Histories:
Trempealeau County Historical Accounts:
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 14:
Trempealeau County is filled with valleys and cooleys, all bearing a local name, usually the name of the first or most prominent settler in the locality. The names of hundreds of these vales are yet to be gathered by the earnest historian of future years. The origin of a few of the typical names is here presented:
Abraham's Cooley, six miles north of Galesville, is named from Abraham Madson, a native of Norway, who came to Trempealeau County from Coon Valley, Vernon County, in the spring of 1863 and here spent the remainder of his life. Following Mr. Madson the early settlers in the valley were Andrew Anstensen, Ole Olson Sorgendahl, Johanes Nelson Berge, Andrew Lebakken and Christian Breningen.
Bill Valley was named after one of its earliest settlers.
Bruce Valley is named for Nathaniel P. Bruce, who settled in the valley in the fall of 1867.
Borst Valley was named after Martin W. Borst, who located several sections of land there at an early date and opened up hundreds of acres of this choice soil to grain and tame grass.
Crystal Valley, situated several miles from Galesville, was settled in 1854 by John Marten. It was named by H. W. Maughmer.
Fitch Cooley was named from Joseph Fitch, who was frozen to death while carrying hay to his oxen in that cooley in the winter of 1863-64.
Fuller Cooley is so called from a man of that name who settled in the cooley and was killed by lightning.
German Valley was named from several German settlers, among them the Coop and Berkanauer families.
Holcomb Cooley was named after Al and Abe Holcomb, who purchased or by homestead claim took up lands there from which they removed the timber to their sawmill on the Prairie. A son of Abe Holcomb, Henry Hibbard, lived on these lands in the fall of 1870 and for several years afterward.
Hungary Valley, also called Latsch Valley, takes its name from the large number of Hungarian Poles who settled in the valley from 1865 to 1870, the first to come being Frank Pellowski, whose sons, Jake, Frank and Barney, are all prominent men in the county.
Korpal Valley was name from John Korpal, an early settler.
King Valley was named from James King, long its most prominent settler.
Lake Cooley is named from Henry Lake, who settled there in 1856 and secured extensive tracts of land. He was widely noted for his hospitality, keeping open house for all the travelers coming up over the ridge from French Creek.
Latsch Valley was named in honor of John Latsch, a native of Switzerland, who in 1856 settled near the creek at the mouth of the valley which is located a few miles above the present village of Dodge. He later became founder of the firm of Latsch & Son, wholesale grocers at Winona. From 1865 to 1870 a number of Polish and Hungarian settlers located in the main valley, and the name Hungary Valley came to be applied. By some the whole valley is called Hungary Valley, by some it is called Latsch Valley, while others apply the name of Latsch Valley to the region where Mr. Latsch settled, and the name Hungary Valley to the main portion of the valley.
Lewis Valley is named from Captain John D. Lewis, a veteran of the Civil War and of the Colorado Indian campaign, who settled in the valley that now bears his name, in May, 1866. He lived in the valley the remainder of his life and became one of the county's leading men.
Meyers Valley was named after Nic, Casper and Peter Meyers, who settled on farms there in 1856.
Newcomb Valley was named from Isaac and Harold Newcomb, who settled in the main valley in 1866.
Niffin Cooley, the valley of Niffin Creek, which flows into Lewis Valley, is named from Lewis Niffin, who took a claim on the creek, four miles above Arcadia, and remained there about a year.
Niphon Valley was the name originally applied to Lewis Valley.
Norway Cooley was so named because all its early settlers were of the Norwegian race. The first to arrive was Knudt Leofson Strand, who is still living there on is old homestead. Mr. Strand, who came to America with his wife and one child in 1861, had located in Vernon County, Wisconsin, where he heard such favorable reports of Trempealeau County that he resolved to investigate them. With a friend named John Gunderson he came to the county in the summer of 1863 and, selecting a pleasant location in Holcomb Cooley, the two men began cutting hay. But hearing of good land to the northward they started out on a further trip of exploration and after a long tramp reached the mouth of one of the most beautiful cooleys they had ever seen. Here Mr. Strand determined to locate, and accordingly went to La Crosse and filed claims. In the following spring he came back and built a hut, also a shed as shelter for some stock he had brought with him. In June of the same year, 1864, he brought his family and began in earnest the task of developing a farm.
Reynolds Cooley, Preston Township, was named from Edmond M. Reynolds, an early settler. The ridge over which the early settlers came into this valley from the Ettrick country is now pierced by a great "cut" to allow the passage of the Ettrick & Northern Railroad.
Travis Valley is named from Joshua Travis, an Indian herb doctor who settled in the valley at an early date. The valley is often incorrectly called Traverse Valley, but the man's own signature shows the correct spelling.
Tappen Cooley is named from Ole O. Tappen, who settled in the valley in 1857.
Tracy Valley was named from A. D. Tracy, a distinguished early pioneer who arrived in 1858, and settled in the valley in 1859.
Tromp Cooley is named from John Von Tromp, a carpenter by trade, who in 1855 settled on what is now the Bernt Peterson farm. He afterward sold and secured a farm across the Trempealeau River at the mouth of the valley which has since been called in his honor. He afterward moved to Iowa.
Thompson Valley was named after three brothers by the name of Thompson, who settled there and opened large farms now the homes of their children.
Vosse Cooley is in the southeastern corner of Trempealeau County. Nels Anderson Evangorhaugen settled in the valley in 1856. He was known as Vosse Nels and the valley took his name.
West Prairie received its name from its geographical position in regard to the Trempealeau Prairie.
Wickham Valley was named after James Wickham, long its most prominent settler.
Zabrinski Valley was named from Joseph and Anton Zabrinski, who settled there in 1865.
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 14:
Valleys and Cooleys
-As transcribed from pages 279 - 281
-As transcribed from pages 279 - 281
Trempealeau County is filled with valleys and cooleys, all bearing a local name, usually the name of the first or most prominent settler in the locality. The names of hundreds of these vales are yet to be gathered by the earnest historian of future years. The origin of a few of the typical names is here presented:
Abraham's Cooley, six miles north of Galesville, is named from Abraham Madson, a native of Norway, who came to Trempealeau County from Coon Valley, Vernon County, in the spring of 1863 and here spent the remainder of his life. Following Mr. Madson the early settlers in the valley were Andrew Anstensen, Ole Olson Sorgendahl, Johanes Nelson Berge, Andrew Lebakken and Christian Breningen.
Bill Valley was named after one of its earliest settlers.
Bruce Valley is named for Nathaniel P. Bruce, who settled in the valley in the fall of 1867.
Borst Valley was named after Martin W. Borst, who located several sections of land there at an early date and opened up hundreds of acres of this choice soil to grain and tame grass.
Crystal Valley, situated several miles from Galesville, was settled in 1854 by John Marten. It was named by H. W. Maughmer.
Fitch Cooley was named from Joseph Fitch, who was frozen to death while carrying hay to his oxen in that cooley in the winter of 1863-64.
Fuller Cooley is so called from a man of that name who settled in the cooley and was killed by lightning.
German Valley was named from several German settlers, among them the Coop and Berkanauer families.
Holcomb Cooley was named after Al and Abe Holcomb, who purchased or by homestead claim took up lands there from which they removed the timber to their sawmill on the Prairie. A son of Abe Holcomb, Henry Hibbard, lived on these lands in the fall of 1870 and for several years afterward.
Hungary Valley, also called Latsch Valley, takes its name from the large number of Hungarian Poles who settled in the valley from 1865 to 1870, the first to come being Frank Pellowski, whose sons, Jake, Frank and Barney, are all prominent men in the county.
Korpal Valley was name from John Korpal, an early settler.
King Valley was named from James King, long its most prominent settler.
Lake Cooley is named from Henry Lake, who settled there in 1856 and secured extensive tracts of land. He was widely noted for his hospitality, keeping open house for all the travelers coming up over the ridge from French Creek.
Latsch Valley was named in honor of John Latsch, a native of Switzerland, who in 1856 settled near the creek at the mouth of the valley which is located a few miles above the present village of Dodge. He later became founder of the firm of Latsch & Son, wholesale grocers at Winona. From 1865 to 1870 a number of Polish and Hungarian settlers located in the main valley, and the name Hungary Valley came to be applied. By some the whole valley is called Hungary Valley, by some it is called Latsch Valley, while others apply the name of Latsch Valley to the region where Mr. Latsch settled, and the name Hungary Valley to the main portion of the valley.
Lewis Valley is named from Captain John D. Lewis, a veteran of the Civil War and of the Colorado Indian campaign, who settled in the valley that now bears his name, in May, 1866. He lived in the valley the remainder of his life and became one of the county's leading men.
Meyers Valley was named after Nic, Casper and Peter Meyers, who settled on farms there in 1856.
Newcomb Valley was named from Isaac and Harold Newcomb, who settled in the main valley in 1866.
Niffin Cooley, the valley of Niffin Creek, which flows into Lewis Valley, is named from Lewis Niffin, who took a claim on the creek, four miles above Arcadia, and remained there about a year.
Niphon Valley was the name originally applied to Lewis Valley.
Norway Cooley was so named because all its early settlers were of the Norwegian race. The first to arrive was Knudt Leofson Strand, who is still living there on is old homestead. Mr. Strand, who came to America with his wife and one child in 1861, had located in Vernon County, Wisconsin, where he heard such favorable reports of Trempealeau County that he resolved to investigate them. With a friend named John Gunderson he came to the county in the summer of 1863 and, selecting a pleasant location in Holcomb Cooley, the two men began cutting hay. But hearing of good land to the northward they started out on a further trip of exploration and after a long tramp reached the mouth of one of the most beautiful cooleys they had ever seen. Here Mr. Strand determined to locate, and accordingly went to La Crosse and filed claims. In the following spring he came back and built a hut, also a shed as shelter for some stock he had brought with him. In June of the same year, 1864, he brought his family and began in earnest the task of developing a farm.
Reynolds Cooley, Preston Township, was named from Edmond M. Reynolds, an early settler. The ridge over which the early settlers came into this valley from the Ettrick country is now pierced by a great "cut" to allow the passage of the Ettrick & Northern Railroad.
Travis Valley is named from Joshua Travis, an Indian herb doctor who settled in the valley at an early date. The valley is often incorrectly called Traverse Valley, but the man's own signature shows the correct spelling.
Tappen Cooley is named from Ole O. Tappen, who settled in the valley in 1857.
Tracy Valley was named from A. D. Tracy, a distinguished early pioneer who arrived in 1858, and settled in the valley in 1859.
Tromp Cooley is named from John Von Tromp, a carpenter by trade, who in 1855 settled on what is now the Bernt Peterson farm. He afterward sold and secured a farm across the Trempealeau River at the mouth of the valley which has since been called in his honor. He afterward moved to Iowa.
Thompson Valley was named after three brothers by the name of Thompson, who settled there and opened large farms now the homes of their children.
Vosse Cooley is in the southeastern corner of Trempealeau County. Nels Anderson Evangorhaugen settled in the valley in 1856. He was known as Vosse Nels and the valley took his name.
West Prairie received its name from its geographical position in regard to the Trempealeau Prairie.
Wickham Valley was named after James Wickham, long its most prominent settler.
Zabrinski Valley was named from Joseph and Anton Zabrinski, who settled there in 1865.