History of New Rockford: Sept. 4, 2023

On March 23, 1906, H.J. Mitchell, C.J. Stickney, and L.C. Oefstedahl went to Jamestown for a meeting of the Elks Lodge. H.L. Rood returned from a trip “down the line.” Daniel Labhardt and Richard Zehrfeld returned from northwest of Edmonton, Alberta. That evening Miss Mildred Keime entertained members of the Loyal Temperance Legion at her home on Villard Avenue West.

On March 24 Fred Allmaras, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Allmaras, returned from Richardson [Richardton?], where he had attended school. J.M. Patch came in from Indianapolis to look after business; he remained until May 23. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sorenson and family arrived from Regina, Saskatchewan; he went back home on March 26, but Mrs. Sorenson and the babies remained to visit relatives southwest of town [she was the sister of Mrs. Barney Engberg]. A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. A.R. Johns in Fargo; Mrs. Johns and baby arrived in New Rockford on April 13.

On March 26 Dr. J.A. Carter and family arrived from Knox to make New Rockford their new home. Dr. Carter took over the practice of Dr. G.D. Murphy. [Murphy had been in practice in New Rockford since Sept. 17, 1902.] Dr. and Mrs. Murphy were moving to the Pacific Coast. A.E. Swanson, cashier of the Security State Bank of Barlow, was up on business and to visit. Mrs. David Henry came down from Sheyenne to help care for her daughter Mrs. J.C. Smith, who was quite ill. Miss Elizabeth Trainor went to her claim near Washburn; she returned on March 31. Harold Townsend left for his home in Davidson, Saskatchewan, after spending the winter term at Phillips Academy.

On the morning of March 28, Matilda (Mrs. Fred L.) Mortinson died at her home east of Barlow of consumption [tuberculosis] from which she had suffered for some time. Funeral services took place the next day at the family home, and the body was taken to her old home near Farmington, Minnesota. She left a husband and two little girls.

On March 28 Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Lathrop were in shopping and visiting. Gabriel Carlton came up from Barlow. Frank Bailey came in from Tiffany on business. W.H. Foot came in from Nevis, Minn.; his family would follow after he had secured a home. Rev. E.H. Stickney was up from Fargo in the interests of Phillips Academy.

On March 28 (or 21), the fourth and fifth graders presented their teacher Miss Dora Beer, the daughter of Rev. and Mrs. S.F. Beer, with “a beautiful and expensive present,” the occasion being her 19th birthday. That evening a large number of friends arrived at the Methodist parsonage with presents and best wishes for Miss Beer.

On March 29 Rev. E.H. Stickney of Fargo, a trustee of Phillips Academy, spoke to the Academy students at chapel; afterwards, he and Mr. [Rev.?] Griffith visited two of Prof. Aldrich’s classes. Miss Ruth Reutenik and her sister arrived from their home in Cleveland, Ohio, to visit their father Rev. N. Reutenik. James Davidson returned from a western trip. Frank Hudson came home after his “business trip up the Soo line.” Former resident veterinarian F.R. Patterson came over from McHenry on business and to visit. The Academy Glee Club returned from their concert trip to Maddock, Oberon, Esmond, Minnewaukan, and Carrington. The Lowell Literary Society presented the following program: Roll Call with quotations, Society Members; Song, Society; Recitation, Sarah Johnson; Essay, Mabel Kennedy; Dialogue, Harry West and Elwin Beardsley; Select Reading, Mary Monahan; Solo, Marie Roush; Recitation, Amy Crane; Newspaper, Mable House and Ethel Hobbs; Debate, “Resolved, that there should be an educational qualification for suffrage”; Affirmative, Fena Carlson and Sadie Clark; Negative, Wanda Keime and Hazel Healey; Address, Prof. E.S. Youngdahl; Critic, Miss Lillian Lund; Song, Eighth Grade. During the Woodmen Lodge meeting that evening the ladies of the Royal Neighbors walked in and surprised the gentlemen with refreshments.

The March 30, 1906 “Transcript” mentioned the “Oberon Reporter” and “Maddock Standard.”

During the previous few days New Rockford had experienced spring-like weather and the snow had almost all disappeared from the fields. The “Transcript” urged residents to help clean up the trash in the streets, revealed by the melted snow.

A professional ad: J.A. Carter, M.D.C/M. Physician and Surgeon. Office over Babcock & Bucklin’s drug store, telephone 2-6-a.

E.H. Martin, manager of the creamery, said that both Prader & Baeder and the J.M. Mulvey Hardware handled New Rockford Creamery butter. Also any butter orders direct to the creamery should be in by 4 p.m. for delivery that evening.

School superintendent [principal] E.S. Youngdahl had a Notice to the effect that a new class would be organized in the Primary Department on April 2 and that parents of the eligible children should send them on April 2 and no later than April 6.

A note from “G.M.B.” said the previous week’s notes on the activities at Phillips Academy were not in the paper because as he was taking them to the printing office, the wind blew them out of his pocket and they were gone. Many of the Academy students who had attended during the winter term would not be in attendance for the spring term due to farm work.

William Blow was offering a $10 reward for information on the whereabouts of Dick, his pointer bird dog; Dick was brown, with small white spots, and brown ears. He was described as “rangy.”

J.M. Patch had macaroni seed wheat for sale at the Hotel Mattson. H.M. Clark had a Shorthorn bull and Siberian Millet seed for sale. Burton Hulbert had an A1 milch cow for sale.

Verne Norton was working at the H.G. Hudson fruit and confectionary store. Urban Wiltsie had taken a position with the “Transcript” to learn the printing business.

Dentist F.D. Norton was in Leeds all week on professional business.

On March 30 Mose Reams [Reames?] returned from Ore., where he had been located for two years; his family had remained there. Miss Olive Couch left for Bismarck, where her mother was ill; she returned on April 7 with her mother, who would remain until leaving for Des Moines. Mr. and Mrs. Will Carroll moved back to their Lake Washington ranch. That evening the Phillips Academy Musical and Literary Society met, had a program, and elected new officers for the spring term: Munroe Wilder, president; Stella Pike, vice president; Zoa Bartholomew, secretary. That night Mrs. George Utz, 25, died in a St. Paul hospital, where she had been for treatment of stomach trouble; on the morning of Sunday, April 1, her remains were brought to Carrington on the Soo Line train and taken to her home four miles south of New Rockford. The Funeral Mass was in St. John’s Catholic Church on the morning of April 2, Father W.A. Gallahue, with interment in the cemetery north of town. [I couldn’t find any “Utz” graves in either Prairie Home or St. John’s Catholic cemeteries on Find a Grave.] She was born in Germany and had lived in the U.S. for four years. She had been married three years and her husband and an infant survived.