From the book about Wabasha Co. Minnesota
"HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY"
Compiled by Dr. L. H. Bunnell
Published Chicago by H. H. Hill, Publishers, 1884
Republished Currently by Higginson Books

Most of this town lies in the bottoms adjacent to the Zumbro river, at its confluence with the Mississippi. The northeastern part is known as Sand Prairie, and the character of the soil is shown by its name. Great expectations were once indulged in regard to this particular locality. On the shore of the great river were standing the empty tepees of an Indian village when white men had begun to congregate in this locality. Timothy Enwright made a claim here, and the location soon attracted the speculative eye of several capitalists, as a feasible site for the up-building of a town. Accordingly, in 1856, Messrs, Thomas h. Forde, of Ohio, and Judge Casey, of Pennsylvania, platted a town, and named it "Teepeota." This was four miles southeast of Wabasha. Boats were induced to land here for a time, and the "boom" prospered. In 1857 Theodore Adams became a partner in the town-site. During this year a three-story hotel was erected, two stores and a blacksmith-shop were in operation, and the village numbered about thirty residences. D. Sinclair & Co. built a sawmill, which was set in operation in the spring of 1858, employing thirty men. The apparent success of this rival soon aroused the jealousy of Wabasha people, and bitter feelings were engendered. However, Teepeota was shortly compelled to acknowledge the superior advantages of its older rival. Boats refused to land there except at rare intervals, and people began to avoid and desert the isolated locality. On a March night in 1859 an incendiary torch was applied to its deserted buildings, and in a few short hours it was swept out of existence. No trace of it can now be seen.

South and west of the Zumbro lies a beautiful and fertile bench, about half-way between the level of the stream and that of the prairie at the top of the bluffs. Here settled, in the spring of 1854, on section 30, Messrs. Levi and Aaron Cook, and this gave rise to the name Cook's Valley, by which the locality is now known. Their location was at the mouth of Cook's valley proper, a valley tributary to that of the Zumbro, and running back southward several miles. Both these gentlemen are now deceased. The former has five children in Dakota and the west.

During the same year Dr. C. C. Stauff, a native of Germany, who had settled at Wabasha in 1853, located a claim near the river on section 19, on this bench, where he dwelt several years. He is now a prosperous merchant in Lake City, and his eldest son is clerk of the district court at Wabasha.

Ephraim Wildes was another settler of 1854, having first located on the northeast quarter of section 34. The next year he moved to section 30 and built the first frame house in the township. Here he died in 1861.

In April, 1854, Isaac Cole, now a resident of Wabasha, located on section 22, on the south bank of the Zumbro. He established a ferry and hotel and was largely patronized, for travel from Wabasha westward naturally followed the valley of the Zumbro. The Indians located by hundreds on the banks of the river were at times exceedingly troublesome, especially when returning noisy and furious from Wabasha, filled with the old-time fire-water. Brandishing their bowie-knives they threatened to kill and exterminated the whites, from which they were prevented only by the squaws wresting the dangerous weapons from them without ceremony. On one occasion they undertook to carry off Cole's ferryboat, and in fact did, but were compelled to abandon the enterprise by a posse of men who pursued and overtook them. Cole's son still occupied the old homestead, having a residence in the village of Kellogg, about one-fourth of a mile south of the site of the log cabin which did duty as a "tavern." In fact, every settler in those days kept a hotel, for explorers were glad to find a dry place to lie down when overtaken by night, and none were turned away hungry as long as the larder contained bacon and cornmeal. Game furnished a considerable portion of the provision against starvation and frequently furnished a meal with no accompaniment save salt.

Among other pioneers of 1854 may be mentioned G. H. Amerland, H. P.Wilson, John W. Murphy and Michael W. Riley, none of whom are now resident here.

The next year marked the arrival of Garret A. Cook, still a prominent and respected citizen of the town. He is a brother of Aaron H. and Levi Cook, and a biographical sketch of him will be found farther on.

Garret Albertson, a local Methodist elder, now deceased, came this year. His brother William at the same time located on section 30, where he now resides. His house has always been open to the weary traveler and is well known as a resort for preachers.

Patrick Holland located a claim on section 29, April 19, 1855, and still dwells thereon.

Daniel Metzgar located on section 30 in 1857, and still tills a small farm there. He is now sixty-two years old and is venerated and beloved for his noble qualities of mind and heart.

J. H. Wehrenberg, Henry Frye, Henry Graner and George McCaffrey settled in the valley in 1856.

A fine stream winds along the middle of the bench and is known as Cook's Valley creek. On the northeast quarter of section 34 is a small gristmill turned by this stream, known as Fish's mill.

Most of the early settlers were men of family, and appreciated the need of educational facilities. At a meeting of the citizens held in G. A. Cook's house, November 8, 1857, a school district was organized. John Canfield, a resident of Glasgow township, was made director, Garret Albertson, treasurer, and G. A. Cook, clerk. The latter has filled the same office for this community ever since, and still has the records of this first meeting. Nearly all the citizens of the town were present, and it was decided to raise fifty dollars for school purposes. By mutual contributions of labor, a log building was erected for a schoolhouse, on the site of the present one, in district No. 28, and school opened the same month. G. A. Cook's daughter, Aurora, was employed at a salary of ten dollars per month, and presided over the instruction of fifteen pupils during the winter. There are now four schoolhouses in the township, and the youth will compare in intellectual development and culture very favorably with those of other rural localities in the state.

A postoffice was located in Cook's valley in the spring of 1859, and supplied by the Wabasha and Austin stages. Daniel Metzgar was appointed to take charge of it, and after keeping it a little more than three years, turned it over to G. A. Cook, who has ever since administered its affairs.

In 1862 a postoffice was established at Pauselim, with W. A. Johnson as postmaster. On the organization of the village of Kellogg, the office was moved thither, and now bears the latter name.

Several of the pioneers were devout Methodists, and steps were early taken to secure the preaching of the word. The earliest religious services were held in the year 1857, at the cabin of Levi Cook, and was conducted by Rev. Crist, a Methodist clergyman. Rev. H. Dyer was soon after sent here by the conference, and he organized a class. In August, 1859, he was assisted in his labors by Garret Albertson, a local elder residing here. Sunday school here included thirty-five pupils.

In March, 1863, a meeting was held at Cook's Valley schoolhouse to take steps toward building a house of worship. The following trustees were elected at this meeting: Oliver Collier, G. A. Cook, John R. Brown, Ezikiel (sic) Collins, Nelson Staples. This committee, with the assistance of Rev. H. dyer, were instructed to solicit funds, and proceed to invest them as fast as secured in the construction of a church edifice. During the same year foundations were prepared and lumber brought on the ground. In the fall, N. Staples was awarded the contract for the carpenter work at seventy-five dollars, to be completed by March 1, 1864. The latter year saw the completion and occupation of the building. It is located on the south side of the Plainview road, on section 30, and is a plain frame structure, 24 x 36 feet in superficial dimension. It has been painted white, but at this writing (February, 1884) is in need of a new coat of color. The original cost of the building was about six hundred dollars, and it will comfortably accommodate one hundred persons.

A church of the same character and dimensions was built at Pauselim, simultaneously with that at Cook's valley. It was removed to Kellogg in 1882, and is now located in the southwest quarter of section 22. Divine service is held in these churches once in two weeks. Rev. Acres, resident at Read's Landing, is the circuit pastor. The Sabbath school at Kellogg includes about twenty-five pupils, in charge of Mrs. Charles LaRue. Much of the religious information above is derived from records now in the hands of G. A. Cook, who was secretary of the first board of trustees. About the time that these churches were built, a Presbyterian missionary was at work among the people, but he did not succeed in organizing a society. It was at first the intention of the Methodists to build only one church, but it was decided to be necessary that a society be maintained at each end of the town in order to preserve the supremacy of Methodism. No minister of any denomination is resident in the town, and the churches above described are the only ones in existence. Garrett Albertson, a local elder, dwelt here some years, and then removed to Alma, Wisconsin, where he died. Many residents of the town are communicants in the Catholic church at Wabasha.

On November 9, 1869, a meeting of citizens was held to arrange for the establishment of a common burial place. A cemetery association was formed, with J. A. Cole, G. A. Cook and Henry Graner as trustees. The latter was made treasurer, and all have served in the same capacity ever since. Two acres of land were purchased at fifty dollars per acre, from Henry Frye and Henry Graner, and the latter donated one-fourth of an acre. This constitutes Greenfield cemetery, and is located on the south side of the Zumbro, in the center of the south half of section 20. Lots sixteen feet square at first sold for five dollars each, but have materially advanced in valuation since that time.

By the spring of 1855 there were many families residing here, and the population soon began to increase by natural augmentation, as well as by immigration. The earliest birth among Caucasian residents was that of Frank, son of H. P. Wilson, and occurred June 25, 1855. August 31 of the same year a son was born to Carl and Wilhelmina Stauff, and christened Frank Henry. He is now associated with his father in business at Lake City. On November 16 a son was added to the family of Levi Cook. Augustus was the name given to this child, and is now living in Dakota. Frank Wilson is also supposed to be living somewhere in Dakota.

Wherever youth of the opposite sexes are associated together, there the little god of the bow and arrow is sure to be found. He came to reside in Greenfield probably as early as 1857, for March 28, 1858, witnessed one of his triumphs in the nuptials of J. Henry Wehrenberg and Anna Frye. This couple still resides here, surrounded by a large family of children. Some time during the same year Henry Stewart and August Wildes went to Sand Prairie and were married without any previous knowledge of their friends that such was their intention. This match appeared to prosper, and the couple is now living in Dakota.

The number of births and deaths recorded by the town clerk since the law requiring such record went into effect ~ from 1871 to 1883, inclusive ~ is as follows: