History of New Rockford: Oct. 8, 2018

On Dec. 24, 1901, Hugh Kennedy caught his right hand in G.W. Brownell’s new feed mill and lost the nails and some of the flesh off two fingers. Kennedy had been trying to free some grain that had frozen to the sheet iron slide when his hand slipped between the rollers. Fred Belcher came up from Carrington to work on the “Eddy County Provost.” Oscar Bauer arrived for the holidays from Nome, N.D., where he was the manager of the Monarch Elevator; he had arrived in Carrington via the Soo Line and was picked up by A.J. Larkin and his brother F.A. Bauer, who had arrived from Glen, Wis., the previous week. Frederick and William Skidmore were in town on business. Will Bennett and his mother were up from Carrington for Christmas Day with Mr. and Mrs. E.R. Davidson. Hardware man H. Arveskaug went to Leeds for Christmas with relatives. Albert Hendrickson went up to Sheyenne for Christmas. That evening J.W. Perry came in from Cooperstown for a Christmas with friends.

On Dec. 25, Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Stedman spent the day with Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Kinnaird. Attorney Michael T. O’Connor returned from Fargo and Jamestown, where he had legal business. Elevator man Jack Cain and Dr. John Crawford came down from Esmond for a Christmas in New Rockford. Mrs. H.A. Stickney arrived from Brainerd, Minn., to attend the wedding of her son C.J. Stickney. The East Side Meat Market had a 140 lb. halibut on display.

At noon that day Peter C. Peterson of Barlow and Mary M. Peterson were married in the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Peterson, in Brooklyn, Wis.; the couple returned to Barlow on Dec. 31 and were in New Rockford on Jan. 2, 1902.

At 6 p.m. Dec. 25, C.J. Stickney and Helen Schmid were married at the bride’s residence in northwest New Rockford by Rev. J.R. Beebe. Only a few relatives and “most intimate friends” attended. It was described as “…the nicest marriage service ever conducted in this city.” It was followed by a wedding supper. The bride had been a teacher in Eddy County the past few years and taught the New Rockford Primary Department, Sept. 3, 1900- Feb. 12, 1901, and the Intermediate Department, Feb. 25, 1901- May 29, 1901. She was currently a New Rockford teacher in the second primary, beginning on Sept. 16, 1901, and continuing until she resigned on April 17, 1902. The groom had worked his way up the “Transcript” staff from printer’s devil to editor, but was currently the editor of a rival newspaper, the “Eddy County Provost.” Walter Schmid was up from Carrington for his sister’s wedding and then attended the fireman’s ball that evening which the NRFD hosted as a benefit dance in the Hotel Davies; there was a large crowd. The Logan & Farley Restaurant had “an excellent supper” for the dancers, served in their decorated dining room.

On Dec. 26, O.R. Pomranke was in town. John Wren and J.G. Dailey were in on business. That evening there was a masque ball in Sheyenne; Ed Myhre, Mr. and Mrs. E.S. Severtson, Messrs. Mack Campbell, Andrew Powers, Lloyd Whiteman, Ben Fay, Homer Allison, Roy Stitzel, Charles Baird, and Misses Pearl Henry, Ethel Alber and Lou Fertig attended.

On Dec. 26, Rev. J.R. Beebe conducted funeral services in Jamestown for W.E. Biggs’s nephew, then went to Sanborn the next day and returned to New Rockford on Dec. 28.

The Dec. 27, 1901, “Transcript” said that Fred, the eleven-year-old son of Rev. and Mrs. C.F. Sewery, was ill with rheumatism.

That issue contained a Card of Thanks from Rev. Charles F. Sewrey dated Dec. 25 to all the members of the “Shrine” and other friends for the good will and the gifts given to him and his family at Christmas.

M.F. Kepner was the new representative of the Western Surety and Adjustment Company, a real estate, loan, collection, and bond firm. Kepner was also a director. The company was going to attempt to settle some Iowa immigrants in Eddy County.

Miss Etta Swayne was up from Bowdon, where she was a teacher, for the holidays with friends. For a few days that week Mr. and Mrs. Peter Crane and daughter were in town. Mrs. George A. Brown had gone to Michigan for a few weeks to visit her old home.

The previous week Jesse Stowell, the brother-in-law of the Larkin brothers, and F.A. Bauer, the brother of Ethel and Oscar Bauer, arrived from Wisconsin to visit. They went to Minot and filed on some claims and returned to New Rockford on Dec. 21.

On Dec. 27, the Tiffany Ladies’ Aid met at Mrs. W.A. Cornish’s home. Mrs. W.C. Beardsley and daughter Miss Ione went to Fountain City, Wis., to visit relatives for a few weeks. That evening Merritt Guy Lathrop and Theresa Hoffman were married by county judge W.C. Beardsley at the judge’s farm residence. Cousins of the bride, C.R. Thornton and Miss Etta Hoffman, were the best man and the bridesmaid.

On Dec. 30, E.G. Allen returned from a month in the Mouse River country. Mr. and Mrs. C.O. Johnson and daughter Lucille returned to Cooperstown after spending Christmas with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. P.H. West. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Merrill Lathrop.

On Dec. 31, Frank and Verne Goodrich were in on business, as was Fred Martin, who was suffering from rheumatism although his symptoms had been partially alleviated by a treatment he had undergone in Fargo. Axtle Johnson, Paul Noack, and Jacob Valer were also in town. Mr. and Mrs. William Steinbach were in town shopping; Steinbach was reported to have one of the finest springs in the state on his farm— even in the coldest weather it never froze over, so his livestock always had fresh water.

On New Year’s Eve, Christina Mattson hosted a supper for her boarders, which lasted until a late hour. Several of the boarders made short speeches.

From Dec. 31 to Jan. 2, 1902, the North Dakota Education Association met in Grand Forks. Prof. E.R. Thomas, New Rockford principal, was elected as Second Vice President.