History of New Rockford: February 5, 2018

On June 12, 1901, B.A. Daniels was in from Tiffany. James B. Dafoe came down from his Sheyenne Valley farm. Veterinarian surgeon F.W. Tompkins was down from Oberon on a professional visit. Mrs. Thomas Halverson arrived from Kiser, WI, to visit Mrs. W.J. Morris for the summer. Other New Rockford visitors included Ike Sanderson and Frank Miller, who farmed near Barlow. Bank of Sheyenne cashier S.G. Severtson was in New Rockford between trains. Thomas Adam was in from his farm. John Cain went to Jamestown to see his sister Mrs. J.W. Lahart. That evening Prof. E.R. Tomas of the New Rockford Schools and Anne Parker were married at the home of the bride’s mother in Redfield, Iowa. Both were graduates of Iowa State College; for the past year she had taught in the Grammar Department of the Redfield School.

 On June 12 to 13, George Hickey was in Carrington.

 On June 12-14, the Eddy County Sunday School Convention took place in the New Rockford Baptist Church. Rev. John Orchard, Sunday School Field Representative, was the director. Mrs. S.P. Johnson, the state’s primary Sunday School worker, had been scheduled to assist, but family illness detained her at home. Mrs. John Dutee represented the Morris Sunday School, and Mrs. James Dafoe represented the Rocky Mountain Sunday School.

 The program for June 12 was—2:30 p.m., opening exercises conducted by H.M. Clark, president; 3 p.m., [an address by Mrs. S.P. Johnson was scheduled]; 4 p.m., “Shall We Have Teachers’ Meetings? How Shall They Be Conducted?” by Mrs. B.W. Rantz; 4:30, “How Shall We Get Out of the Ruts in Sunday School Work?” by Mrs. W.E. Briggs; 7:30, song service; 8:30, “Grace Gut, and Gumption” by Rev. John Orchard, followed by offerings. Only a small audience listened to Rev. Orchard’s lecture.

 The program on June 13 was—10 a.m., opening, Mrs. B.W. Rantz; 10:15, reports, appointment of committees, etc.; 10:45, Home Departments, Walter Priest; 11 a.m., address, Rev. S. VanTassel; 11:30, paper “Follow Me,” Mrs. L.O. Reed; 2 o’clock, primary classes: “Who Shall Teach? Why? What?,” Mrs. S.P. Johnson; 2:45, business meeting, election of officers, etc.; 3 p.m., normal work and question box; 3:45, “Why Should Teachers in Sunday School Be Christians?” Dennis Pottinger; 4:15, address; 4:30, “The Relation of Sunday Schools to County Associations,” Rev. John Orchard; 7:30, song service; 8:30, “The Value of a Child to the State, Home, and Church,” Rev. John Orchard.

 The program on June 14 was—10:30 a.m., “The Right of a Child,” Mrs. May M. Keime; 11 a.m., unfinished business; 11:15, a round table led by Rev. Orchard; 11:30, “What Good Have Received from This Convention?” with everyone joining in; noon, adjournment. Charles Goss attended the Convention.

 On the morning of June 13, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. George Stitzel. Mrs. A.D. Tomlinson and Alva returned from a couple weeks’ visit to Bottineau. Tiffany blacksmith J.A. McCrum was in New Rockford. Matt Endres was in town; he was building a 16x16 addition to his farm house and bought a load of lumber for it. Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Carter shopped in town; she also attended the Sunday School Convention. J.E. Tate and Eugene Oard went through New Rockford on their way to Velva. The various committees met in the court house to plan the Early Settlers’ annual picnic. That evening Mr. and Mrs. H.J. Mitchell entertained some friends at their home with music and dancing.

 The June 14, 1901, “Transcript” mentioned the following newspapers: the “Wheatland Eagle,” “Oakes Republican,” and a new paper the “Bismarck Palladium,” under Luther McGaham.

 “Transcript” owner C.J. Maddux complained that State’s Attorney P.M. Mattson had known of the crimes of B.M. “Doc” Leonard and others, but did not order their arrests the previous week until after they had testified against him in his disbarment case. Another item had Maddux claiming that Mattson had a warrant out for Leonard, but could also have cited other law breakers. Instead, he chose Leonard because he was the only one who testified against Mattson in his disbarment trial.

 After his arrest Leonard posted as five hundred dollar bail, but was immediately re-arrested on similar charges. The case was then dismissed in court on a request by the State because there was insufficient evidence. Another warrant had been issued and Leonard was re-arrested. Judge Turner set the hearing over a few days, but Mattson then said he had another arrest warrant issued by Judge Manning of Sheyenne.

 Peter Schaefer was putting additions on both his house and barn in eastern Wells County. Matt Lies was hauling lumber for a 28x49 barn on his farm twelve miles west of town. John Bollingberg was hauling lumber for a new 40x60 barn. Hans Guler was building a barn southwest of New Rockford. The new tennis court was completed south of the Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Kinnaird residence. The foundation for the new 40,000 bushel Pake Elevator was almost ready on the corner north of the Johns’ Elevator.

Davies and Jensen had a new rubber-tired carriage at their livery stable.

G.J. Schwoebel was a new clerk at Peoples’ general store.

Roadmaster George Stitzel was working on the county highways; he had also removed the old bridge south of town and put in tiling and did some grading.

Mrs. J.L. Kinnaird was back from her visit to the Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Stedman farm. J.M. Patch had been expected to arrive from his Indianapolis home, but sent word he could not leave because of the illness of his wife from rheumatism and stomach trouble. Blanche and Bessie Butler were entertaining Bertha King at their farm home west of town.

Master Willie Baird was ill with scarlet fever; the Baird house was under quarantine. Merchant George W. Pike was quarantined at home with two of his children who had scarlet fever.

W.C. Beardsley had around seventy-five bushels of seed flax for sale.

A report stated that former resident Jacob Berg, who had become addicted to bootleg whiskey laced with wood alcohol, had received a sentence of seven and a half years in Canada for counterfeiting. He had left New Rockford just as he was about to be arrested for counterfeiting. For the previous few years every dollar he was able to earn went to the consumption of booze. The family he had left behind were being cared for by neighbors.

On June 14, the New Rockford lawn tennis team went to Carrington to play. Dr. Charles MacLachlan and John Arbogast defeated George Soliday and Don Smith 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Dr. Charles MacNamara and F.G. Haver defeated Dr. McKenzie and Mr. McCue 6-0, 6-0.

On June 14, Mark Hulbert and Halvor Halverson were in New Rockford. H. Peoples left on an eastern business trip. E.S. Severtson left for Minneapolis; he returned with Mrs. Severtson and their baby on June 17. While he was gone, S.G. Severtson of the Bank of Sheyenne took his place in the Bank of New Rockford. That evening there was a young people’s dance in the “mammoth hay loft” on the W.C. Schwoebel farm; Kunkel & Hudson provided the refreshments.