History of New Rockford: Dec. 30, 2019

On Dec. 2, 1902, Alonzo Neutzel came in from his large ranch near Lake Coe, where he had started “a nice herd of cattle.” Ed Anderson was in from Plainview on business, as was D.D. Dailey of eastern Eddy County. Miss Martha Zimmerman came in from southwest of town to visit friends. Rev. E.T. Quam stopped in New Rockford for a few hours on his way from his Foster County parish to Sheyenne. Mrs. Joseph Christ and daughter Anna returned from Dickey County and a visit with relatives. Herman Hallquist and Gilbert Bymoen were in from northwest of town. That night Thomas Elvrum of Bottineau, who had farmed a few miles east of Barlow at one time, visited blacksmith John Olson.

On Dec. 2 and 3, Mrs. W.G. Carter and daughter visited in town.

On the morning of Dec. 3, Peter A. Hanson, a farmer east of Barlow, and Serena Uglestad were married. Mr. and Mrs. Louis Martinson [Lewis Mortensen?] and Miss Uglestad drove into Barlow and all three took the northbound train. Hanson went to the court house, obtained a marriage license, and waited for the train, which he boarded, and all four went to Sheyenne, where the wedding took place, presided over by Rev. E.T. Quam. Mrs. Quam provided a wedding dinner which was finished in time for the couples to catch the southbound train. The newlyweds would live on the Hanson farm.

On the morning of Dec. 3, the temperature was minus 22. Rudolf Edwardson came up from his Foster County farm southeast of town on business. J.G. Dailey came in on business. Sylvanus Marriage was in from his Barlow farm, and J.W. Young was in from his Tiffany farm. Christ Guler came in from southwest of town on business and to visit. Martin Anderson returned from Minnesota. Mrs. Hugh Kennedy went to Jamestown due to the illness of her father. P.J. Hester left to spend the winter with his family in Oregon. That evening Dr. Julia Donahue, noted Chinese missionary, gave an illustrated lecture in the Methodist Church; the audience was “large and appreciative.” Also that evening Gussie McCue and a prominent businessman from Alden, Michigan, were married in Carrington; the couple left immediately for Michigan.

On Dec. 3 and 4, J.F. Curtiss of the D.H. Baldwin Piano & Organ Company was in New Rockford; he made Prof. J. Newton Moore his local agent.

On Dec. 4, Christ Fahrner came in from his farm southeast of town on business. Fred F. Allmaras was in from southwest of town. Isaac Walden and George Crossen were in on business. Mrs. E.R. Davidson and baby returned from Carrington. Jamestown attorney Fredrus Baldwin was up on legal business. First National Bank cashier James E. Hyde went to Fargo on business. Robert Walden left to visit his brother in Vancouver, B.C., and then to go on to the Canadian Northwest, where he expected to settle. That evening J. Frank Fouche gave a Shakespearean recital in the Opera House to a large audience. Excerpts from “The Merchant of Venice” and the non-Shakespeare “Richelieu”were “exceptionally good.” There were also comedy sketches. That evening a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Miller.

The Dec. 5, 1902, “New Rockford Transcript” stated that the clothing department of Rodenberg & Schwoebel was being removed to the “spacious room” behind the Buck & Couch Drug Store in the J.M. Patch Block. Buck & Couch had almost completed moving their stock into their new quarters in the Patch Block. During the week Drs. MacLachlan and McNamara were moving their office fixtures to the second floor of the Patch Block.

That issue contained a Letter to the Editor from A.M. Greely on “Tardy Pupils vs. School Board, et al.” Greely wrote that while the New Rockford School and its administration were “some of the best,” the board, principals, teachers, and students were not perfect.

Rules must be followed, but the rules should be reasonable. Regardless of who made the present tardy rule, it seemed to him to be a little “pinchy” considering the winter climate in our area. To send tardy students home for an excuse during cold weather exposed them needlessly to the elements and caused them to miss even more school.

Greely’s sister had died nearly 60 years prior due in part to a similar rule. School discipline could still require a tardy excuse, but it could be brought the next day.

Greely wrote the letter because a number of residents had been discussing the tardy rule.

The steam heat plant in the Hotel Davies was finished and would be turned on in a few days. Steve Noxon reported that the New Rockford telephone line subscriber list had gone from 42 to over 100 in just over six months. John Cole, the manager of the local exchange which had 42 phones, was adding more each day.

Every train was bringing in new lines of Christmas gifts for the Henry G. Hudson store.

F.D. Norton was in his dental office from the 1st to the 15th of each month.

Christ Fahrner had taken up at his farm 6 miles southeast of New Rockford a red calf with a white head, eight months old.

Blacksmith Nathan Flater had a painful felon on his right hand.

A note said that the late Mrs. John Weimals had a $1,000 insurance policy through the Degree of Honor; it was promptly paid.

The previous week Percy and Urban Wiltsie returned from the farm in Ward County to attend the New Rockford School during the winter. M. Mattson, Jr., was in Fargo and St. Paul. Robert Nunn returned to North Dakota and was once again on his farm east of Sheyenne.

Over the previous month jeweler Frank Howard had sold over $3,500 worth of diamonds.

On Dec. 5, Pat O’Keefe came in from western Eddy County. Louis Chaquette was in on business from his large farm northwest of New Rockford. Mrs. William Miller visited in Sheyenne between trains. Granville Egbert left for Barlow, where he would open a “branch” barber shop for D.Y. Stanton. Jay Hubbard, who had been the telegraph operator in the NP depot the past season, left for LaMoure, where he had been transferred. That evening Mrs. G.D. Murphy and Mrs. William Bucklin were initiated into the Brotherhood of American Yeomen Lodge, which also elected officers: B.C. Larkin, Foreman; W.O. Baird, Master of Ceremonies; H.M. Clark, Correspondent; Donald Niven, Master of Accounts. The installation was set for Jan. 2, 1903. Also that evening Mrs. Annie Oliver entertained 16 people at her home on Lamborn Avenue East at a progressive whist party.

On Dec. 6, the eight-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Prankie died in their farm home around 16 miles west of New Rockford from appendicitis; her funeral was on Dec. 9 in the Germantown [later Bremen] church. Miss Hilda Johnson returned to her Tiffany home after a summer and fall in New Rockford. That evening Pearl (Mrs. A.G.) Gardner, Mrs. Paul Noack, Mrs. G.D. Murphy, and Miss Harriet Turner were initiated into the Crocus Lodge #27 of the Degree of Honor; a social followed, attended by some of the Woodmen Lodge members, including their State Lecturer F.L. Bohn.

That evening the Crocus Lodge also elected officers: Anna M. Greely, Chief of Honor; Emma Beardsley, Past Chief of Honor; Cora M. Kinnaird, Lady of Honor; Carrie E. Fay, Chief of Ceremonies; Harriet Turner, Recorder; Coral B. Murphy, Financier; Mary O. Baird, Receiver; Alice M. Rager, usher; Jennie E. West, Inside Watch; A.M. Greely, Outside Watch; Minnie M. Bennett, Trustee for three years; Emma Beardsley, Representative; Minnie M. Bennett, Alternate.

That night fire destroyed Michael T. O’Connor’s barn and granary, about $1,000 loss with $350 in insurance.