Edith Malissa Teel, born Echelberry, was born near the end of winter, on March 6, 1857 in Blue Rock, Muskingham County, Ohio. She was the youngest of seven children born to Valentine and Nancy Echelberry.

A family Bible of Austin Teel, Edith's husband, records that Edith was one-half (native American) Indian. Edith parents were farmers, and Edith herself went to school as a girl.

At age 19, in the Fall of 1876, October 18, Edith married Austin Sylvester Teel. While in Ohio, Edith gave birth to six of the couple's seven children: Mary Jane (1877-1962), Ira L (1879-1880), Flora (1881-1961), Nora (1881-1967), Molena (1886-1945), and Maude (1888-1971).

Sometime after 1888, the Teel family moved west to Nebraska, The date may have been after 1890, after Edith's mother died. Her father died in 1888.

The Teels settled around the Moorefield area, to farm. Their last child, Charles L. (1894-1976) was born here.

Edith died fifteen days after Charles was born, in the Fall of 1894, October 3. She was 37 years old. She is laid to rest in Moorefield Cemetery in Frontier County, Nebraska, with husband Austin, who died in 1927.