History of New Rockford: June 5, 2023

The Jan. 5, 1906, “Transcript” had the following New Rockford advertisers: “The New Rockford Transcript,” Olsen & Maddux (C.J. Maddux, publisher; A.C. Olsen, editor and manager) [since 1883]; H. Peoples & Co. [since 1884]; Rodenberg & Schwoebel [since 1899]; Prader & Goss [since 1897]; The New Rockford Tailor Shop [since 1904?, but the business may have recently closed]; Thomas Ose Hardware [since 1901]; P.J. Lorig & Co., furniture [since 1905]; Central Drug Store, Orley E. Couch, Druggist [by 1886]; Babcock & Bucklin, Druggists [since 1902]; Hotel Davies, J.W. Hedges, prop. [since 1891]; Hotel Mattson, Christina Mattson, prop. [since 1894]; Hotel Brown, George A. Brown, prop. [since 1896]; City Dray Line, P.H. West, prop. [since 1887]; Independent Dray Line, Geo. W. Johnston, ph. 72 [since 1903]; H.L. Rood, livery, feed and sales stables, “The Big Barn” on Chicago Street South [since 1897]; Powers Elevator Co., M.R. Fritz and B.W. Rantz, agents [since 1899]; Gull River Lumber Co., R.W. Ervin, mgr. [since 1886]; City Coal and Wood Yard, R.M Kennedy, prop. [since 1902]; Culp & Perry Cement Works [since 1901]; H.W. Clark, contractor and builder [since 1899]; Gustave Lauch, brick work and plastering [since 1898]; John Anderson, painting, paperhanging, decorating [since 1900]; O.H. Arveskaug, painter and decorator [since 1904]; Bank of New Rockford, Hugh Peoples, president; Ernest S. Severtson, cashier [since 1885]; First National Bank, T.L. Beiseker, president; James E. Hyde, cashier [since 1902]; Baird & Dresser, loan and land firm [by 1896]; C.J. Maddux, money to loan, insurance [by 1897]; Streeter & Cooling, money to loan [since 1904]; G.W. Brownell, real estate loans [since 1904]; A.M. Greely, local agent for bonds [since 1904]; J.W. Rager, harness shop [since 1893]; New Rockford Machine Ship, Olof Lundquist [since 1898].

Professional ads – Robert P. Allison, Attorney, office opposite Maddux Block; C.J. Maddux, Attorney; D.F. Ellsworth, Attorney-at-Law, at Streeter & Cooling’s; G.D. Murphy, M.D., ph. 26a, physician & surgeon, office and residence over the Babcock & Bucklin drug store; Chas. MacLachlan, M.D., ph. 43b, Stimson Ave. West and office over Central Drug Store, ph. 43a; F.D. Norton, dentist, office over Rodenberg & Schwoebel; J.C. Whiteman, Veterinarian; J.L. Kinnaird, Undertaker and Funeral Director.

Harry Wilton from near Sentinel Butte was visiting his sister Mrs. O.E. Couch and her husband; he returned home on Jan. 10.

Recently, Miss Tillie Allmaras, who was attending school in Fargo, came the closest to guessing the weight of a steer hanging in a Fargo butcher’s window.

On Jan. 5, Mrs. Beer, Miss Dora Beer, Miss Spenser, and Miss Traynor visited the school. The passenger train struck a drift south of Melville which knocked the front trucks off the track, causing a delay of two hours. A.H. “Hope” Crawford returned from his visit to Toronto, Ontario. J.M. Shannon of McHenry suffered a severe attack of appendicitis while working at his elevator there; the next day he was taken to St. John’s Hospital in Fargo, where he was operated on. He was “very low,” but the doctors thought he would recover. His wife was with him; she returned to McHenry on Jan. 12, saying the doctors had told her it was one of the worse cases of appendicitis ever seen at that hospital. Shannon was recovering slowly. That evening, a basket social and entertainment was held in the Superior School #2.

That afternoon, Miss Vannie Hall was enticed to take a sleigh ride. When she returned to her Stimson Ave. East home, she discovered that her friends had taken it over for a surprise birthday party. A pleasant afternoon and the opening of presents were topped off by “a magnificent supper” prepared by Miss Carolyn Waters.

That evening, the Phillips Academy Musical and Literary Society met and put on the following: Recitation, Irene Brownell; Piano Trio, Minnie Syftestad, Harry Burt, Mrs. H.J. Mitchell; Recitation, Hattie Reynolds; Instrumental Solo, Mrs. H.J. Mitchell; Recitation, Pearl Goss; Recitation, Pearl Beer. Miss Beer’s recitation was voted as the better of the two. New officers were elected: Rolla Hill, president; Alvin Keime, vice president; Minnie McAuley, secretary; Minnie Syftestad, treasurer; Musical Directors: Maggie VanScholach, Mrs. H.J. Mitchell, and Harry Burt; Literary Directors: Zoa Bartholomew, Ralph Beebe, and Vera Keime.

On Jan. 6, W.S. Farquhar, the agent for the Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Co. returned from visiting his family at Farmington, Minn. Mr. and Mrs. Otho T. Lathrop arrived from Fargo for a visit; he was recovering from an appendectomy. Louis Mortinson [Lewis Mortensen?] was up from Barlow on business. Adolph Wilson returned from the Twin Cities, then left for a position in Kenmare on Jan. 9. Miss Margaret Ford returned to the Valley City State Normal School after the holidays with her parents.

On Sunday, Jan. 7, Miss Ethel Richardson came in from her home in eastern Eddy County and resumed her studies at Phillips Academy the next morning.

On Jan. 8, a hearing was held in Jamestown in the divorce case of Samuel and Isabella McDowell. She had sued her husband for divorce. Maddux & Rinker represented her; James Carroll of New Rockford and S.E. Ellsworth of Jamestown represented Mr. McDowell. The court ordered him to pay $300 for counsel fees and $50 to Mrs. McDowell the tenth of every month for her support. The case itself would be tried in a few weeks.

That day, Miss Jessie Treffry returned from her visit to Des Moines and Marshalltown, Iowa. S.A. Olsness came down from near Sheyenne on business and to visit. Martin Duursma was in on business from northeast of town. Mr. and Mrs. Olof Lundquist returned from their visit with her parents near Valley City; Mr. Lundquist also went to Fargo and looked over NDAC. Dennis O’Connell came down from Berthold, where he had been a grain buyer, visited a few days, and left on Jan. 13 for Ray, where he had been a grain buyer for the same company for the previous two years and would open a new elevator. Miss Georgia Fields returned to Churchs Ferry to continue her studies in the public school there. Mrs. E.A. Gammell went to Esmond to see her grandsons R.L. Allison and Homer Allison and their wives and to help care for her great-grandsons and great-granddaughter.

On the morning of Jan. 9, cartoonist and chalk talker Lenox Stanley spoke to the students of Phillips Academy briefly after chapel and then visited some classrooms. Peter Nelson from the Sheyenne Valley, Fred Topp from near McHenry, H.J. Row, and Chris Fahrner came in on business. Ward Roush was in from near Tiffany. Sheyenne merchant Evenson was down on business. William Dugan was up from Barlow on business and to visit. Seeking relief from the pains of rheumatism, Charles Young left for Hot Springs, Arkansas; he returned “much improved” on March 9. That evening, Williams’ Original Jubilee Singers entertained a “big audience” at the Opera House.