History of New Rockford: April 11, 2022

The Dec. 9, 1904, “Transcript” carried some School Notes written by the English Class: Lloyd Beardsley had been absent almost the entire week with illness. Each day after 4 p.m. an advanced arithmetic class was meeting in the high school to do review work. The Literary Society met on Dec. 8.

Sam Swanson and Martin Mostue (Swanson & Mostue) of the North Star Livery Barn had a notice for the party who placed a 9-year old roan mare, a 6-year old dark bay horse, and a Harrison wide tire wagon in their barn the night of Nov. 9 to come claim them and pay charges.

H.G. Hudson was selling Christmas candy at ten cents a pound. E. Starks had 200 bushels of fine apples for sale at the bowling alley. C.M. Dutcher was selling wall paper for 25 percent off.

J.M. Mulvey had added “some elegant counter cases” to his hardware store. E. Starks had the bowling alley remodeled and had added a billiard table and a pool table.

Mrs. Walter McDonnel was up from Valley City for a few days with her husband.

During the week, John T. West of eastern Eddy County left on a trip to Hot Springs, Ark., and maybe Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The previous week, as Mrs. E.A. Gammell was crossing the street at Chicago and Lamborn, a team harnessed together and wearing a neck yoke broke loose and ran toward her. She attempted to run, but fell and the horses parted just enough that they passed, one on either side of the fallen lady—a narrow escape.

On Dec. 9, Miss Edith Schmidt went to Jamestown to visit her parents and to see the comedy “The Tenderfoot”; she returned the next day. Mr. and Mrs. George F. Fahrer and family left for his old home, Lancaster, Ohio, for the holidays; they returned on Dec. 31. Walter Treffry left for the holidays in Marshalltown, Iowa, his old home.

On Dec. 9 and 10, D.D. Sullivan, an eyesight specialist from Fargo, was at J.N. Kunkel’s jewelry store.

On Dec. 10, William Milne, Jr., was in town on business and to visit. That evening a box social was held at the Foster form six miles northeast of New Rockford, with boxes going for 25 cents; all proceeds would be used to buy an organ for the Sheldon Schoolhouse.

On Sunday, Dec. 11, J.M. Shannon, proprietor of the Independent Elevator in McHenry, came over for a visit.

On Dec. 12, Rev. S.F. Beer visited the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. John Seckinger came in from eastern Eddy County on business, as did George E. Curtiss from Tiffany. Ellis Hoffman came in from Tiffany. Jacob Allmaras was in on business. A.C. Weber came down from Sheyenne. Col. Seth Bailey was in from the Gudgell Ranch. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Dinnetz returned from two weeks in the Twin Cities. C.J. Maddux returned from Chicago, where he had accompanied his family on their trip to Indiana for the holidays; he later went to Indiana and he and his family returned to New Rockford on Dec. 28. Mrs. E.A. Gammell went to Esmond to see her grandsons, Robert and Homer Allison. Adolph Wilson left for a winter at his old home, Rio, Wisc.

On Dec. 13, G.W. Justice and his son were over from McHenry. Mrs. O.B. Tausen and Miss Lena Greitl were up from Barlow to shop and visit. Rudolph Indergaard came in from Plainview on business and to see his friends. Andrew Mellberg was up from his farm near Barlow. Dr. John Johns was over from Bowdon to see his brother and family. Dr. E.L. Goss of Carrington was up on professional business and to visit his brother John F. Goss and family. John Dutee, Sr., and daughter Carrie left to spend the winter with relatives in Baltimore, Md.; Mr. and Mrs. John T. West left for the same destination, but they would also visit Virginia and Missouri and perhaps southern California. That evening the Christian Endeavor group hosted a “Leap Year Beaux” social in the Opera House. Admission was 25 cents; it was “very successful.” The Ionic Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star met that evening and elected officers. The West Side Kindergarten Whist Club ladies pulled off a surprise party for Alice (Mrs. J.W.) Rager at her Villard Avenue West home; the evening was filled with cards and music. At 8 p.m., Rev. E.W. Burleson conducted Episcopal services and at 10 a.m. the next day distributed Holy Communion, both services in the Methodist Church.

On Dec. 13 and 14, Mrs. A.C. Buck and Miss Laura Reames visited in Barlow.

On Dec. 14, Miss Ellen Mattson was down from Sheyenne to visit. Nels K. Mattson came down from Sheyenne on business, as did W.C. Bowers from Plainview. Dr. C.J. McNamara came up from Barlow on a professional visit. John Setz of eastern Eddy County was in on business and to visit. Eastern Eddy County resident Fred Dutee was in town.

On Dec. 15, J.W. Perry of Esmond, Frederick Skidmore and J.A. McCrum, both of Tiffany, and H.G. Lathrop of eastern Eddy County were in on business. George Treffry returned from the Twin Cities, much improved in health. That evening, J.D. Carroll came in from his Washington Lake home. The first snow storm of the season began that evening and continued into the next day.

The Dec. 16, 1904, “Transcript” mentioned the “Wahpeton Globe” and that George L. Townes had sold the “Lisbon Free Press” to C.E. Boyden.

“Christmas trees—all sizes—at Weimals.”

Mrs. J.E. Cady had arranged the display windows of J.E. Cady & Co. in such fashion as to make them some of the most attractive in town. Miss Jessie Treffry was assisting jeweler J.N. Kunkel with his Christmas business. John Anderson had just about completed painting the interior of Phillips Academy. Roy Hayes had gone into partnership with H.C. Tarbell in the East Side Livery Barn as Tarbell & Hayes. W.L. Boyd had left New Rockford and moved to McHenry, where he had purchased the Sibley Hotel.

M.F. [Millard Fillmore] Kepner had been reappointed as the New Rockford postmaster; his name was sent to the U.S. Senate on Dec. 14.

G.W. Brownell was able to be out again, but he still looked “peaked.”

The previous week, Wilson Dafoe came down from his Sheyenne Valley home and entered Phillips Academy. The Academy was organizing a double male quartette to be called the “Nightingales.” Cold weather had halted work on the Academy building for a week.

Mr. and Mrs. George Crossen had moved to Harvey “some time ago.”

On Dec. 16, S.O. Lee returned from a visit with his sister at St. Hilaire, Minn. Miss Mamie Goodrich came up from the Valley City Normal School for the holidays with her parents southwest of town. William Chambers left for a winter at his old home, West Concord, Minn. Verne “Poke” Norton left to visit his brother in Albert Lea, Minn., and then go on to Spencer, Iowa to work in a general merchandise store until the spring when he would return to New Rockford.