History of New Rockford: July 10, 2023

On the afternoon of Feb. 2, 1906, Larrabee farmer David W. Huntley and Frances Turner of Fargo were married by Judge C.W. Hall in his chambers; the couple would live on his farm. That evening, the Phillips Academy Musical and Literary Society presented the following program: Music, the Society; Quotations by the members; Essay, Minnie O’Neill; Vocal Solo, Charles Griffith; Reading, Lawrence Prader; Debate, “Resolved: That the newspaper has done more for civilization than the locomotive” Affirmative, Edwin Reynolds, Negative, Urban Wiltsie; Duet, Minnie Syftestad and Emma Larson; Recitation, Roy Burdick; Newspaper, Harl Aldrich; Music, Mixed Quartette; Recitation, Ray Tompkins; Blind Essay, Anton Valer; Reading, Harry Blakely; Instrumental Solo, Irene Brownell. The judges’ decision on the debate was two for the Affirmative and one for the Negative, but the majority of the Academy students went with the Negative.

On that day 54 years prior, resident Sgt. T.P. Morris had enlisted in the U.S. Army.

An effort to reorganize the NRFD and to sign up more active members resulted in a meeting in the Maddux Law Office that evening. The fire department was reorganized and new officers were elected: Donald Niven, president; William Bucklin, vice president; O.E. Couch, secretary; H.W. Wilson, treasurer; trustees: J.E. Bennett, three years; Rev. J.R. Beebe, two years; M.F. Kepner, one year; William Bucklin, Chief; Frank Fahrer, Assistant Chief; John Von Almen, Foreman, Engine #1; Howard Johnson, Foreman, Engine #2; Frank McAuley, Foreman, Hook and Ladder.

On Feb. 3, John McVey shipped a carload of cattle and hogs to the South St. Paul market. M.R. Fritz left for the Twin Cities and then to his old home in Iowa to join his wife before the two of them would return home on Feb. 19. That evening, “A Woman’s Sacrifice,” a three-act comedy-drama starring Marie Young, was presented in the Opera House.

From Feb. 3 to 6, Thomas Ose was down from Brinsmade, completing the sale of his hardware store to Frank Hays. From Feb. 3 to 8, Gilbert Graff of Lancaster, Ohio, and John Sells of Lima, Ohio, visited their old friends Frank and George Fahrer. On Feb. 4 and 5, Rev. J.R. Beebe attended a meeting of the Home Missionary Society in Fargo.

On Feb. 5, Harry Row and Ward Roush were in from Tiffany. Miss Maude Stearns, the night operator of the Carrington telephone exchange, came up to visit her sister Miss Josie Babcock. That evening, there was a masquerade ball in the Opera House, sponsored by the Royal Neighbors; admission was 75 cents; spectators, 35 cents. There was a large crowd that danced to the music of the New Rockford Orchestra. Costumes included American Indians and the “rather scant apparel” of the South Sea Islanders. Ludvik Hanson of Plainview and editor Albert Estabrook of Carrington attended.

On Feb. 5 and 6, Miss Hazel Roush was in from Tiffany to visit her sister Miss Marie Roush, who was attending high school.

On Feb. 6, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Davidson came in to shop. George Blaha, who had worked at the Lahart elevator, went to Oberon to take over as manager of the Northwest Lumber Company’s yards there. George Couch left to enter a school of pharmacy in Minneapolis. That afternoon, baby Kathryn MacLachlan “entertained” twelve of her baby friends at her first birthday party in the family home on Stimson Avenue West.

On Feb. 7, Miss Harriet Reynolds left Phillips Academy and went to her home in Maddock due to illness; she returned on Feb. 16. That afternoon, J.F. Pettigrew of Carrington and Mary O. Nunn of Sheyenne were married by Rev. S.F. Beer in the parlors of the Hotel Mattson. That evening, a dozen lady friends of Mrs. A.N. Tomlinson drove out to the Tomlinson place just north of town and “surprised the family in a most agreeable manner.” The social get-together went until a late hour and was topped with an oyster supper. That night, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Elias Saad.

On Feb. 8, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Stitzel returned from her former home in Michigan. Mrs. H.C. Hoy arrived to visit Mrs. J.L. Kinnaird. Sheyenne grain buyer A.H. Johnson was down on business and to visit. That afternoon, the New Rockford Improvement League met at the home of Mrs. Will Carroll.

The Feb. 9, 1906, “Transcript” carried an ad for the New Rockford Hardware Company, Frank Hays, successor to the Thomas Ose Hardware, which announced a Grand Opening Sale with a 20 percent discount on all hardware for the next thirty days. Ose had sold his hardware store and stock on Chicago Street North to Hays, formerly of Minneapolis, who took over on Feb. 1; Ose’s manager, H. Arveskaug, would remain with the firm.

There was also an ad for Prader & Baeder, the Cash Bargain Store, formerly Prader & Goss [probably on lots 30-31, block 24, on Villard Ave., now the empty lots across from the Opera House and Dance Studio on Central Ave. today, 2023]. On Feb. 1 the partnership between Peter Prader and John F. Goss was dissolved and Goss sold his interest in the business to Paul Baeder.

Mary Monahan had edited the School Notes: Miss Edith Schmidt’s Primary room had perfect attendance for three consecutive days; the Primary students had read two books and were starting a third; Russell Johnson had entered the fourth grade; Miss Marie Bolstad, Intermediate teacher, was hospitalized in Valley City since Feb. 3, so Miss Couch taught the fourth and fifth grades on Feb. 5 and Miss Dora Beer then became the substitute until Miss Bolstad returned; Mrs. Lauch and Mrs. Leonard visited Miss Schmidt’s room; Mr. Goss had visited the school; the Civil Government pupils were reviewing; the Physiology class dissected a pig’s eye; the high school students had taken up Music and Drawing.

James Chambers had to interrupt his studies at Phillips Academy due to the “grip” [flu]. The Academy had obtained $200 worth of equipment for the Physics lab.

After he had joined the Shriners, George Fahrer had also decided to join their band; as a result, he had ordered a baritone horn.

H.J. Mitchell and C.J. Maddux were in Washington, D.C.; Mitchell returned from that city and from his old home in Pennsylvania on Feb. 28.

CORRECTION: In the June 26 Transcript I wrote there didn’t seem to be a grave in Prairie Home Cemetery for Olof H. Arveskaug, who died Jan. 21, 1906. Kathy O’Connor has corrected me: His unmarked grave and those of his mother and brother are in Block 1, Lot 25.