History of New Rockford- Jan. 7, 2019

On March 10 and 11, 1902, Henry Fritz was in from eastern Eddy County on business.

On March 11, R.E. Waldo and John Anderson were over from McHenry. A.L. Spracher and George H. Fields came in from Tiffany. H.G. Lathrop, David Williams and M. Cler were in from eastern Eddy County. Alonzo Neutzel and Wells County farmer Jacob Roffler were in on business. I.W. Sheldon came in to shop. Vincent Lyness visited in town. George Williams came in from his farm east of Barlow. Dennis O’Connor returned from his winter in the East. William Walsh arrived to take over his father’s farm which had been purchased from Viola Woodward the previous fall. Newlyweds J.L. “Lutzie” and Nettie F. Prader Jr., arrived by train and went out to their farm southeast of town. Sheyenne farmer Peter Nelson was in town. J.M. Lathrop went out to his homestead to prepare for spring work. At 8:30 p.m., the dancing school met.

On March 11 and 12, John Ducke was in on business from the eastern part of the county.

On March 12, I.A. Sanderson was in from the Tiffany Flats. Henry Heiple, S.R. Graham, Charles Johnson, George W. Price, William Murray, John Broderick and G.L. Woodwick were in from their McHenry farms. John T. Olson of the Hall district and Ole Skustad were in on business. William Bucklin of Langdon came down to visit. John W. Oard came down on business from his homestead in Ward County, where he planned on purchasing more land. Fred Dudgeon of Emmettsburg, Iowa, arrived to visit his sister Mrs. P.J. Hester and her family. Peter Butler drove in from eastern Wells County. Frank Thelander was up from his Barlow farm on business. Mr. and Mrs. Guy Lathrop returned from a two weeks’ trip to Minneapolis and other points. Mrs. George Baremore arrived from Clear Lake, Iowa, to join her husband on the F.C. Davies farm east of town. E.R. Davidson and Homer Allison returned to the ranch to count calves and pigs. That evening there was a social dance after the Sherrys entertainment, which consisted of musicians, vocalists, dancers, impersonators, quick change and specialty artists, “late coon songs, songs and dances, witty monologues, Oriental magic, etc….Two hours of solid fun. Everything refined and up-to-date.” The scene of both the entertainment and the dance was the Hotel Davies. There was “a fair sized house.”

At 10 a.m. March 13, at a public auction sale on the W.J. Carter farm 13 miles east of New Rockford and one mile east of the J.T. Smith farm, J.H. Bonney sold 10 work horses, two yearling colts, two sets of double work harness, two sets of single harness, three wagons, two buggies, two hay racks, one McCormick binder, one mower, one horse rake, one seeder, one gang plow, one breaking plow, one sewing machine, one cook stove, one heating stove and other household goods. Marsh Chamberlain was the auctioneer.

That day P.B. Anderson and F.L. Kermott drove down from Sheyenne on business. Mrs. J.N. Moore arrived from Des Moines, Iowa, where she had been visiting since her husband moved to New Rockford.

The March 14, 1902 “Transcript” mentioned the “Bowdon Guardian.” That issue commented that nearly every train brought in a potential settler. Another coach had to be added to the passenger train. The NHRS basketball team was practicing.

That issue cautioned that for some time a few New Rockford youngsters had been hitching rides on trains for a block or so. Two days before, one of the smaller boys had attempted to jump onto the steps of a car before the train came to a stop; he slipped, but was able to hang on and not be crushed by the wheels. If the boys did not cease the practice, the “Transcript” would report them to their parents, but if that didn’t help, then to the police or to the railroad.

John F. Goss, postmaster at Kiner and owner of a large farm in Wells County since the early 1880s, had purchased Henry L. Litcher’s interest in the Prader & Litcher general store, which was located on lots 30-31, block 24, [the site of the former Western clothing store] on Villard Ave., now [2019] Central Ave.

William Skidmore was building a house on his Tiffany farm. Dennis O’Connor was building a 28x32 barn on his farm west of New Rockford. Peter Michel was building a 28x32 house on his farm southwest of town. Robert Utecht was building a large house on his farm 12 miles east of New Rockford. Work had begun on the foundation of a workshop for J.L. Kinnaird south of his residence on North Chicago Street. Stone was being readied in preparation for the foundation of a two-story brick building to be built by J.M. Patch in the vacant lot between the Bank of New Rockford and the Rodenberg & Schwoebel store.

A.G. Pottner, agent at the Dakota Elevator, had choice seed wheat and ground feed for sale.

John Ducke would pay cash to someone to break 300 acres of land in time for seeding in section 32, T148, R63, [Cherry Lake Township] six miles west of McHenry.

The Jamestown schools were closed due to diphtheria.

P.J. Walsh and J.T. Hogan came in on the passenger train from Lindsay, Ontario, Canada, where they had spent the winter.

During the week Bert Jones returned from a trip. John T. West, a native of Virginia, was in town on business. J.D. Carroll was in town a few days. Former resident L.J. Willis of Minneapolis spent a couple days in town representing the Racine Buggy Co. of Racine, Wis. J.W. Young and John Monahan drove out to the Young farm to look over some cattle in that vicinity with a possible purchase in mind. Andrew Ohrner purchased a Merrill piano from Mrs. W.E. Biggs.

Recently Mr. and Mrs. James W. Lahart had returned from a trip to the South. Mrs. A.J. Ford and her mother Mrs. Sean went to Carrington to visit Mrs. C. Lewis; Mrs. Sean decided to remain a couple more weeks after Mrs. Ford returned to New Rockford.

During the next week the Lorig Bros. were planning on starting a 22x26 house on the W.O. Baird farm five miles outside New Rockford.

 On March 14, F.C. Davies and J.D. Carroll took the freight train out of Carrington to Pingree, where they were stormed in for a few days. That evening, S.O. Lee and H.B. Johnson were initiated into the American Yeomen, and then were storm-stayed until March 17 due to a blizzard.

 At 9:15 a.m. March 14 and 15, there were teachers’ examinations in the courthouse.