Exhibit 21

          Subsidiaries.  
     150

Subsidiaries

     The subsidiaries of Brenton Banks, Inc., their location, the
jurisdiction in which they are incorporated or organized, and the names under
which subsidiaries do business are:

Name Under which Subsidiary                               Jurisdiction in
Does Business and Location                             which Incorporated or
    of Subsidiary                                            Organized

     Banks

Brenton Savings Bank, FSB                                   United States
Ames, Iowa

Brenton Bank                                                Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa


  Non-Bank Subsidiaries

Brenton Brokerage Services, Inc.                            Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa

Brenton Insurance Services, Inc.                            Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa

Brenton Mortgages, Inc.                                     Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa

Brenton Insurance Inc.                                      Iowa
Marshalltown, Iowa

Brenton Independent Insurance                               Iowa
  Services of Tama County, Inc.
Toledo, Iowa

Brenton Realty Services, Ltd.                               Iowa
Marshalltown, Iowa
     151