History of New Rockford - April 30, 2018

The August 16, 1901, R.R. Woodward was looking for a man and wife to work on his farm. W.B. Cole had a Photo Studio on St. Paul & Lamborn. Mrs. W.B. Cole “…is an excellent photographer….” She was doing a lot of business.

Strayed from New Rockford—one six-year-old mouse-gray male pony, about 950 lbs., large wire cut on right ear; contact H.S. Crowder, Bowdon, N.D. Taken up July 13 one dark iron-gray horse colt, about two years old with white stripe on face. J.J. Anderson, Freeborn, N.D.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Allmaras’ new farm house northwest of New Rockford was almost completed, as was the addition to the Bank of New Rockford. William Erdelbrock was building an 18x18 residence with a 12x12 addition on his farm west of New Rockford. Logan & Farley were renovating the old courthouse and would soon open it as a restaurant. They had used a lot of wallpaper and paint.

Gus Swanson had moved his rollers mills to the south side of Barlow. J.R. Engberg had sold a carload of Milwaukee binders at Barlow and was waiting for a second carload. A telephone had been installed in the Ewald & Yale store in Barlow.

Early in the week Prof. C.B. Waldron of NDAC was in the area adjusting hail losses.

In the Barlow area the following had adjustments: J.R. Engberg, John Herringer, Matt Kelley, E.R. Lichty, W.H. Lichty, C. Rhodes, John Schmid, Ed Weigman and John Wonderlick.

During the week, L.A. Arbogast was in town looking over his elevator business. John W. Carr, a 1901 graduate of the UND Law School, spent a few days in New Rockford.

The previous week Mrs. Imogene Rollins arrived to visit her father A.M. Greely and family.

During the latter part of the previous week, Marsh Chamberlain had received a carload of sheep for his farm northeast of New Rockford.

On August 16, the Catholic ladies served ice cream in the park. Oscar Irwin was in from eastern Eddy County. Aslak Aslakson was down from Sheyenne. M.R. Stillwell, an old friend from Ohio, stopped off on a trip back from the Pacific Coast to visit with J.W. Young; he left on August 21. Miss Gertrude O’Connell returned to Minneapolis after several weeks visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John O’Connell. From 6 to 8 p.m. the Ladies Social Union of the Congregational Church served a supper, consisting of fried spring chicken, corn on the cob and green apple pie. Also that evening, Charles Pake and Dennis O’Connell returned from Fessenden and Emrick on the Soo Line, where they had put in scales for Joseph Lahart, who was planning on having a “track buyer” of grain in each town that fall.

On August 17, Dr. Charles McNamara returned from two weeks visiting his sister at West Superior, Wis. George F. Pike returned from the Twin Cities, where he had purchased fall stock for the H. Peoples’ store. John Schaeffer was in from the Tiffany Flats for harvest supplies. Thomas Maher of Lancaster, Ohio, arrived to help tailor William Miller during the busy fall season. A.J. Richter was in from southeast of town. Thomas Adam came in from the farm.

On the morning of Sunday, August 18, banker and Mrs. P.J. Hester and family and Miss Nell Davidson drove to Carrington to visit Mr. and Mrs. T.F. McCue and family. Former resident Chris Rageth, a Harvey butcher, visited in New Rockford. Joseph Grebb and J.C. Fay came over from Fessenden; the latter was assisting in the renovation of the Dakota Elevator and would visit his family. Miss Lucia Nelson and Miss Jemima Buchanan were up from Carrington to visit Mrs. E.S. Severtson. J.C. Smith was in from Melville to visit friends and relatives. A 13 lb.. son was born to Mr. and Mrs. D.D. Dailey of Morris. Nels K. Mattson was in town that evening.

On August 19, a New Rockford man brought a bouquet of local flowers to the “Transcript” office, where it resided on Mrs. W.J. Morris’ desk. Burrill A. Daniels and Stephen Roberts were in from Tiffany on business. Mrs. Merritt Lathrop was in from a ranch in eastern Eddy County to visit her parents. Peter A. Anderson also came in from the east, as did Peter Smith from the Rocky Mountain district. Nels Nelson drove down from north of town. Businessman L.G. Lundin, “Sheyenne Star” editor C.C. Manning, barber H.J. Miller, and Christen O. Myhre of Sheyenne were in town on business. Philip Ackerman came in from his farm west of New Rockford; Christ Berge did the same from northwest of town. Ed Stitzel bought a new Advance thresher. Miss Annie Fleutsch returned to Jamestown after visiting her sister Mrs. H.L. Litcher and family. Mrs. R.P. Allison visited her son R.L. Allison in Barlow. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. E.M. Morris near Lake Coe. A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Crawford. That evening H.W. Clark became a Third Degree Mason.

On that day, Mrs. A.C. Buck and Mrs. John Arbogast watched tennis matches in Carrington. John B. Arbogast, F.G. Haver, E. McLain and Dr. Charles McNamara represented New Rockford. McLain and McNamara played Ritchie and Moultrie of Valley City (no results available); two Valley City players defeated Haver and Arbogast 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; McNamara and McLain defeated McKenzie and Smith of Carrington 6-4, 6-2, 6-0, 6-0; Haver upended Ritchie 6-4, 6-2; and Arbogast whipped Moultrie 6-0, 6-2.

On the morning of August 20, H. Peoples returned from a business trip. He had driven to Carrington, took the Soo Line to the Twin Cities and ordered some more threshing machines. Dan Deshon arrived from Kidder County to help with the harvest. Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Richter were in town. George Fields was in from Tiffany. Rev. E.T. Quam of Sheyenne was on the train bound for Jamestown. Frank Pottner went to Cathay and Fessenden. That evening Martin Larsen came in from Plainview for a visit. W.L. Bennett, John Martin and his brother and Mr. Gindray were all up from Carrington.

On August 20 to 21, Jack Haley was in town on business; all his grain, except for flax, was cut and threshing would begin the next week.

From the morning of August 20 to the evening of August 21, Mr. and Mrs. E.R. Davidson drove to, visited in, and returned from McHenry, N.D.

Rain fell on the night of August 20 and the morning of August 21.

On August 21 at noontime, A.M. Venne, leader of the Ft. Totten Indian band, came to New Rockford and visited with some of the band boys. Venne was on his way to the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania for a course in music. Ole Mattson was in from northwest of town. John W. Seckinger was in from Colvin. C.A. Parker was in from Tiffany: the cutting of his oats, wheat, and barley was almost done and threshing would start near the end of the next week. Mrs. Axtle Johnson and Miss Nellie Hulbert were in town shopping. The Methodist ladies served ice cream at their church. R.R. Woodward went to the Twin Cities to order fall and winter merchandise for his store.

On August 21 (or 28), several horses were running loose in the barnyard of Mr. and Mrs. O.C. or B.C. Ofstedahl/Ofstedal, who lived ten miles northwest of New Rockford, when their eleven-year old daughter decided to drive them ahead of her. However, she got too close and one of the horses kicked her on the left side of her face, inflicting a serious injury. She was immediately brought into town where Drs. MacLachlan and McNamara cared for her. The girl was improving, with a strong likelihood of a scar.