Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2025 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of Buffalo & Pepin Counties, Wisconsin - Vol. 1 pub. H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co., Winona, MN - 1919 [page 138-140] EDWIN P. COOK, of section 26, Mondovi township, Buffalo county, is a man who has achieved success along agricul- tural lines, after underging many initial discouragements and enduring many hardships. He was born in Wyoming Valley, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, Aug. 28, 1850, son of JOHN D. and ROSANA (PACE) COOK. It was in 1857, when a lad of seven years, that he came west with his parents, who located in Sauk county, Wisconsin. There they remained from the spring until the fall, when they came overland with an ox team to Buffalo county, settling two miles west of Mondovi City. At that time, there were but two houses in the place, and they were log structures. During the first winter of the family in Wisconsin its members suffered severe hardships, as the parents were very poor - so poor, indeed, that Edwin had to go without shoes, although an only child. The mother died in Naples township in 1892, and the father in Mondovi township, in 1903. EDWIN P. COOK attended district school for a limited period, but most of his time was spent in working on the home farm, which he helped his father to develop. A new epoch in his life occurred when, on Sept. 17, 1872, he married RUTH JOSEPHINE, daughter of FRANKLIN and MARY SAXE, of Naples township, Buffalo county. In the same year he bought 80 acres of land in Eleva, Trempeauleau county, to which he moved in the following year. As the land was unimproved, he had first to erect a dwelling, and accordingly built a com- fortable frame house, after which he began the work of clearing and breaking the land. He also soon increased the size of his farm by the purchase of 80 additional acres. For a time all went well, and then misfortune overtook him; first in the loss of his horses, valued at $750. Then he sowed 90 acres of his land in wheat, and harvested only 180 bushels, the chinch bugs devouring the rest. Unable to stand such losses, by 1882 he found himself practically bankrupt, and had to give up his farm and during 1883 and until 1885 worked in a mill near Augusta, for GEORGE GRAVES. In the spring of 1885, he found himself ready to make a new start, and coming to Mondovi township, Buffalo county, home- steaded 80 acres of wild land in section 26, to which he later added another 80 acres. This second venture proved more successful, as he succeeded in building up a good farm on which he is still residing. Among his improvements are a good frame house of nine rooms; a frame barn, 40 by 60 by 14 feet, with full basement; a granary, corn-crib, hog house and poultry house. Seventy-five acres of his land are now under the plow and the soil is productive. General farming and dairying are carried on with good financial returns, the active work of the farm being now in the hands of MR. COOK'S two sons, LEON and RAY, and his brother-in-law, ROBERT EAVES. In politics MR. COOK is a Republican, and has held some minor offices. By his wife, RUTH JOSEPHINE, now deceased, he had a family of twelve children, whose record in brief is as follows: WALTER O., born May 8, 1873, who is working on the home farm, and is also operating a farm of 40 acres, which he owns, in section 25, Mondovi township; AGNES L., born Feb. 15, 1875, who died in August, 1876; PEARLEY L., born Jan. 24, 1877, who is now MRS. MYRON PARR, of Greenwood, Clark county, Wisconsin; THOMAS B., born Feb. 12, 1880, who married MYRTLE E. BAKER, a farmer of Bison, Mont.; JAMES EARL, born March 12, 1882, who married MARIETTA BAKER, resides in Mondovi City, and owns 320 acres in the state of Montana; WILLIAM A., born Aug. 16, 1884, who mar- ried IDA FORTUNE, and is living on a farm adjoining the old COOK homestead; EDWIN B., born Nov. 12, 1886, who died in infancy; LAURA H., born Feb. 7, 1888, who is residing at home; MARY ROSANNA, born March 29, 1890, is now the wife of ROBERT EAVES, who is engaged in working the COOK farm; MILO GLENN, born June 6, 1892, and who married LIZZIE HANSEMANN, resides in Mondovi township; LEON RAY, born March 3, 1895, who is working the farm with MR. EAVES, and who married SELMA AUSER, and FLORENCE MAY, born Feb. 11, 1898, who is the wife of CLARENCE HULVERSON, of Gilmanton township, Buf- falo county. After many years of hard work, spent mostly in farming, but also in part as a carpenter, which trade he learned in early manhood and followed for a time, MR. COOK is now taking his ease and enjoying a comfortable prosper- ity. Since 1872 he has been a member of the Masonic order, first joining Lodge No. 112, at Eau Claire, and being subse- quently transferred to Mondovi lodge, No. 252. He has a wide acquaintance and is a man who is highly esteemed for his record and personal qualities. MRS. EDWIN P. COOK died June 1, 1918, after having been an invalid for a number of years. She was a woman greatly beloved and the following sketch of her life will be of interest to her numerous friends. RUTH JOSEPHINE SAXE was born at Tobyhanna, Monroe county, Penn., May 18, 1854. With her parents, FRANKLIN and MARY SAXE, she came to Wisconsin in 1865, settling on a farm in Naples township, Buffalo county. Here, amid the scenes and hard- ships of pioneer life, she blossomed into beautiful woman- hood. On Oct. 17, 1872, she was united in marriage with EDWIN P. COOK. Ten years of their married life were spent on a farm near Eleva, two years at Augusta, and the rest of her life in the home where she passed away. Besides the husband and children, she left six grandchildren; also four brothers and one sister, namely: JOHN SAXE, of Mondovi township, Frank and James Saxe, of Mondovi City, STEWART SAXE, of Naples, and MRS. SCOTT HICKS, of Pepin. MRS. COOK was an ideal mother, toiling early and late for those en- trusted to her care, thinking no task too hard, no burden too heavy, no sacrifice too great for her to make for those she loved. She loved her home and was never happier than when ministering to those nearest and dearest to her. She had been in failing health for a number of years previous to her death. Everything a loving husband and children could do was done. Never a more dutiful daughter than MRS. ROSE EAVES ministered to a declining mother's wishes, and it was her patient hands that helped to smooth the rugged pathway as she neared the dark valley. MRS. COOK was a kind neighbor and will be missed by those with whom she came in contact. She was a beneficiary member of the Lady Maccabees. Funeral services were held at the M. E. Church, Thursday, June 6, the Rev. A. M. Harkness officiating. Interment was in the Oak Park Cemetery, where she sleeps beside the two little ones she loved and lost long ago. ===========================================================================