History of New Rockford: June 24, 2019

On the morning of June 26, 1902, excavation began for the J.M. Patch building. Thomas Everson and Louis Martinson [Lewis Mortensen?] were in town. F.G. Haver returned from his trip “up the line.” Guss Gullicks was down from Sheyenne. Chris Seibert of Germantown, Wells County, was in to pick up limber for a new large farmhouse. Mr. and Mrs. Martin Walsh and family left to visit his brother at Harvey; they returned on July 2. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Utecht and family left for her old home in Wisconsin due to the illness of her mother; they returned on July 3. That evening there was a break-in; the “Transcript” commented that there was an increasing number of hobos around and they should be told to “move on.”

The June 27, 1902, “Transcript” mentioned the “Sanborn Enterprise” and stated that A.J.F. Voight edited the “Leeds News” and that Mr. Bassett ran the “Valley City Alliance.”

Babcock & Bucklin’s new drug store was open; it occupied the location of the former J.C. Whiteman Drug Store [located where the Salon building is on Central Ave., 2019]. H. Peoples & Co. sold the DeLaval Cream Separator. H.G. Berge’s cigars had proven so popular that he was contemplating adding extra help. Christine Mattson was putting new furniture in the Hotel Mattson. C.J. Maddux had for sale a four-year old 1,200 lb. horse and a four-year old 1,000 lb. driving horse, both had just been broken. F.S. Dunham had to reseed forty acres of crops.

It was reported that the Buck & Couch drug store would occupy the first floor of the new J.M. Patch building; there would be floor space of 26x60 of hard woods, a steel ceiling, a plate glass front, and solid oak fixtures. The owners hoped to be in by Sept. 1.

The Prader & Goss building had a new coat of paint, as did Andrew Ohrner’s building on Chicago Street South and Babcock & Bucklin’s new drug store, the latter by John Anderson, who, along with his assistant Oscar Sams, was painting drayman Ed Martin’s new house on the east side. New Rockford Catholics were planning an addition to their church. Frank Griffiths was digging the basement for the J.M. Patch building with a road scraper. Charles Culp was the building contractor. Mr. and Mrs. B.C. Larkin’s residence on Stimson Avenue East was almost completed. J.L. Kinnaird’s new store on Chicago Street was almost finished, as was Mrs. Edna Flater’s house on Villard Avenue West and Mr. and Mrs. H.J. Mitchell’s house on Chicago Street North. John Wenz’s two-story shoe store was going up. Mrs. W.B. Cole was making improvements on her St. Paul Street photography studio. Samuel McDowell had broken ground for his new house on Stimson Avenue East. A.C. Buck had dug a well, started a cellar, and was having rock and sand hauled in for his two houses on Lamborn Avenue West. The New Rockford race track was ready for horse racing.

An article said that W.C. Schwoebel had dug up a peculiar “suthin’” and brought it to town. It was about three inches long and an inch in diameter and had a telescope-like tapering head or tail, people couldn’t tell which. W.C. Dresser held it in his hand, but all it did was squirm and roll over, so he sent it to the Agricultural Experiment Station for analysis.

“F.C. Davies has one of the finest gardens in the city.” John F. Goss was “slicking things up around his elegant home” on Stimson Avenue West. J.C. Fay had just added “an artistic iron picket fence” to his Lamborn Avenue West property.

George Crossen had been in town several times that week. During the week road overseer Henry Davis had graded the city streets. Mrs. E.A. Gammell visited friends in the country, as did Miss Phoebe Van Horn. Wells County farmer Harry Violett was in on business.

J.H. Hohl was in Cheney, Wash., looking over the country; former New Rockford banker F.E. Owen owned and managed a hotel there.

Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Biggs and son Mont were planning a six-weeks’ trip to Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, and down the coast to southern California; they left on July 2.

During the week park commissioner J.W. Stoddard was fixing up the downtown park. Former resident L.G. Willis was in town on business.

During the latter part of the previous week, J.M. Patch was in Fargo on business; he had returned on June 24.

On June 27, Jacob Valer from the Guler district, John Martin, and Chris Fahrner were in town. Mr. and Mrs. A.A. Morse were in from Freeborn shopping. Mrs. Ed Starks returned from her visit to Wisconsin and Minnesota; Miss Ruby Hartson accompanied her and would stay to visit. Isaac Hartson returned from Westfield, Wis., where his wife’s body had been interred. W.C. Hayes returned from Fargo and the Masonic and Eastern Star Grand Lodges held there. That evening there was a promenade, concert and dance to benefit the band. The Misses Floy and Jet Richter of Sheyenne attended, as did A.H. Johnson, Sheyenne grain merchant. The “Transcript” said the promenade concert “…was a most enjoyable event…” and had “…some of the finest music for the dancers.”

Also that evening David A. Larkin, 57, died at his home near Velva of heart disease. Interment was at Velva on June 30. He was survived by his wife, four sons and one daughter. Three of his sons—Arthur, Ben, and Clifford—left New Rockford for Velva on the afternoon of June 28 and returned on July 1. The other son and the daughter lived at Velva.

From June 27 to June 30, Miss Mae Tobler of Eden visited in New Rockford, then left for her claim near Granville; she had taught at the Eden School the previous six months.

The North Dakota Chautauqua was held from June 28 to July 20 south of the city of Devils Lake.

On June 28, Frank F. Crepps bought out N.J. Bruce’s half-interest in their large farm and its stock, machinery, and crops. Bruce then left for Sykeston, along with his mother. Mr. and Mrs. William Erdelbrock and David Twist were in shopping. David Carlson of Barlow and W.G. Carter were in New Rockford on business. John Seckinger was in from eastern Eddy County. Also in town were O.R. Pomranke, Thomas L. Adam, J.R. Craig, W.J. Morris, Martin Larson and Ludwig Hanson, the last three from Plainview. Mrs. J.E. Bennett and Miss Maggie Morris returned from Fargo and the Grand Lodge of the Eastern Star. Alice (Mrs. J.W.) Rager returned from a visit to New York State. James Walsh went to Leeds to help J.F. Dembiceki in his bowling alley. F.G. Haver went to Knox to supervise the construction of a 30,000-bushel grain elevator. The Degree of Honor met that evening.

On June 30, Mrs. E.S. Severtson returned from a visit with friends and relatives in Shakopee and other Minnesota towns; her cousin Miss Bessie Storer came with her for a visit of a couple weeks. John Topp, McHenry merchant, was in New Rockford on business. Mrs. C.H. Babcock arrived from Ellsworth, Minn., where she had visited her mother. The Bucklins were living in the “cozy cottage formerly occupied by Rev. Van Tassel on Stimson Avenue…” George Gillette made his last trip as the mail carrier on the Tiffany, Morris, Freeborn route; E.R. Davidson had the new contract and L.S. Ford would drive for him.