History of New Rockford: August 15, 2022

Alfred “A.C.” Buck died on April 6, 1905. [His large gray tombstone in Prairie Home Cemetery has a Masonic symbol and vines with leaves carved near the top. The stone rests on a base with the name “BUCK” carved on it. The inscriptions on the face of the stone read, “ABIGAIL P. BUCK BORN APR. 18, 1834 DIED JULY 22, 1888” and under that “ALFRED C. BUCK BORN MAY 18, 1861 DIED APRIL 6, 1905.” Abigail P. Buck was his mother; her funeral was on the afternoon of July 24, 1888, in the New Rockford Congregational Church, Rev. J.K. Thompson, with burial near the church. Her remains were later reburied in Prairie Home Cemetery.] His estate inventoried at around $15,000. A $5,000 insurance policy was payable to the children and a $2,000 account at the bank went to them. His widow Nellie E. Buck surrendered her right to be the administratrix and waived her right to be guardian in favor of P.J. Braman, who would control about $10,000 until the children came of age.

On April 6, Miss Hilda Johnson left for a visit with her sister in Minneapolis; she returned on April 26. Mrs. W.T. Buck left for her old home in Adel, Iowa, to be with her father who was not expected to live. Miss Lou Arnold, who had worked in the dry goods department of Rodenberg & Schwoebel for three years, left for her old home in Rushford, Minn., to work in the dress goods department in a firm there. That evening, A.E. Swanson and John Algeo came up from Barlow to visit. Also that evening, G.J. Schwoebel, Dr. G.D. Murphy, and J.W. Rager, accompanied by other members, took the Royal Arch Degree in Carrington.

The April 7, 1905, “Transcript” said a letter from Jacob Chamberlain stated that all the former residents of New Rockford living in San Diego were well, including Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Hohl and John Williams. A letter from former Eddy County resident Isaac Walden said his family was doing well and that he was building a store in North Vancouver, B.C., to which his family would be moving shortly.

The “Transcript” was upset because some long ladders belonging to the NRFD were not readily available for the crew of the hook and ladder truck: one was located on top of one of the general stores and the other was in the other end of town where it was being used “as a hen roost or something similar.” Only two shorter ladders were “where they belong.” It would be a “good policy” for those who borrowed the ladders to return them to their proper place. [New Rockford hadn’t had a major fire since July 4, 1900, when the Elias Saad block on North Chicago Street was destroyed.]

A note from G.J. Schwoebel, Dr. G.D. Murphy, and J.W. Rager thanked the local members of the Royal Arch Masons for helping them during their initiation on March 31.

Mr. and Mrs. O.H. Foster and family had a Thank You Card to their neighbors and friends who had assisted them “in the burial of our dear one,” to the singers, especially those from Phillips Academy, and for “the beautiful floral tokens.”

Another Thank You Card from Mr. and Mrs. Martin Walsh and family gave heartfelt thanks to the kind friends and neighbors who gave “aid and sympathy during the illness and death of our loved one.”

Attorney R.P. Allison was able to get around after his bout with the “grip” [flu].

Real estate agent G.W. Streeter was in the eastern states on a business trip.

Stella Pike visited friends in Carrington that week. During the week, William Blow returned from a winter in Michigan and Rev. S.F. Beer was up on his homestead near Oberon, making improvements.

The John M. Mulvey hardware store on Chicago Street had a new awning and a recently painted interior. H. Peoples & Co. sold the Dunham Packer. For the previous ten days, Richard Zehrfeld and H.J. Lorig had been constructing an 18x30 farm house with 16-foot posts and a 16x20 addition for Frank Lies in eastern Wells County.

Early in the week, John T. West was in from eastern Eddy County for spring supplies.

On April 7, Conrad Lundquist was chopping wood when the ax handle broke, the blade rotated in the air a couple times, and landed on the back of his head, sharp-edge first. The “very ugly gash” required several stitches.

On April 7 and 8, Gullicks & Allison held their Spring Millinery Opening.

On April 8, the Great Madden [Dr. James Madden], an authority on eyes and the inventor of EZY-EYE-SPEX, was at the Hotel Davies. On that day, optical specialist D.D. Sullivan of Fargo was in town examining eyes and fitting glasses. Jamestown attorney Marion Conklin was up on legal business. Walter Immel left for his new home in Courtenay. There was a social at the former Independent Cash Store building; women and girls were reminded to bring unhemmed aprons and needle and thread. On that day, Fred Pietszch discovered a bushel of his eggs were missing; it took a couple hours to locate them, after which he bought a padlock and chain for the storage container. By that day, W.G. Carter had planted 120 acres of wheat.

On Sunday morning, April 9, T.H. Hagen, Sunday School Missionary, spoke in the Sheyenne Baptist Church and in the New Rockford Baptist Church that evening. That afternoon, Will Steinweg and George Norman drove up from Carrington to visit. Mrs. August Swanson and Miss Lena Greitl were up from Barlow to visit. Anson Bonney and Belle Aultman were married at the Congregational parsonage by Rev. J.R. Beebe.

On April 10, Mrs. Halga Martinson died at her home in Fairview after a four-day illness. She was born in Oxendal, Trondhjems Stift, Norway on October 14, 1858. In 1878, she emigrated to the U.S. with her parents Halvor and Anne Graven. Her funeral was on April 12, Rev. E.T. Quam of Sheyenne, and interment was in the Kvernes Cemetery. She was survived by her husband and five children. George Couch, who had been in New Rockford the previous summer, arrived to stay with his brother Orley Couch and help in the drug store during the summer. That evening, H.G. Hudson took the Knights Templar Degree of the Commandery Lodge. Also that evening, a surprise birthday party for Miss Mabel Kennedy was attended by a number of her young friends at her parents’ home on Lamborn Avenue East; refreshments were served at midnight.

On April 10 and 11, James Hackney attended a meeting of the State Asylum Board in Jamestown.

On April 11, “Esmond Bee” editor Homer Allison came down to visit his parents, attorney and Mrs. R.P. Allison, for a few days. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Merritt Lathrop of Afton, Iowa. [They were former Tiffany residents.] At 8 p.m. Rev. E.W. Burleson conducted Episcopal services at the Methodist Church. That evening, Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Maddux hosted a whist party at their home on Stimson Avenue West. That night, quite a lot of snow fell, but it melted the next morning.