History of New Rockford: September 19, 2022

On May 17, 1905, Nils Gunvaldson was in town. Miss Stacia Hennessy was up from Carrington to visit Miss Jennie Treffry. Peter Berge was in from his farm northwest of New Rockford on business. That afternoon a group of “crack shots” went out to J.M. Mulvey’s farm and shot gophers.

On May 18, R.M. Kennedy returned from Grand Forks, where he represented the local lodge at the United Workmen Grand Lodge. Martin Walsh was in on business. Real estate agent G.W. Streeter returned from his business trip to Illinois. There was a baseball game in the afternoon in which the Phillips Academy team defeated the visiting Carrington team 8-1; there was a large crowd, including the following from Barlow: Messrs. Tomlinson, Algeo, Tausen, Toll, Engberg, Swanson, Steele, and McNamara. Postmaster Millard F. Kepner went to Fessenden on business. C.H. Babcock, F.W. House, and J.E. Bennett went to Carrington to attend a meeting of the Commandery Lodge [Knights Templar] that evening; they were the guests of Grand Eminent Commander H.E. White. That evening a large audience saw Clara Throff and Company present Henrik Ibsen’s somewhat controversial play, “A Doll’s House,” at the Opera House. Also that evening a party was given in honor of Miss Vera Wilson at the home of Mr. and Mrs. H.R. Wilson at Stimson Avenue and Dakota Street.

The May 19, 1905, “Transcript” said that the previous week Rev. A. Hristoff of Bulgaria had arrived to take charge of the Presbyterian congregations in Tiffany and Morris for the summer. He had been a missionary in Macedonia for several years before being forced to flee by the Turks.

Mrs. Agnes Ewals had some good flax seed for sale at her farm five miles southeast of New Rockford.

Mrs. B.W. Rantz was recovering nicely from her recent operation.

Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Healey’s house on Stimson Avenue East was going up rapidly. George F. Fahrer also had a new house going up on that same avenue.

A note said the Sheyenne Telephone Exchange Company had been incorporated and would put in a city exchange with branch lines going into the countryside.

The previous week George Treffry displayed some young wolves that had been dug out of their den near his farm southeast of town.

On May, 20 B.W. Rantz returned from St. Paul, where he visited his wife; she was making progress in her recovery from her operation and would be home soon. “Sheyenne Star” editor C.C. Manning was down on business. Fred F. Allmaras came in on business. W.C. Dresser returned from a business trip to “eastern states.” M.H. Pelton, who had managed a grain elevator in Bowdon for a year, but who had joined a grain elevator construction crew, visited in town. Former resident A.J. Allen arrived from San Diego to see his old friends.

On May 20 and 21, Percy Wiltsie visited in town, then went to Carrington to work on the crew remodeling an elevator; he worked several days on the Sutherland Elevator. From the evening of May 20 to the evening of May 21, A.H. Johnson and Frank Parker went fishing on the Sheyenne River; they came back with one fish almost 7½ inches long. On May 20 to 22, M.B. Lytle, a businessman from Glenburn, visited his brother Frank Lytle for the first time in eight years. From May 20 to May 24, Miss Ella Grierson of Harvey visited Misses Dora and Lyle Yegen.

On Sunday, May 21, Mr. and Mrs. M.R. Fritz, Mr. and Mrs. T.E. Lahart, and Miss Edith Cline drove to Carrington in the morning and came back that afternoon. Rev. A. Hristoff preached at Morris at 11 a.m. and at Tiffany at 3 p.m. That evening Prof. L.J. Aldrich preached in the Methodist Church, while Rev. S.F. Beer preached at the Columbia School. A.E. Swanson, W.S. Elliott, Miss Edith Larson, and Miss Agnes Morris drove up from Carrington to visit. Attorney John Layne and Miss Anna Weiss visited in Carrington. Isham Burnett was in town. That evening Dan Ducke came in from near McHenry for several days of visiting.

From May 21 to 23, Mr. and Mrs. George Treffry visited in Sykeston.

On May 22, District Court (Judge Edward T. Burke and Court Reporter C.H. Olson) began in New Rockford, but the jury was not empaneled until May 25. The term ended on June 8. There were 34 civil cases, but no criminal cases. Peter Berglund was down from the Sheyenne Valley, reporting for jury duty. Jamestown attorneys S.E. Ellsworth and Fredrus Baldwin came in for the term of court.

The jury list included M.E. Babcock, Rev. J.R. Beebe, Osmond Benson, Peter Berglund, A.W. Blasky, Patrick Boyle, W.T. Buck, C.H. Chamberlain, E.P. Cosgrove, James Dafoe, C.E. Erickson, Christ Fahrner, Albert Fossum, George Fugina, John Germoz, Herman Hallquist, August Johnson, Martin Johnson, T.G. Kellington, D.R. Lun [?], Carl Myhre, J.B. Newville, J.P. Noack, Hans Norin, John Nunn, H.C. Tarbell, Nick Thorosen, Fred Topp, George VanHeesch and George R. Williams.

The cases included the following:

Ducke vs. Justice: Maddux and Rinker withdrew as defense attorneys and judgment was taken by default: P.H. Mattson represented the plaintiff.

Whinnery & Adams vs. McDowell: continued by stipulation: Maddux & Rinker for plaintiffs: McCue & Leslie for defendant.

Richter vs. Walton: injunction: temporary order made permanent by agreement of consul: Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff: Manly for defendant.

Peoples & Co. vs. Fay: foreclosure of mechanic lien; tried and taken under advisement; Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff: Mattson for defendant.

Powers Elevator Co. vs. Pottner: foreclosure of mechanics lien; facts stipulated and matter pending for argument; Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff: Ellsworth for defendant.

R.A. Wenzin vs. Pottner: foreclosure of mechanics lien: pending an argument as preceding case: Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff: Ellsworth for defendant.

Clure Bros. vs. Pottner: case withdrawn by plaintiff without prejudice: Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff: Manly for defendant.

Chamberlain vs. Powell: judgment for plaintiff by default upon defendant’s consul withdrawing: Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff: Manly for defendant.

Brownell vs. Riley: tried and taken under advisement; Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff; Manly for defendant.

Packard vs. Renfrew: suit for $10,000 for breach of promise; the jury was still out. Manly, Mochler and Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff; Mattson and Ellsworth for defendant.

Studebaker vs. Courtemanche: on trial: Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff: Manly for defendant.

Lorig vs. Fritz Allmaras: appeal of defendant dismissed: judgment for plaintiff; Maddux & Rinker for plaintiff: Allison for defendant.

Smith vs. Keyton and Forbes: on motion of the defendants, case stricken from the calendar: Baldwin for plaintiff; Maddux & Rinker for defendants.

Smith vs. Geiger: on motion of the defendant, case stricken from the calendar; Baldwin for plaintiff: Manly for defendant.

Clure Bros. vs. Baird: judgment by stipulation for plaintiff; on motion of the defendants, case stricken from the calendar; Mattson for plaintiff; Maddux & Rinker for defendant.

Peoples & Co. vs. Baird: judgment by stipulation for plaintiff: on motion of the defendants, case stricken from the calendar: Mattson for plaintiff: Maddux & Rinker for defendant.