History of New Rockford: Dec. 5, 2022

On July 26, 1905, Edna Stickney and Charles W. Hoffman were married at the bride’s home in Brainerd, Minnesota. Edna Stickney was a former student in the New Rockford School and a former Eddy County teacher; she, her mother, and her sister Corna Stickney moved to Brainerd on October 26, 1900.

On July 26 to 27, John Morris was down from Minnewaukan with his small son to visit his parents Sgt. and Mrs. Morris.

On July 27, barber W.A. Mendenhall’s mother from Adel, Iowa, arrived to visit him.

The July 28, 1905, “Transcript” said that a farmers’ elevator company had been formed in Barlow with Erwin Forbes as its president.

On the morning of July 28, a telephone call revealed that around midnight Dr. O.W. Archibald of St. Paul had been found in his bathtub, apparently the victim of a stroke; Dr. Archibald was an eye specialist who had worked on Willie Christ’s damaged eye in March 1904. Miss Agnes Morris returned to Carrington after visiting Mrs. E.S. Severtson. N.B. Gergen, cashier of the German American Bank of Hastings, Minnesota, returned home after visiting implement dealer A.J. Clure. That afternoon a transient named James Davis was caught between two railroad cars near a switch when the freight engine was moving cars; he suffered a broken shoulder and other breaks.

During the week Miss Cassie Taylor of Larrabee visited Miss Gertrude Buck.

On July 29, H.F. Rodenberg returned from Fargo and Casselton, where he visited relatives; his family returned on August 11. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Dinnetz returned from the Lewis & Clark exposition in Portland; they were thinking of moving there in the fall. Mrs. James E. Hyde came back from Fargo and the Twin Cities; she had gone for a visit and for medical treatment. There was a heavy rain that night.

On Sunday, July 30, Rev. E.W. Burleson, rector of the Grace Episcopal Church in Jamestown, held Episcopal services in the New Rockford Baptist Church, with communion at 10:30 a.m. and preaching at 11. Mr. and Mrs. E.S. Severtson visited in Carrington.

On July 31, Mrs. Paul Noack came in to shop. Anton Haas returned from the Pacific Coast and the Lewis & Clark Exposition. Miss Elsie Keime left for Valley City to attend the Teachers’ Training School. Harry Couch returned to Bismarck after seeing the races and visiting with his brothers.

On August 1, O.R. Pomranke was in on business. Dewey Alexander departed for Bowdon, where he would be a grain buyer for the Federal Elevator. Mr. and Mrs. S.N. Putnam and Mrs. Brown left for the Lewis & Clark Exposition in Portland; they would also visit some major coastal cities; they returned on August 28.

On August 2, Mrs. (Dr. J.A.) Carter of Knox came down to visit Mrs. C.H. Babcock; she returned on August 9. Mike McNamara was down from his farm north of town; he said that someone shot and wounded one of his horses on Sunday, July 30. P.J. Braman left for Jamestown, N.Y., his old home, and Pennsylvania; he returned on September 4. Mrs. J.A. McAuley entertained her friends at a dinner with covers laid for ten. The decorations were nasturtiums and sweet peas.

Early on the morning of August 3, W.C. Albrant, the architect who had furnished the plans for the Phillips Academy building, died at his home in Fargo of pneumonia. A.D. Tomlinson returned from St. Paul, where he had gone with a carload of cattle. The Methodist Sunday School picnic for teachers and students was held in Treffry’s Grove.

On August 3 and 4, many New Rockford Masons were in Carrington “to exemplify the work of the Chapel degree.”

The August 4, 1905, “Transcript” commented that there were large numbers of harvest hands coming into New Rockford. Also that almost all telegraph operators along the Northern Pacific and Great Northern lines were out on strike, so service was sparse and very little freight was moving.

The Eddy County Board of Health issued an order for a general cleanup of backyards, alleys, and closets [outdoor toilets] and the cutting down of all noxious weeds in New Rockford.

H.L. Rood, Deputy Game Warden of Eddy County, issued a warning that he would enforce to the letter of the law the restriction of hunting prairie chickens and ducks until the legal date of September 1.

A.M. Keime had a nearly new Deering mower and rake for sale. O.W. Bauer had a nine-room house with a well of good water for sale. Alfred Dinnetz had for sale in the Academy Addition on two 50x185 lots a six-room house with five closets, a cistern, a cement-walled cellar, two wells, and a barn.

Frank Treffry was the local agent for Froelich’s Neostyle Washer. Elias Saad was “nicely installed in his new building” located on Lamborn Avenue West. Miss Georgia Hersey was a new saleslady in the dry goods department of the Elias Saad general store.

Charles Lyman had painted the Bank of New Rockford. The Hotel Davies had been painted and the Hotel Brown was being painted. Cement sidewalk work was being done on Villard Avenue West [Central Avenue] in front of Babcock & Bucklin’s Drug Store, J.W. Rager’s harness shop, several residences, and John Wenz’s shoe store on the corner. Cement sidewalks had been laid almost the entire length of Stimson Ave. West [2nd Ave. N.] on both sides of the street and there was a good stretch of cement walks on Dakota Street between Lamborn and Stimson. Prof. L.J. Aldrich of Phillips Academy had his new two-story house in the Academy Addition under construction; it was located just south of the Academy building.

During the week the following real estate was sold: John T. West sold his 800-acre farm north of McHenry, including his stock, machinery, and the 1905 crop to J.W. Lahart for over $20 an acre; Charles Rosenberger sold his farm southeast of town to C.E. Anderson for around $25 an acre; Dr. Charles MacLachlan sold his 400-acre farm, including his first-rate barn to E.S. Severtson for about $25 per acre; J.A. Wren sold his 800-acre farm southeast of New Rockford to C.C. Lyford for $16,000. Wren was planning on returning to his former home in Canada.

Mrs. H.W. Wilson was enjoying a visit from her parents, who had come up from Wimbledon the previous week. Mrs. C.H. Phear of Ripley, N.Y., was visiting her sister Mrs. J.A. McCrum at Tiffany. Charles Clark of Fargo visited Mr. and Mrs. R.P. Allison a few days that week; he was the brother of Mrs. E.G. Allison.

On the evening of August 4, Sheriff George F. Fahrer was among the New Rockford Masons at a meeting in Carrington.

On August 5, O.E. Couch went to his old home Bismarck to spend time with his family, then they went to Fargo so he could attend the druggists’ convention; they returned to New Rockford on August 11.

Up to and including August 5, sealed bids would be received by P.J. Braman, clerk of New Rockford School District #4 for the purchase of the building known as the Tomlinson School in the northeast quarter of section 21, T149, R66 [New Rockford Township].