History of New Rockford- Dec. 17, 2018

On Feb. 19 to 20, 1902, H. Arveskaug, manager of the Thomas Ose hardware store, was in Leeds.

At 10 a.m. Feb. 20, there was a public auction at the Fred Martin farm eight miles west of New Rockford, where all his farm machinery, stock, and household goods, including eleven work horses, five cows and two calves were sold. At 2 p.m. a free lunch was served. F.C. Davies was the auctioneer. That day J.N. Kunkel came over from Fessenden to remove his household goods to that town; his family was to follow on Feb. 24 [they left Feb. 22]. Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Ford were in town. Arthur Warren came in from eastern Eddy County. Mrs. George Brown returned from Pontiac, Mich.; Mr. Brown met her in Jamestown. J.R. Winslow returned from a trip to the Twin Cities and other eastern points. Barber John Oard came in from Des Moines, Iowa, where he had purchased a barber shop. He planned to go into business there that spring. On Feb. 21, Oard left for his claim near Bowbells.

That night someone broke into Donald Niven’s meat market and stole around $200 worth of smoked meats and took about $5 from the till.

The Feb. 21, 1902, “Transcript” said that the “White Earth Record” was a new newspaper in the state. Mrs. Jennie Davidson was the local agent for Alfred Peat & Company wallpaper.

Lorne Ireland had been suffering from pleurisy. The previous week John Sheer, the 24 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Sheer, who lived northeast of Fessenden, died of smallpox, the first such death to be reported in the area.

The Washington School District #9 would receive bids until 2 p.m. March 25 for the construction of one frame school house in section 5, T149, R63 [Lake Washington Township]; D.D. Dailey, clerk.

Early in the week former resident C.E. Allen was down from York to visit; he was the manager of a lumberyard and was a grain dealer in that town. During the week Mrs. B.B. Brown of Cooperstown was over visiting her husband, the NP tank man; she returned home on Feb. 26.

Early in the morning of Feb. 21, George W. Flater, 33, died of acute Bright’s Disease. He had gone to bed early the previous evening feeling very tired. He got up to get a glass of water, was seized by a convulsion and died less than an hour later. He was born on June 15, 1868, in Blenheim, Ontario, Canada. He came to the U.S. with his parents in 1883. On Sept. 4, 1901, he married Edna Whiteman. His funeral was at 3 p.m. Feb. 23, with members of the Workmen Lodge in attendance. Over 40 carriages were in the funeral procession. He was interred north of town, and his grave is in Prairie Home Cemetery. His gravestone has his name, the date of his death and his age.

On Feb. 21, John McIver of Freeborn transacted business in New Rockford. Guss Gullicks was in town. John M. Mulvey returned from the ND Hardware Dealers’ Convention in Fargo. Both C.R. Thornton and Ben Fay went to Minneapolis for a week’s visit.

On Feb. 22, David Carlton, Perry Blomquist and Carl Blomquist were up from Barlow. Martin Larson came in from Plainview. August Ponto was down from Sheyenne. John Wald of Larrabee and the Misses May and Stacia Hennessey of Carrington were in town between trains. Jacob Roffler and W.W. Overton came in on business. John Guler was in town, as were Mr. and Mrs. D.H. Keyton, who shopped. Andy McVey returned from his Minnesota trip during which he purchased forty cattle for his farm five miles south of New Rockford. John Monahan returned from Faribault and other Minnesota points with three carloads of 70 cattle, one to two years old, for his farm south of New Rockford. R.P. Allison was in Jamestown on legal business. Homer Allison was in Sheyenne. J.N. Kunkel and family left for their new home in Fessenden.

From Feb. 22 to 26, Mr. and Mrs. D.C. Cunningham of Thompson were in New Rockford because of the bereavement of her sister Mrs. George Flater.

On Sunday, Feb. 23, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Smith attended the funeral of George Flater.

On Feb. 23 and 24, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Culp were in Minnewaukan visiting her parents.

On Feb. 24, Peter McAvoy drove in from eastern Eddy County. Martin Walsh was in from the North Tiffany Flats on business. F.T. Shoemaker came in from Tiffany. Veterinary surgeon F.W. Tompkins was down from Oberon on a professional visit. Patrick Harrington drove in from his Morris farm. Mr. and Mrs. George Johnson came in to shop. Mrs. August Ponto came down from Sheyenne. George Pincott was in from the Sheyenne Valley east of Sheyenne. J.G. Dailey and Anson Bonney were in town. J.W. Young of the Hotel Mattson went out to his farm. George Fugina left for a couple week in his old home, Independence, Wis. Fred H. Martin and family left to visit in Grandin, N.D., for a month before leaving for California, where he hoped to alleviate some of the pain of his inflammatory rheumatism. That evening Rev. D.H. Clarkson held Episcopal services in the Baptist Church. At 8 p.m. the NRFD met in the Clure Implement Company’s office.

On Feb. 24 and 25, J.T. West was in town on business.

On Feb. 25, the Bank of New Rockford had resources (assets) of $112,066.22, up $3051.91 from the $109,014.31 of Dec. 10, 1901. Checking accounts amounted to $75,568.71, down $1661.28 from the $77,229.99 of Dec. 10.

On Feb. 25, the Eddy County State Bank had resources (assets) of $27,773.72, up $6236.24 from the $21,537.48 of Dec. 10. Checking accounts were $15,533.43, up $2881.35 from the $12,652.08 of Dec. 10.