History of New Rockford: January 25, 2021

The Oct. 23, 1903, “Transcript” contained a letter from Sheyenne minister Rev. E.T. Quam describing his recent railroad trip through Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.

An ad—“Trousers Swell London Stripe For $8, $9, $10 and $12. SCHERRER, the Tailor.” There was a half-page ad for the New Rockford Roller Mills, Kellington and McDonell, which was open for business. There were also half-page ads for F. Howard, Jeweler, for a 14-K solid gold ladies’ watch for $25; H. Peoples & Co., “The Up-To-Date Store” with general merchandise, hardware, and furniture; and John M. Mulvey, hardware, furniture, clothing (at close-out prices for 60 days), and general merchandise.

C.J. Maddux had an antique oak folding bed with a mirror panel for sale.

A note said that the new roller mill would produce Kellmac Flour. The first 50 lb. bag went to C.J. Maddux of the “Transcript,” who praised it for the light bread and biscuits baked from it. Geese in the hundreds were noted in the Tiffany area.

The previous week Rev. C.F. Sewrey was returned to the New Rockford Methodist Church at the Methodist Conference in Wahpeton.

On the morning of Oct. 23, the NRFD was called out to a burning straw pile near A.W. Greely’s barn. Carrington banker P.J. Hester, Burton Hulbert, Clayton Hall, and Frank Graham were in on business. Isham Burnett brought a load of flax in from Tiffany. Jess College was in town. Mrs. B.W. Rantz entertained the West Side Kindergarten Whist Club at the Hotel Mattson. There was a dance in Barlow that evening. That night the members of the Anamoose hunting party came home with 48 geese and “100 big red head mallard” ducks; they also did some fishing and caught 200 lbs. of pickerel.

On Oct. 24 Perry Stanton and George Dunham went hunting in eastern Eddy County and returned with three geese. Joe Dutee was in town. J.H. Hohl and his daughter Janet left for their home in Los Angeles. Melverton Trainor went to the Twin Cities to attend business college. Miss Norah O’Connell returned to her home in Minneapolis after visiting her parents; Mrs. P.J Butler accompanied her. That evening a large number of young people from New Rockford attended a dance in Barlow and had supper at the Hotel Barlow.

On Oct. 24 and 25, J.W. Rager, C.J. Maddux, and young Charley Maddux were in McHenry.

On the evening of Sunday, Oct. 25, A. Scherrer, who had extensive experience in YMCA work, spoke to the Epworth League in the Methodist Church.

On Oct. 26, Rev. J.R. Beebe visited the school. Cora Gronvold joined the eighth grade, Hartman Hall joined the sixth grade, and Ella and Alfred Dinnetz joined the third grade. Other new students in the New Rockford School were Gertrude and Everett Buck, Augusta Dinnetz, and Herman Miller in the primary department, and Edith Marriage. The second primary room had window plants and a little wheat crop which was up and growing. J.M. Mulvey, Frank Fahrer, John Von Almen and Hans Jensen went hunting and spent the night in McHenry. Erv Sprecher and J.F. Clure came in on business. Meat market owner J.M. Shannon was over from McHenry. Steiner O. Lee came in from Plainview. Attorneys P.M. Mattson and R.F. Rinker were in Sheyenne. That evening Richard, the seven-year old son of Mrs. Molineaux, attempted to hitch a ride on some wagons pulled by a traction engine. He slipped and fell. A wagon wheel struck his head which was “badly battered,” but he was getting better.

That day H.C. Tarbell took over the East Side Restaurant, which he had rented from B.M. Leonard. Also that day in the Maddux Law Offices, Arthur Buttry sold 160 acres in Eddy County to J.T. West.

On Oct. 27, the first out-of-town order for the new roller mill was a carload of bran and shorts sent to Carrington. Mrs. E.R. Davidson returned from Jamestown. Herb Losee was in on business from Tiffany, as was John T. West. William Chamberlain returned from a business trip to Belvidere, Ill. Miss Pauline Hewitt, who had been in charge of Mrs. Kepner’s confectionery in the post office lobby for some time, left for her home in Clinton, Minn. John McVay left with a carload of cattle for St. Paul. That afternoon John and Sam Swanson went hunting in eastern Eddy County and returned with five geese.

On Oct. 28, Mrs. Pettit and Mrs. H.J. Mitchell visited the school. Burrill A. Daniels of Tiffany, P.C. Peterson of Barlow, and Martin Walsh were in on business. Gabriel Guessbacher, Daniel H. Keyton and Peter Marriage were in town. Pat O’Connor was in from western Eddy County on business and to visit. Mr. and Mrs. O.M. Paulson and Miss Gunderson were down from Sheyenne. Clayton Hall returned from a business trip to Jamestown. Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Hogue returned from a trip to Missouri and would live on the D. Niven farm again. Mrs. James Davidson left for a winter with her daughter in Hamline, Minn. That afternoon Eugene Corry and Evelyn Kennedy were married by Rev. J.R. Beebe in the Congregational parsonage; the next day the couple left for their new home in Williston. That evening the Epworth League sponsored a “Hard Times” social and program in the Methodist Church; refreshments, including taffy and popcorn, were served. A prize was awarded for the best “Hard Times” costumes: Ed Myhra [Myhre?] and Alice Rager. Everyone was invited. [The social had been postponed from October 16.] There was a large crowd. Morris postmaster D.D. Dailey was in town. Mr. and Mrs. Bidney of Oberon attended a dance that evening in the Opera House, the first of the season by the Pioneer Dancing Club, with music by the New Rockford Orchestra. It was for married couples only.

On that day Will Young came into town from Tiffany and told his friends he had put out a decoy goose which Will Wilson spotted. Wilson belly-crawled for a quarter mile, got within range, and shot the head off the decoy.

On the morning of Oct. 29, the four-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ferd Buesing got hold of a bottle of sulphuric acid and received facial burns. H.G. Hudson and H.J. Mitchell returned from a three-day hunting trip to eastern Eddy County with 31 geese and several ducks. Ludvig Hanson was in on business from Plainview. Rev. Mueller and Rev. Frankie of Casselton arrived to visit their old friends Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Rodenberg and family. Mrs. Johnson, her daughter Flora Johnson, and Miss Lenora Knox, the mother, sister, and niece respectively of Mrs. W.O. Baird, left for their home in Illinois after a visit. Harry Burns and Will Albright left for Minneapolis, where they would spend the winter. State’s Attorney J.A. Manly and stenographer Dora Yegen went to Carrington on legal business.