History of New Rockford: Sept. 14, 2020

July 4, 1903, was chilly. There were New Rockford people at the Chautauqua Grove (J. Adam Bede was the orator; Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Thomson and family were there; they returned home the next day; Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Hyde and Miss Eddys Cole were there; they returned on July 6; Mr. and Mrs. H.J. Mitchell and family, Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Clark, Miss Harriet Jefferson, Donald Niven, Lloyd Whiteman, and A.C. Buck were there); Harvey (including John Anderson); Carrington (Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Flater); and Sykeston (William Chambers), but the majority stayed closer to home. At the Chautauqua site F.C. Davies got in the way of some boys racing their horses and was badly bruised; he was up and around by July 10.

A total of 35 residents were at Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Dresser’s in New Rockford, whose house and yard were decorated with flags and bunting. Besides the Dresser family, others in attendance were the families of Mr. and Mrs. George M. Pike, Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Brownell, A.G. and Pearl Gardner, Mr. and Mrs. S.N. Putnam, J.W. and Alice Rager, Mr. and Mrs. W.O. Baird, Mr. and Mrs. G.F. Putnam, and Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Maddux. Other guests were Mrs. Brown, W.E. Biggs, and Prof. and Mrs. Moore.

In the afternoon there was a program: National Salute by “Ralph and Aylene”; Declaration of Independence read by Mr. Pike; “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Messrs. Dresser, Gardner, and Putnam; Patriotic Declamation, “Jennie Lind” by Mrs. G.W. Brownell; Patriotic Songs, Mary Baird, Jenny Brownell, Ada Dresser, and Mrs. Putnam; Medley: Mary Baird, Pearl Gardner, and Johanna Maddux; “Carrie Nation” by Alice (Mrs. J.W.) Rager; Recitation, Mrs. Putnam; Oration, C.J. Maddux; a series of farcical presentations: “Trials of the School Board,” Mr. Pike; “How To Keep People Straight,” G.W. Brownell; a speech in Dutch Dialect, J.W. Rager; “Gas,” W.O. Baird; “Treatise on Steam-Valve,” W.C. Dresser; “Painting Picket Fences,” A.G. Gardner; and “Breaking Bronchos,” S.N. Putnam; a Drill by the North Dakota Volunteers (boys under ten); and “America” led by Jenny Brownell.

The ladies prepared a meal. In the evening Japanese lanterns decorated the trees and shrubs and fireworks were set off, “the largest and most interesting of any private event in the county.”

There was a large Fourth of July picnic in Chamberlain’s Grove five miles west of town attended by 2,000 people. There were sports (horse and pony races, foot races, a fat man’s race, boys’ races, bicycle races, and catching a greased pig), baseball (Plainview, 14; New Rockford, 12), speakers (State’s Attorney James A. Manly and attorney R.P. Allison), singing, music by the Walsh Bros. and the Kelly Bros., and a dance from early afternoon to midnight; dinner and supper prepared by the Catholic ladies and served on the grounds with proceeds benefitting the Catholic Church.

There was also a picnic in Hulbert’s Grove southeast of New Rockford that day. A large crowd heard patriotic recitations. There were also singing, music, and sports, including horse racing, and a big dance.

On Sunday, July 5, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Pottner. Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Mulvey went to the Chautauqua.

On July 6 Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Hudson and family went to the Chautauqua. Frank Reed and Lloyd Whiteman returned from the Chautauqua. Ulrich Sprecher came in on business. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Flater returned from Carrington. Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Richter passed through New Rockford on the northbound train as they returned to their Sheyenne home from the Pacific Coast.

The Eddy County Commission (Braman, Dailey, Dafoe) met on July 6-11. From July 6 to 9, they met as a Board of Equalization.

On July 7, Mr. and Mrs. John Topp were in from their farm near McHenry. James Hackney was in Jamestown at a meeting of the State Asylum Board. On July 8, Mark R. Hulbert and Margarite Adeline Johnson were married in the home of the bride’s parents in Palouse, Wash.; they would live on the groom’s farm southeast of New Rockford after July 1. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Seckinger in eastern Eddy County. A.F. Prouty was in on business. Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Rodenberg and children returned from a family visit at Casselton; they took up residence “in their magnificent new home” on Stimson Avenue West. George Norton returned from the Chautauqua. Jeweler F. Howard returned from his trip to Montreal, Boston, New York, and several other cities. That evening Mr. and Mrs. P.C. Peterson were up from Barlow.

On July 8, Marsh Chamberlain returned from Illinois. John Voght’s niece Miss Emma Voght arrived from Joliet, Ill., for a couple weeks of visiting; she returned on July 28. H. Arveskaug went to Brinsmade on business. That evening the NRFD was called out to the second floor of the Hammer Block, where clothing in a bedroom had caught fire. The flames were quickly doused with a minimum of damage. George Ackerman spread the alarm by yelling “Fire!” as he ran down the streets.

On July 9, William Blow came in from his homestead, where he had been painting and making other improvements. Mrs. Payne arrived from Adel, Iowa, to visit her sister Mrs. Frank Roush. J.H. Hohl left for his home in San Diego, Calif., after attending to business matters in town. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Flater left for their new home, Stavely, Alberta, Canada. Miss Nora O’Connell left to spend a month on her homestead near Anamoose.

On July 9, the Eddy County Commission paid the following bills: $2, Noxon & Oglesby, telephone for June; $11.57, A.G. Gardner, postage; $45, Mrs. A.G. Gardner, register of deeds’ assistant; $30, W.C. Hayes, janitor for June; $3, H.W. Clark, taking off storm windows; $30, Dr. W.M. Bartley, medical attendance for Ernest Tott, county poor; $10, George A. Brown, meals for jurors, May; $1.50, J.R. Winslow, milk for Mrs. William Cahill, county poor; $3, Co-Operative Improvement Association, shaves for William Cahill and D.H. Keyton; and the following for printing and advertising: $16.75, “Eddy County Provost”; $19.45, “Sheyenne Star”; and $13, “Transcript.”

The following were appointed as road supervisors to fill vacancies: John Welsh, #17; S.A. Olsness, #15; F.H. Goodrich, #12.