History of New Rockford: June 28, 2023

On Jan. 20, 1906, F.F. Fisher returned from a family reunion in Wisconsin. Perry Stanton returned from Bismarck to remain with his parents the rest of the winter; his work in the drug store there was too confining for his health. Mrs. T.E. Lahart left to visit friends in Minneapolis.

On the morning of Sunday, Jan. 21, Olof H. Arveskaug, 33 years and six months old, died at the home of his brother Hjalmar Arveskaug. He had gone to bed late the night before, feeling fine, despite a heart condition, but his brother had to go in to wake him in the morning and found that he had died of heart failure, according to the doctor who was summoned. The funeral took place in the Arveskaug home on Stimson Avenue West on the afternoon of Jan. 23, performed by Rev. J.R. Beebe. His body was interred in the cemetery north of town. [There doesn’t seem to be any record of his grave in any Eddy County cemetery.] He had lived in New Rockford for two or three years [probably 1904] and left a mother and a brother.

On Jan. 22, after spending Sunday in Oberon with their families, Ray Tompkins and LeRoy Burdick returned to Phillips Academy. A.F. Nibbe came in from northwest of town on business and to visit. Olof and Conrad Lundquist went to Sheyenne to begin installing a steam heating plant in the Bank of Sheyenne.

On Jan. 23, merchant John F. Goss and clerk Frank A. Parker of Prader & Goss went to the Twin Cities on business.

On Jan. 23 and 24, H.G. Hudson was in Fessenden on business. That night, the northbound passenger train was late, not arriving in New Rockford until 10 p.m. Then it got stuck in a small drift between Sheyenne and Oberon, where it remained until the snowplow came up from Jamestown the next morning. Many trains during the week were having difficulty due to the amount of frost “in the rail” which made it hard for the locomotives to move after stopping at the stations.

On Jan. 24, Sheriff George F. Fahrer left for Miles City, Montana, where he would pick up and bring back Ludvick Sween. Around Jan. 16, Sween stole $125 from Fred Lindstrom when Lindstrom was not at home. Sween came to New Rockford, drove to Carrington, and took the Soo Line to Valley City. Sheriff Fahrer went to Valley City, only to find that Sween had headed west. Fahrer telegraphed the authorities in Montana, resulting in Sween’s capture as he disembarked from the train in Billings. Sween was so shocked, he immediately confessed to the crime and waived extradition.

On Jan. 24, Thomas Ashby returned from a couple weeks in the Twin Cities. J.W. Perry was back from Fargo, where he had been for some time [on and off since August 1905] for treatment on his cement-dust damaged eyes; one eye showed slight improvement and the specialist was hopeful he could save the sight in that eye. Mrs. Kate Sampson left for her Illinois home after spending the summer, fall, and part of the winter with her daughter Mrs. Inez Gullicks. That evening, Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Babcock entertained sixteen people at a whist party at their home on Villard Avenue West.

Around Jan. 25, the Lowell Literary Society of the New Rockford School presented the following program: Song by the Society; Recitation, Wanda Keime; Reading, Sadie Clark; Solo, Hazel Healey; Newspaper, Roger Mattson and Harry West; Recitation, Mabel House; Debate, “Resolved, that the Limited Monarchy Is the Best Government”; Affirmative, Lawrence Fisher, Ethel Hobbs, Edwin Wiltsie; Negative, Verne Wiltsie, Mabel House, Elwin Beardsley.

On Jan. 25, Edward C. Overton and Norah O’Connell were married at the home of the bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. John O’Connell in Minneapolis. A trained nurse, the bride had grown up in the New Rockford area. The couple would live on the groom’s farm west of New Rockford. Mrs. W.T. Buck returned from her former home, Adel, Iowa. After a four years’ absence Miss Ruby Hartson arrived to visit her aunt Mrs. Ed Starks and family. John P. Welsh was down from the Sheyenne Valley on business. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Reed went to Devils Lake, where they owned some land. The next day, they left for the Pacific Coast, including San Diego, where they would remain for quite some time. [They returned on Feb. 27.] They might visit Texas and other states before they returned to Devils Lake, where they would live.

The Jan. 26, 1906, “Transcript” contained a Card of Thanks from Caroline Arveskaug and Hjalmar Arveskaug to their many kind friends who gave aid and sympathy to them following the death of their “beloved son and brother.”

Jennie Hersey edited the School Notes: the weather and illness had caused many absences in the lower grades that week; also that week the eighth graders were taking the state examinations for the completion of their subjects; on Jan. 22 Lizzie and Charlie Wenz entered the sixth grade and Rev. S.F. Beer and Mr. Johns visited the school; on Jan. 24 Mrs. Prader visited the lower grades and Edwin Fisher entered the high school; the banner room for the fourth month of school was Miss Lund’s with an attendance percent of 97.98, followed by Miss Weiss’s 96.6, Miss Hutchinson’s 96, the High School’s 95.5, Miss Bolstad’s 94.83, and Miss Schmidt’s 89.9.

A sorrel horse had strayed, 12 years old, white star in forehead, 1000 lbs., shoes on front feet, notify John Monahan.

“Try Hudson’s laundry for Mangel Work – 30 cents per dozen. Satisfaction guaranteed.”

Jett Richter of Sheyenne had left Phillips Academy to study music.

Former resident Mrs. H.L. Lyon was suffering such poor health that she had entered a private hospital in Kenmare, N.D. for treatment, which seemed to be working.

Earlier in the week, the Llewellyn Setter pup of lumberman M.R. “Matt” Fritz died of distemper. Lloyd A. and Frances Whiteman of Sheyenne were in town visiting relatives and friends. During the week, M.M. Belgum of McHenry visited his cousin, New Rockford photographer Mons M. Belgum.

The previous week, Frank Nibbe returned from his old home, Goodhue, Minn., where he spent the holidays with his parents and other relatives. Mrs. E.A. Gammell went home to McHenry after visiting her grandsons R.L. Allison and Homer Allison, their wives, her great grandsons, and great granddaughter in Esmond, and her daughter Mrs. R.P. Allison and her husband in New Rockford.

On Jan. 26, John O’Keefe came in on business and to visit. Peter Burhans returned from a week’s visit with his parents near Sykeston and resumed his studies at Phillips Academy.

On the evening of Jan. 26, the Phillips Academy Musical and Literary Society presented the following program: Music by the Society; Quotations from the Academic Students; Music; Recitation, Irene Brownell; Essay, Isabell Schroeder; Music; Newspaper: Teachers’ Preparatory Department, Ethel Richardson; College Preparatory Department, Mont Biggs; Law Department, Ralph Beebe; Original Story, Gertrude Buck; Music; Recitation, Hattie Reynolds; Reading, Harry Burt; Dialogue; Music, Double Quartette. Rev. G.J. Powell of Fargo spoke with the group.