again on to a farm, this time settling in Fertile township. Here his stay was not long, for restless feelings soon depressed him, and he emigrated to the territory of Washington, whose far off shores are laved by the broad waters of the Pacific. On the 28th of February, 1879, at Samish, Whatcom county, that territory, Mr. Stevens departed from this life, for a brighter and better country. He was a good business man, a man who made both friends and enemies, of a quick, impulsive and generous disposition. It is said that there was nothing half-way about him, and his friendship once formed was lasting.

With these the pioneer days may be said to have passed away, but many of those who settled at a later date have been quite prominent in general township and county matters, and a few biographies are inserted to show the character of the settlement.

ORGANIC

Northwood township, then comprising the eastern half of Worth county, was organized by the same order, emanating from Judge Hitchcock, of Mitchell county, that organized the county. The first election took place at the house of B. H. Beckett, in the village of Northwood on the 13th of October, 1857. Seventy-four votes were cast in the township. Charles Wardall and Warren Barbour were elected justices; S. D. Green and Parmeno Bliton, constables. Charles Wardall, David H. Phelps and Horace Crandall acted as the judges of the election. No record exists of the above election beyond what is given above, the careless, easy way in which the first papers of the county were kept facilitating their loss.

The officers of the township at the present writing, 1883, are: P. A. Bliton, Hans O. Hanson, A. C. Dornberg, trustees; Ole E. Hopperstad, clerk; William Dixon, assessor; Simon Rustad, justice of the peace; F. T. Speidling, constable.

HISTORICAL EVENTS.

The first child born in the county, saw the light in Northwood township, and upon the site of the present village. It was Ole G. Mellem, the eldest son of Gulbrand O. Mellem, born Nov. 23, 1853.

The first death was that of one of a party of surveyors, who was drowned in in the stream at this place in the summer of 1853.

The first marriage in the township was also the first that took place within the boundaries of the county, and was that of Arthur T. Bolton and Felinda Bliton, which occurred upon the llth of July, 1856.

Transcribed by Gordon Felland, August 8, 2008